Kite Jockey’s Weblog

The Bible says “Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!” 1 Peter 4:9-11 (The Message).

In all of my life I have only knew a few men who seemed to live by this passage. The world just lost such a man and his name was Elwood Oscar Dortmundt. I did not know him as well as I should have but what I knew of this man really inspired me.

Elwood

Elwood is survived by his very sweet wife Ann and several family members, including lots of grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren. Ann and Elwood were fixtures in my wife’s home church, Carr’s Hill Baptist Church in Brevard, NC. I was moved by his sweet spirit and big heart. When ever I saw Elwood he would just grin and offer me a very warm hand shake and often a pat on the back. He and Ann were some of my biggest fans when ever I had the opportunity to fill in for Pastor Chris.

Back in the late 1990′s I volunteered a small amount of time with the men of our church to help folks out in the community. One thing I will never forget is watching Elwood work. He was amazing. To see him for the first time you might think he was a frail man that was just days away from the old folks home even way back then. But you could not tell Elwood that. He would have easily worked men half his age under the table. No, he was not the biggest or strongest man but he did what he did with a sense of purpose. The work he did was not from a place of strength or pure muscle, but rather from his big heart. I saw an older man cutting firewood the other day and immediately my mind went back to a time when I saw Elwood splitting wood. The wood he was splitting was not to keep him or his family warm that winter but was to help someone that could not do this for themselves.

I also was amazed to see how he cared for and loved his wife. As time went by Ann had her share of health issues that slowed her down some and hindered her ability to walk with out the help of a cane, then a walker, and eventually a wheel chair. But wherever Ann needed to go Elwood would be right there by her side. You could see the love he had for her in his face and in his never ending service and support of her. He showed the rest of us just what it means to be a faithful spouse.

He was also faithful to his church, his pastor, and to his Savior Jesus Christ. When it came to church it seemed as if Elwood was always there. I got to witness first hand how he loved the pastor and how he would lend an hand to any one that needed it. I saw in Elwood a man that truly loved the Lord and was committed to spreading the Gospel with word and deed. He was a quiet man but it was the type of man he was that spoke louder than words.

Elwood also loved his country. He was a patriot and a man who served his county during its time of need in World War 2. Elwood was part of the Greatest Generation. We owe our very lives and freedom to men like him who were willing to lay down their lives so we could all be free. We owe this generation a great debt. What they did goes so far beyond what is written in the history books. They looked evil square in the face and said that is far enough. They gave all they had to stop the greatest threat this world has ever seen. I wonder sometimes if we will ever see men like this again. I don’t just mean in the military, but also in the country as a whole. It seems like to me that we are to taken with all our toys to take time to stand up to evil men. Only time will tell if we will ever be tested like this again. All I know is that Elwood Dortmundt answered the call and he faithfully served when his county and when the free world needed him.

Like I said in the beginning of this post I did not know Elwood as well as I should have, but you did not have to know him real well to know he was a good man.

Elwood's Obituary