George Garland Elder, Jr., 83, of Buena Vista died Sunday, December 17, 2006 at the Shenandoah Valley Health Care Center.

Born May 7, 1923 in Pittsylvania County, he was the son of the late George G. Elder, Sr. and Lucy Margaret Starkey Elder.

He was previously employed by Newport News Shipbuilding and was a farmer. He was a member of Buena Vista Baptist Church and was a World War II U. S. Army veteran.

Mr. Elder was preceded in death by his daughter, Patricia Jane Elder Dove, and his siblings, Cornelius Brown, Robert Elder, and Joseph Elder.

Surviving are his wife, Katherine "Kitty" S. Elder of Buena Vista; "their boy", Gehrig Dove and wife, Ronda Dove of Buchanan; three grandchildren, Lori A. and husband, Chris Chovanec of Kansas City, MO, Spec. Ryan G. Dove of Ft. Riley, KS, and Chelsea L. Dove of Buchanan; a brother, John Franklin Elder of Concord, VA; and two sisters, Pauline Tibbs of Manassas, VA and Beatrice Jones of Greensboro, NC.

The funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 21, 2006, at the Lomax Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Charles Stewart and Rev. David Bain officiating. Burial will follow in Rockbridge Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Wednesday, 7 to 8 p.m., at the Lomax Funeral Home. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Buena Vista Rescue Squad.

The Lomax Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.