Roy Elza, of Conroe, Texas, passed from this life into the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at his home.
Born November 5, 1942, in Alpena, he was a son of the late James Patrick and Zella Louise Swagger Elza.
Roy grew up in West Virginia and Ohio. At the age of 12, he trusted the Lord Jesus as his personal Savior.
He was a timber and pulpwood cutter in West Virginia and worked in a woodworking shop in Ohio. He worked for Revanna Arsenal during the Vietnam War, and owned his own homebuilding company, Elza Construction. In the early 1980s he moved to Texas and retired from Houston ISD.
Roy was ordained to the office of Deacon by Troy Baptist Church in Troy, Ohio. He joined Bethel Baptist Church of New Caney, Texas, October 15, 1989. He served as Deacon of Bethel until his passing. He maintained membership of Bethel Baptist Church and Southington Baptist Church in Southington, Ohio.
He greatly enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, collecting antiques, building things, playing music, playing Santa Claus at Christmas, serving the Lord, spending as much time as possible with his family and friends and most of all, with Annette, his wife since July 6, 1962.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Everett Elza; sisters, Jessie Sharp and Carolyn Fitzgerald; and many other family members and friends.
He is survived by his loving wife of more than 56 years, Annette Kelley Elza; son, Roy Everett Elza, and wife, Justine; daughter, Angela Roann Newton, and husband, Randy; grandchildren, Ashley Mazza, and husband, Shawn, Leanna Stewart, and husband, David, Ryan Elza, and wife, Faith, Brittany Sullivan, Bradley Newton, and wife, Letha, Kayla Newton, Karragen Newton and Dakota Newton; great-grandchildren, Rylan Mazza, Hunter Mazza, Adrianna Stewart, Kylie Elza, Jeremy Elza, Conner Elza, Isaac Beatty, Natalie Beatty, Seth Newton, Taylor Newton and Lucas Newton; and a host of family members and friends.
A Celebration of Life was held April 21 at Bethel Baptist Church in New Caney.
Memorial donations made to Bethel Baptist Church in memory of Brother Roy will be used for mission trips and construction, two areas dear to his heart.
