Elmer L. Amick, 81, passed away peacefully Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at his home in the foothills of Yuma, Arizona, surrounded by his wife and family.

He was born July 23, 1934, in Spencer, Iowa, to Oscar and Ruth Amick. In his early childhood, Elmer lived with parents and siblings in the Spencer, Iowa, area, later the family moved to Minnesota. In 1952, during the Korean War, he served as an Emergency Medical Service vehicle driver in the U.S. Army. Upon his discharge, Elmer returned to Minnesota, began a career in construction and met his wife, Gennette (Lee). In December 1954, they were married and raised five children; living first in Owatonna, then Rochester and finally moving to rural Brownsdale. He started his own drywall finishing company and worked on homes and business in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa until his health resulted in a move to Arizona in 1982; living first in Tucson and then Yuma. The warm dry weather allowed him to continue his love of working with wood by creating many wooden toys and furniture pieces that his family now treasures. In later years, Elmer became interested in wood carving and has a vast collection of one-of-a-kind Kachinas (Pueblo Indian dolls) that he hand crafted.

Elmer was a member of Brownsdale United Methodist Church before moving to Arizona; there he was a member of Gila Mountain Methodist church of Yuma. At Brownsdale UMC he was a youth leader and assisted in the organization of a youth trip to Red Bird Mission in Kentucky. When the congregation in Brownsdale decided to build a new church, he helped with its construction. He also was a Boy Scout Leader when he and his wife lived in Rochester.

Elmer is survived by his wife of 61 years, Gennette Amick of Yuma; His children: David (Susan) Amick of Brownsdale, Lloyd (Lori) Amick of Austin, Timothy Amick of Yuma, Nancee Amick of Yuma and Jeanna Jenson of Tucson, Arizona; 12 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Oscar; mother, Ruth; sister, Dorothy; and brother, Marvin.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2016, at Brownsdale United Methodist Church with Rev. Mark Bengtson officiating