Elmer U Mast

Elmer U. Mast went to his Eternal rest at his home on March 8, 2025, at 93 years old. A funeral service is planned for Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Magnolia Mennonite Church in Macon, MS. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church on Wednesday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Cockrell Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with arrangements.

Elmer was born in Nappanee, Indiana on October 13, 1931, to the late Uriah and Elizabeth Mast. As a teenager, he was born again at one of the Andrew Jantzi’s tent meetings. He was united in marriage to Lydia Marie Troyer on October 19, 1950.

They were members at Griner Mennonite Church in Middlebury, Indiana. While attending Sunday school there, Elmer was deeply impressed with the apostle Paul and his missionary journeys. Elmer moved his family to Macon, Mississippi in 1960 from White Pigeon, Michigan. He loved the Lord and was a member of Magnolia Mennonite Church.

In Mississippi God opened the doors for Elmer to be a missionary among the local people. He spent a lot of time visiting local churches and interacting with his neighbors. Elmer was involved with having Sunday school at Mount Hollin Baptist Church for five years. After which Oak Grove was established. Services were held each Sunday and Wednesday evening along with many youth activities and Summer Bible school. Elmer was ordained as minister for Oak Grove in April 1979.

Elmer was a dairy and crop farmer, owner of Noxubee Farm and Seed, hog farmer, and owned beef cattle.

Elmer is survived by five children: Dewayne (Linda) Mast, Olathe, CO; Joanna (John) Mast, Macon, MS; Mervin (Linda) Mast, Rustburg, VA; Sharon (William) Wald, Wrightsville, GA; Melvin (Robin) Mast, Scottsville, VA; and one daughter-in-law, Cynthia (Jerry) Yoder, Long Island, VA. He is also survived by twenty grandchildren, and thirty- six great grandchildren. He is survived by one sister, Nancy Chupp, Eden Valley, MN; two brothers, Wilber (Judy) Mast, Etna Green, IN., and Uriah Jr. Mast, Nappanee, IN; and one brother-in-law, Marvin Miller, Nappanee, IN.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Marie, on December 31, 2013, after sixty-three years of marriage; by his son, Paul Mast, on March 14, 2010; and grandson, Gregory Mast, on December 28, 2020. Elmer is also preceded in death by two sisters, Beulah Beachy and Elizabeth Miller, and eight brothers, Omar, Otis, Joseph, Glen, Robert, Roman, William and Samuel.

Elmer will be deeply missed by his family. Please continue to pray for us as we adjust to life without our parents.

His children would like to thank family and friends for their support and many acts of kindness, the cards, food, visits, prayers, and words of encouragement. We want to thank his caregivers and Gentiva Hospice for their faithful assistance.