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Elliot was born on April 28, 1922 in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas
of Dutch-English parents—August Van Ryn and Persis Melrose Roberts.
During the early years of his life, Elliot lived with his family in
Miami and Key West, Florida, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Significant
events in Elliot’s life included trusting Christ as his Saviour (1931),
graduation from Miami Senior High School (1940), and the University of
Miami (1949), military service in the Army Air Force during World War
11(1942-1946), marriage to Joan Diana Woodbury (1953), starting and
operating an O.K. Rubber Welders tire business with his brother Carroll
(1950-1961), and serving the Lord in full-time ministry (1961-1999). In
his own words, Elliot described his conversion to Christ, “I attended
two Bible conferences at Lake Geneva and then Dunkirk, New York, where
I trusted Christ under the preaching of Inglis Fleming on August 2nd,
making the most momentous journey of all—I passed from death unto
life.”
Elliot first starting preaching the Word of God in Miami as a teenager, and during his
WWII
military service he preached more actively. Throughout his years as a
full-time minister, Elliot traveled across America, the Bahamas and
Canada, ministering God’s Word at various assemblies, Bible conferences
and camps. He enjoyed encouraging the Lord’s people through personal
visits and correspondence, devotional articles, various radio
ministries, and writing the monthly Letter of Encouragement with his
brother Carroll.
He first met Joan in 1950 at Bible Truth
Chapel and they were married on April 23, 1953. The Lord richly blessed
them with six children: Keith (Diane); Brent (Gail); Ginny (Scott)
Tucker; David (Diane); Ted; and Danny (Adriana). They now have 13
grandchildren: Joylynne, Jackie and David; Joel; Kyle, Ryan, Katelyn,
David and Erin: Andrew, Monica, Elizabeth and Michael—all under age
eleven.
Elliot was preceded in death by his mother on July
17,1974 (age 77), his father on February 24, 1982 (age 91), his sister,
Belle, on March 3, 1990, and his son David, on September 9, 1990. He is
survived by his older sister Lorraine Thompson and younger brother
Carroll.
He loved the Lord Jesus Christ, his family, the
Lord’s people, and countless friends and acquaintances whom he prayed
for often. He also loved ministering God’s Word because of its power to
change people’s lives for good. Fishing in the Bahamas and reading
always brought him special joy in life. His sudden call Home to
everlasting joy in the presence of the Lord is mourned by all who will
miss his influence in their lives, but all who know the Lord Jesus
acknowledge that to be with Christ “is far better!”
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith…”