Elmer R. Koelzer, 76, of Baileyville, KS, died Friday July 1, 2011 near Deer Lodge, MT.

He was born on July 5, 1934 on a farm five miles north of Baileyville to Allie J. and Irene J. Hammes Koelzer. He grew up in the Baileyville community and graduated from Baileyville High School in 1952. After high school, he ran a bulldozer for the Clear Creek Township and farmed. In 1953 he enlisted into the Army National Guard and was discharged as a Sergeant E5 in 1961.

Elmer married Virginia L. Heiman on September 6, 1956 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Baileyville. They ran a successful farming and dairy operation and celebrated 54 years of marriage.

Elmer was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Baileyville, was a past president of the church council, served as a lay minister, and sang in the choir. He was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus Council #1769 in Seneca.

In 1970 he received the Seneca Jaycees “Outstanding Young Farmer Award” and later that year was presented by Kansas Governor Docking as the Kansas Jaycees Third Place “Outstanding Young Farmer Award.” He served as a board member for the Farm Bureau, the Nemaha County DHIA, the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, the Rural Water District #3 Board and the Baileyville (USD #451) School Board, serving as president. He helped establish the baseball program in Baileyville, and for 12 years he enjoyed coaching Baileyville Baseball youth.

Elmer enjoyed watching his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting and other events, playing cards and fishing. He took great pleasure in traveling throughout the United States to visit family and friends.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Barbara Marie; his parents; a brother, Richard Koelzer; and three sisters, Mildred Stallbaumer, Evelyn Heiman and Marceil Haverkamp.

He is survived by his wife, along with their sons, Robert of Olathe and William (Sandy) of Baileyville; and daughters, Brenda (Galen) Niehues of Seneca and Mary Beth (John) Kohake of Centralia; brothers, Regis of Axtell and Gilbert of Baileyville; sisters, Leona Bergman of Baileyville, Eileen Koelzer of Baileyville, LaVerne Uphaus of Topeka and Audrey Mueting of Seneca; 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Thursday, July 7, at Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 AM Friday, July 8, at Sacred Heart Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Memorials may be given in Elmer’s memory for Sacred Heart Baseball and Softball Association, or the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, and sent in care of the family.