Elwood Paul Wolvin, 94
Elwood Paul Wolvin, husband of Barbara (Engle) Wolvin, passed away February 7, 2024, at age 94. Married 72 years, the couple has 4 children: Carol (Rick) McArthur; Michael (Linda) Wolvin; Laurie (Barry) Shealy; and Christopher (Anita) Wolvin. Additionally, they have 13 grandchildren: Jeff, Yvonne, Kevin, and Valerie McArthur; Michelle (Damon) Law, Jennifer (Justin) Fifield, and Vanessa (Steve) Rice; Jonathan, Zachary (Katherine), Joshua (Giovanna), and Nicholas Shealy; Emily (Dan) Hemple and Megan Wolvin. They also have 8 great grandchildren. Elwood’s parents, William Wolvin and Anna (Havens) Wolvin, had 12 children, of which he was number 8, and he learned to be both dependable and responsible at a young age.
El exercised his father’s beagle hounds, delivered newspapers for three different routes, and dried stacks of dishes at mealtimes! One brother, Charles, was killed during WW2 when his ship was torpedoed in the Atlantic. This death affected the family in many ways. El is survived by one brother, Neil, who is 10 years younger, by his sister-in-law, Joyce Wolvin, and brother-in-law, Clarence Cramer. After serving three years in the US Coast Guard (1950–1953) where he learned to work on diesel engines, he began 36 years with PSE&G (Public Service Electric & Gas) in New Jersey working in the gas division. When he retired in 1990, he was a transportation administrator over 13 locations. Upon retirement, he and Barbara began a new life in Waxhaw, NC, building their dream house, and volunteering for 24 years at the JAARS center, a support arm of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
During this time he used the skills he had learned over his life in the Materials Transportation Department. He also learned to play golf, which was his passion until he had to give it up a few years ago. Elwood loved the Lord, and enjoyed serving: everything from singing in the church choir in his younger years, to driving the church bus for retreats, to serving on various church boards and going on a life-changing mission trip to El Salvador in 1968. He was always faithful and sought out ways to grow in his relationship with the Lord. In 2014, he and Barbara retired a second time, to Penney Retirement Community at Penney Farms, FL. During his ten years at PRC, he principally volunteered with VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service), a neighborhood watch, and PET (Personal Energy Transportation), helping to build three-wheeled, handcranked carts donated to the mobility challenged in developing countries. During these years El experienced the comaraderie of many new friends and acquaintances. It was the right move at the right time. Throughout his life, he especially enjoyed time spent with his family and rejoiced in seeing them grow up to raise their own families. He remained committed to his Christian faith and now that he has passed on to his heavenly home, the Lord can say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Penney Memorial Church, Penney Farms, on April 17, 2024, at 11:00 am. Donations may be made in his name to PET Florida, P.O. Box 919, Penney Farms, FL 32079 or online at bit.ly/petflorida.
Arrangements are under the care of Russell Haven of Rest Cemetery, Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 2335 Sandridge Road, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043. Family and friends may share their condolences at: www.RHRFH.com 904-284-7720