Herbert Lee Elam, 77, Adrian, MO, died Sunday, November 9, 2008 at his home. Funeral services 3:00 PM Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at the Atkinson Chapel, Adrian, MO with visitation from 2:00-3:00 PM at the chapel. Burial in Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian. Memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Hospice, 4 West Ohio Street, Suite 2-B, Butler, MO 64730.

Herb was born March 2, 1931 in Winfield, KS, the son of John Daniel Simpson and Della (Bullins) Elam. Herb was a decorated, retired Staff Sergeant of the U. S. Air Force, a Freemason and a member of the B.P.O.E., and was the former Mayor of Archie, MO. In addition to his military and civic duties, Herb was also an established businessman in the City of Adrian, where he owned and operated several establishments, including Adrian Video and Laundromat, Adrian Pool Hall, Elam's Restaurant and Sportsman's Lounge and Adrian Liquors.

Herb was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Louis, Eric, Gladys, Luther, Rance, Earl, Fern, Harley, Erma and Joe, as well as his first wife, Betty Jean (Pine) Elam and his eldest daughter, Rita Johnson. He is survived by three children, Lynda and Dennis Riead, Pam and Bruce Walker and John Elam and Pam Cleland; two brothers, Wayne Elam and Clarence and wife Betty Elam; one sister, Patty Rockhold; seven grandchildren, Stephen Riead and fiancée, Julie Cooper, Thomas and Kendra Riead, Nicholas Saubers, Benjamin Saubers, Joseph Cleland, Brad Cleland and Lisa Cleland and one great-granddaughter, Abigail Riead.

A man of few words is hard to come by. Though he may not say much, what he does speaks volumes. While some men may champion their accomplishments and boast of personal achievements, a man of few words quietly works hard, gets things done and knows that reward is not found in acclaim, but in self pride and knowledge of a job well done. Some may find a man like this hard to like, difficult to befriend or impossible to understand, but he is a man of few words because he knows that it is not the words that are important, but the meaning behind them. Herbert Elam was such a man. As we, even now, struggle with finding our final goodbyes, he remains a man of few words and cannot testify to what his life has meant. In truth though, its meaning can be witnessed through the lives of the people whom he loved, and who love him still.