White Funeral Home
1315 Main Street
Jesup, Iowa 50648

LA PORTE CITY – Pastor Ernest Charles Elzey, 78 years of Cedar Falls, IA, and formerly of La Porte City, IA, died Saturday, May 3, 2025, at MercyOne Medical Center in Waterloo, IA.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. – Thursday, May 8, 2025, at White Funeral Home, Jesup, IA, with burial 3:00 p.m., Thursday at Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Ottumwa, IA.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at the funeral home. Memorials will be directed to Zion Lutheran Church – Jubilee, rural La Porte City and to the Cedar Valley Hospice House in Waterloo. Online condolences may be posted at www.White-MtHope.com.

Pastor Elzey was born April 25, 1947, in Stuttgart, AR, the eldest son of Elmer Cecil Elzey and Louise Marie (Peterson) Elzey. The family lived in several communities during his youth, as his father pastored to churches. He graduated from Roanoke-Benson High School in Roanoke, IL, with the class of 1965, and then attended Texas Lutheran College, Sequin, TX, where he graduated in 1970. He then graduated from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH, in 1974. While in Columbus he interned at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Napolean, OH, from 1972 – 1973. Pastor Elzey was ordained by his father Pastor Elmer Elzey in 1974. He then became pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Kellog, IA, and St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Sully, IA, from 1974 – 1979. From 1979 – 1983, he served Trinity Lutheran Church in South Milwaukee, WI, and then at Central Lutheran Church, Edgerton, WI from 1984-1986. He did interim pastoring until his next call to First Augustana Lutheran Church in Lockridge, IA from 1989-1994, then at Accession Lutheran Church in Goose Lake, IA, from 1994-1997. In 1999, Pastor Elzey became pastor at Zion Lutheran Church – Jubilee, rural La Porte City, IA, until 2011, when he retired after 36 active years in ministry.

Pastor Elzey was united in marriage to Karen Janeen (Jurgersen) Kane, June 27, 1998, at Chancy Lutheran Church, Clinton, IA. She preceded him in death in 2009.

Pastor Elzey is survived by two brothers, Paul (Ruth) Elzey of Sully, IA, John (Margaret) Elzey of Cornell, IL; also, two step-children, Kendall (Heather) Kane of Jesup, IA, and Kayla (Craig) Bresson of Waterloo, IA; four step-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife Karen; his parents, one sister and brother-in-law, Rebecca and Archie Mangold; and one nephew, Archie Mangold, preceded him in death.

White Funeral Home, Jesup, IA, is in charge of the arrangements.