Elmer Feldotto, 84, died Friday, August 19, 2022, at his home in Grand Island, NE, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Per his wishes, cremation was chosen. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 1st at 11:00 AM at the First Christian Church in Grand Island, with Pastor Julie Western officiating. All Faiths Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the First Christian Church or the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Elmer was born September 5, 1937 in Paullina, Iowa to Albert and Nora (Schuknecht) Feldotto. He received his education at Paullina High School, graduating with the class of 1955, and attended Iowa State Teachers’ College in Ames, Iowa.
He married Elizabeth Ann Innis and to this union two children were born: Beverly and Kevin. They later divorced. Elmer married Kathy (Davis) Heffelfinger on February 28, 1976 in Omaha, Nebraska.
Elmer never met a stranger; he could talk to anyone (at length) and he loved people. It was impossible to go anywhere with Elmer and not run into someone he knew. He spent his entire career in retail and service, working twenty years for Hy-Vee in Iowa and almost forty years for Skagway in Grand Island.
Elmer loved life and was very talented and extremely creative. He was active in Grand Island Little Theater, Barbershop Choir and Quartet and City Singers, having been blessed with a beautiful bass voice. He was a member of GI Rifle Club and enjoyed target shooting and cowboy action shooting and was a skilled hunter, usually loading his own ammo. Bicycling was a passion and at the time of his death he was looking forward to riding his recumbent bike on his 85th birthday. For 20 years he rode in state rides with friends Carl and Jan. Kathy wasn’t crazy about riding 100 miles a day, but she accompanied him to sag. Elmer was a man of many talents including woodworking, creating dozens of rocking horses and numerous tables and cabinets; designing beautiful stained-glass pieces for family and friends; and he was an accomplished photographer, also developing hundreds if not thousands of photographs and enlargements during his time at Skagway. He enjoyed his restored ‘64 T-Bird and he and Kathy attended many car shows in the area. Elmer and Kathy loved to travel, including family reunions in Washington and Montana, several trips to Europe and a trip of a lifetime to Africa. He was proud of his collections, including Elmer Fudd memorabilia, an “E Fudd” license plate and going so far as having a cycling Elmer Fudd tattoo on his leg. He enjoyed family and spending time with his kids and grandkids. He and Kathy cherished many dogs, the last being a maltipoo named Maggie, who became his all-time favorite.
Those who remain to cherish Elmer’s memory are his wife, Kathy; children Beverly (Giovanni) Zanotti, Kevin (Melyssa) Feldotto, Anthony Heffelfinger; grandchildren and their families, Mariana (Adam) and Andrew and Eliana Martinez, Sam Feldotto and partner Lindsay, Maria (Mikael) Mansini Andrew, and A. J. and Ashton Heffelfinger; niece, Lori Reese; nephews, Tom and Tim Feldotto; faithful companion, Maggie and numerous friends.
Elmer was preceded in death by his parents and brother and sister-in-law Paul and Sharon Feldotto.
Online remembrances may be left at www.giallfaiths.com.