Eli Lloyd Mast

Eli Lloyd Mast (82) passed away at his home on Sunday, November 26, 2023. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sharon (Graber) Mast, and his four children, Gloria Mast, Whiteville, Tennessee, Julia Lapp and husband Joe, New Holland, Pennsylvania, Merlin Mast and wife Catherine (Miller), Bolivar, Tennessee, and Delores Mast, Whiteville, Tennessee. He was also blessed with ten grandchildren, Sean Lapp, Adrianna Lapp, Ashley Lapp, Allison Lapp, Jackson Mast, Alayna Lapp, Caroline Mast, Franklin Mast, Amarissa Lapp, and Emmalise Mast.

Lloyd was born on May 15, 1941, in Thomas, Oklahoma, to Noah and Elizabeth (Nisly) Mast. He was the youngest of eight children, Fannie Hershberger (Dave), Mary Yoder (Dan), Sadie Kajkowski (Stanley), Sylvia Parker (Victor), Verna Mast, Wilma Goran (Frank), and Elmer Mast (Mary Jane Yoder), all deceased. He is survived by one sister-in-law, Norma Mast.

At seven years old he moved with his family to Stuarts Draft, Virginia, where he spent the rest of his childhood. He accepted Christ as his Saviour in his youth and was baptized. He was a charter member of the Whiteville Mennonite Church until his death.

As a young man he spent his service as a conscientious objector at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Harrison, Arkansas.  Later he earned his Bachelor’s degree as an elementary education from Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He taught 8 years in Indiana and Ohio, and then moved his family to Whiteville, Tennessee in 1976. In Tennessee, he taught in Eastside Elementary and Jefferson Elementary before becoming a poultry farmer. He also owned and managed Backermann’s Bakery and Cheese Shoppe. After retiring in 2002, he volunteered and enjoyed new hobbies.

The family wishes to thank all those who showed love and care during their father’s life and death. Any memorials are requested to be given to Ukrainian and Russian war refugees via Whiteville Mennonite Church.

Visitations for Mr. Mast will be from 2 to 4 P.M. and from 5:30 to 8 P.M. Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at the Whiteville Mennonite Church. Funeral Services will be at 10 A.M. Thursday, November 30, 2023 at the Whiteville Mennonite Church. The officiating ministers will be Kevin Yoder, Paul Overholt, Lavern Eash and Ray Kauffman. Interment will follow in the Whiteville Mennonite Church Cemetery.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers will be Sean Lapp, Jackson Mast, Franklin Mast, Wendell King, Matthew Graber and Myron Graber.