Edsel Morris Ponder

Edsel Morris Ponder – also known as Ed, Eddie, Pawpaw and Grandpa – age 92, of Paige, entered Heaven’s gates and was reunited with his daughter, Virginia, on Dec. 3, 2022. Ed was born on Sept. 14, 1930, in Weston, Louisiana, to Homer and Pearl McMillian Ponder. In 1947, Ed joined the U.S. Army. In April 1955, Ed married the love of his life, Carolyn Crawford.

Ed worked at Swift from the time he was 17 years old. After his service in the US Army, he came back to Swift where he stayed until his retirement. He started out in the accounting department and worked up to becoming the top auditor at Swift. He was highly respected there and retired in 1987. Ed would always talk about his time at Swift and even had Swift memorabilia throughout the house even to this day. Ed wrote a memoir about his times and travels as an auditor for Swift. Anyone close with him has heard at least a few Swift stories.  

He loved his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and served faithfully as a deacon emeritus at First Baptist Church in Elgin. He was known to be a man of his word and showed compassion and love towards everyone. Ed was a dedicated and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He would do anything for his family and everyone knew it. He was an amazing example of a Christian family man and truly had the heart of a servant. He was full of integrity and was always there for his family no matter what. It was the true definition of unconditional love. His family rejoices knowing that Ed is now in Heaven.

He is preceded in death by his daughter, Virginia Rust; his parents, Homer and Pearl Ponder; and his siblings, Louise, Mable, Evelyn, Homer, Jo Ellen and Bea.

Ed is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Carolyn Ponder; his children, Richard Ponder (Julia Ann), Nina Waters (Tommy), and Cathy Petersen (Pete); his grandchildren, Lowell, Dylan, and Ryan Rust, Christina and Richie Ponder, Falon Unger, and Jocelyn, Nick, and Tony Petersen;his great-grandchildren, Ezra, Eli, and Emmet Rust, Rian Moore, Richard Morris Ponder III, Carson, Ethnie, Nolan, and Elijah Unger, and Isabelle and Catherine Petersen; and his siblings, Velda Pennington, Bill Ponder and Benola Robinson.

A visitation will be held on Friday, Dec. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Providence-Jones Family Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Elgin. Interment will take place prior to the service at McDade Cemetery for immediate family.

Arrangements entrusted to Providence-Jones Family Funeral Home.