Elsie Kathleen Canfield Delaplane, 92, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, and formerly of Twelve Mile, Indiana, passed peacefully away surrounded by loved ones at 1:19 a.m. on Sunday, November 5, 2017, at Avonlea Care Home, Kansas City, Missouri.

Born May 11, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, Elsie was the daughter of Herbert Harvey and Mamie Elizabeth Hurd Canfield.  She was married to George W. Delaplane who passed away on October 16, 2003.

Elsie was a devoted Christian and was a member of the Pine Ridge Presbyterian Church in Kansas City and formerly the Mexico Church of the Brethren.  She was a talented musician, playing the piano with great flourish for church services, choirs, and local nursing homes.  She used her time and talent and abundant offering of hugs to brighten the lives of others.

Elsie graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.  She was a life-long learner who loved reading.  She had a passion for gardening and brightening God’s creation not only by planting and caring for her flowers, but in also sharing her meticulous cross-stich, crochet and knitting projects and designing and piecing scraps of cloth into beautiful quilts. 

Throughout the years, Elsie was active in her community.  She volunteered with the CASA program to help ensure the success of children who were struggling with difficult situations in their life.  She also volunteered with the reading program at Caston Schools, making sure that the children received the help they needed.  

Survivors include her son, Paul H Beedle (Tess) of Anoka, MN and daughter, Ruth E Beedle of Platte Woods, MO and by step-children, Gary Delaplane (Elvira) of Roswell, GA, Bruce Delaplane (Pamela) of West Lafayette, IN, Kenneth Delaplane (Jane) and Laurie Delaplane both of Logansport, IN as well as daughters-in-law Eldonna J Deaver of Martinsville, IN and Anne M Deaver of Worcester, MA.  Her family extended to 20 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren as well.  

Elsie was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Herbert, James, Sheldon and Bill Canfield; husbands, George Delaplane and Jesse Beedle; sons, Stephen M Deaver and Jonathon C Deaver; and sons-in-love,  Thomas L Pope and Matthew T McGrath.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the Mexico Church of the Brethren.  A time of visitation with the family will start at 9:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church.

Memorial contributions can be made to Miller's Merry Manor in Peru where Elsie played the piano for over 10 years as well as to Mexico Church of the Brethren where she and George worshipped faithfully for over 25 years. 

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