Patsy LaRene Bolender Elam

After a long illness, Pat Elam, age 89, a resident of Greer, South Carolina and formerly a long-time resident of St. Charles, Illinois was called to her Heavenly home to be with Jesus on September 17, 2025. Pat was born November 17, 1935, to the late George Mogle and Pearl Marie (Wybourn) Bolender in Freeport, Illinois. She graduated from Dixon High School in 1953 and married her high school sweetheart Bill on September 19, 1954. They had four children. In addition to being a wife and mother, Pat held many varied and interesting jobs over her life-including selling shoes at her dad’s shoe store, school cafeteria supervisor, medical office receptionist, administrative assistant, bookkeeper, ministry leader and other varied positions. Pat’s life changed dramatically on April 19, 1982. Her late husband Bill had fallen into the bondage of alcoholism. God miraculously intervened in their lives, and she and Bill immersed and surrendered themselves in the 12-step program of recovery, resulting in the recommitment of their lives to Jesus Christ and to their marriage. In 1987, Pat along with her husband co-founded a Christ-centered 12-step recovery/support group fellowship, ELEEO Ministries (‘Eleeo”, a Greek word meaning “mercy in action”). The fellowship emphasizes the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-16) as the foundation for true recovery and Christian living. Pat and her husband were commissioned as home missionaries in 1989. While the ministry has changed over the last decade to being more virtual and ministering mostly to women, its purpose of being a place of hope and healing never has. After 38 years in ministry leadership, Pat just recently resigned from her active ministry role and released the leadership of ELEEO to a wonderful and gifted team of board members. First and foremost, Pat loved Jesus Christ. She loved life, loved people and loved animals, especially her beloved dogs. Throughout her life she shared her gift of hospitality with everyone she met, and after the ministry was founded, often opened her home to those who needed a temporary place of shelter and healing. Pat had a beautiful smile and laughed easily. She enjoyed worshiping with her church family, learning and studying God’s Word, cooking, gardening, shopping, eating out, jigsaw puzzles and traveling to visit her children and grandchildren. She shared with any who had a need. She had a deeply rooted faith in God, freely sharing how Jesus transformed her life, and desired that all would find the Truth, as she had, that would set them free. Her life verse is Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my upon a rock making my footsteps firm.” (NASB 1995) Pat was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bill and her first born and oldest daughter, Cheryl A. Carter. She leaves to rejoice in her home going her children, son, Bradley A. (Kathy) Elam, son, William G. (Jane) Elam, daughter, Beverly M. (Ronald) Braunsky; grandchildren, Georgia (Rob) Nordquist, Kaitlin (Brian) Wilkerson, Katherine Elam, Chloe Carter; three great-grandchildren; and nephews, Timothy (Judy) Rinaman and Luke (Yara) Rinaman. In lieu of usual remembrances, please consider a donation to ELEEO Ministries (www.eleeochristianrecovery.org); Resurrection Church in Greer, South Carolina (www.rezfaith.com) or a charity of your choosing. A celebration of life service for Pat will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 3, 2025, at Resurrection Church in Greer, South Carolina. The service will be live streamed at www.facebook.com/rezfaith. Online condolences may be made to www.thewoodmortuary.com.

Patsy LaRene Bolender Elam

November 17, 1935 - September 17, 2025