Elmer Blythe

Elmer Blythe, 89, formerly of Kellogg and Prairie City and most recently of Reasnor died peacefully at his son’s home in Reasnor on Thursday, November 4, 2021. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Monday, November 8, at the funeral home. Memorials to the Friends of the Prairie City Library to be used for the new library may be left at the funeral home.

Elmer was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 1, 1931. He lived in many places growing up including Rocky Ford, Rye, and Pueblo, Colorado. He graduated in 1950 from Centennial High School in Pueblo. In December of 1950, Elmer entered the U.S. Air Force. He served as an aircraft mechanic in many places, but the majority of his time was spent in England.

After being discharged, Elmer worked for different construction crews. He met the love of his life, Mary Ellen Leach, in Kellogg while working on the spillway at Rock Creek State Park. They began dating in June of 1955 and were married on September 4, 1955. They made their home in Kellogg for the next 40 years. Elmer started the Statistical Process Control Unit at the Maytag Company and performed that job until his retirement in December of 1993. During that time, he also owned a VW garage, PMS Volks Service, for 10 years. Elmer had many hobbies including computers, reading, photography, and woodcarving. He also enjoyed traveling all over the country, which he did more following Mary Ellen’s death in September of 1995.

Elmer is survived by his sons, Patrick (Donna) Blythe of Reasnor and Michael (Barb) Blythe of Kellogg; daughter, Susan (Paul) Ponder of Prairie City; his grandchildren, Joshua (Nagi) Blythe of Okinawa, Japan, Eden (J.J.) Guffey of Newton, Lee (Emily) Blythe of Pardeeville, Wisconsin, Forrest (Josie) Blythe of Ames, Meredith (Coleby Hanisch) Ponder of Des Moines, and Jacob Ponder of Ames; three great-grandchildren; his brother, Norman (Gene) Blythe of Oxnard, California; sister-in-law, Patricia Blythe of What Cheer; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Hilda (Nesslage) Blythe; wife, Mary Ellen Blythe; two brothers, Clifford and Eugene Blythe; and an infant daughter, Patricia Ann Blythe in 1956.