Rev. James H. Elliott, 89, Columbia, formerly of Hermann, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family Dec. 20, 2025, at Caring Hearts & Hands in Columbia.
Rev. Elliott was born Nov. 23, 1936, to Harold W. and Ruth (nee Skeen) Elliott in Aurora, Ill.
He started first grade at the age of five. His teacher combined first and second grades in the small rural school. James graduated from Oswego Illinois High School at the age of 16.
Growing up, his family lived on three farms between Oswego and Plainfield, Ill. Each farm was a combination of livestock and grain farming.
In January of 1953, James decided he wanted to get an education. His father was opposed to college education and religion, so he would have to pay his own way through college. James chose Aurora College (later known as Aurora University), which was about 20 miles away from the farm at the age of 16. He was told that he could continue to live on the farm, but would still have to provide some help with the farm tasks to pay for his room and board.
James held a number of jobs during his college years, the longest of which was a job in a mattress factory, building new mattresses and re-building old mattresses.
His classes began at 7:30 a.m. until noon and then students were free to hold an afternoon job, with classes resuming at 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Getting back home at 10:30 p.m., there were livestock chores, followed by study time. In the morning, there were more livestock chores before class time.
James was united in marriage to Lila M. Ricketts Dec. 22, 1957. To this union four children were born, Mark, Jeffry, Kathy and Julie. Together they shared almost 52 wonderful years of marriage together, until Lila preceded him in death Aug. 27, 2009, after battling cancer. He then married Sharon (nee Meyer), a native of Kansas, on Aug. 11, 2012, and they were married for almost 13 years prior to her passing away of cancer June 1, 2025.
He enrolled in a pre-engineering course of study, when he began to feel he was being called to Pastoral ministry. His great-aunt Bessie Skeen helped him work through the feelings that God was “calling” him to ministry. James then changed the direction of his studies in his sophomore year. He graduated from Aurora College in 1959 with a B.A degree in sociology and a B.Th. degree in theology, with a minor in psychology. From there, he attended Evangelical Theology Seminary at Naperville, Ill., graduating with a Master of Divinity degree in 1961.
In mid-1959, he was invited to become the student pastor of First Congregational Church in Lee Center, Ill., while he finished his degree work at the seminary. James was ordained as a minister of the United Church of Christ, which was just being formed by a merger of four denominations at the time, Oct. 8, 1961. He was honored in October of 2021 by Columbia UCC in Columbia for 60 years of ordained ministry.
Throughout the years Rev. Elliott served as pastor at Union Congregational Church at Gridley, Ill.; Minister of Education and Minister of Youth at Edgebrook Community Church in Chicago, Ill.; Pastor of North Berwyn Congregational Church; Pastor of St. Paul’s UCC in Minonk, Ill.; and Pastor of St. Paul’s UCC in Hermann, for 28 ½ years. James officially retired in 2008, when he provided 24/7 care for his wife Lila, who was dying of cancer. Since that time, he was asked to fill in as part-time pastor for Emmanuel UCC in New Franklin; St. John’s UCC in Billingsville for eight and a half years; and Immanuel UCC in Sedalia. Over the years, he served on a variety of committees in the Illinois Conference UCC and the Missouri Mid-South Conference UCC.
James is survived by children, Mark David Elliott and wife Sharon (nee Meinert), Jeffry Scott Elliott and wife Ruth (nee Hakes), Kathy Lynn (nee Elliott) and husband Kelvin Kurrelmeyer and Julie Ann (nee Elliott) Lins; grandchildren, Joshua Elliott, Jennifer (nee Elliott) and husband Jeremy Donhardt, Eric Elliott and wife Laura (nee Schmink), Elizabeth and Christine Kurrelmeyer, Rachel (nee Kurrelmeyer) and husband Matthew Tyler Jamerson and Gavin and Trey Lins; great-grandchildren, Brynlee, Sophie, Grant and Heidi Donhardt, Caden and Chloe Elliott and Ashton and Jace Elliott.
Visitation was held Monday, Dec. 29, followed by funeral services at Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home in Hermann.
Interment was at Oak Haven Memorial Gardens in Hermann.
Memorial contributions suggested to Caring Hearts & Hands of Columbia or St. Paul United Church of Christ in Hermann.
Arrangements entrusted to Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home in Hermann.
