Lillian Eleanora Elias, 84, died of leukemia on Jan. 18, 2026, at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis. She was born Aug. 20, 1941, in Drake, Sask., to Wilhelm and Gertrude Bartel. On Aug. 24, 1963, she married Jacob W. Elias, and together they enjoyed more than 62 years of marriage.

Her love of children led to an undergraduate degree at Goshen College, a master’s degree at Indiana University South Bend and years spent as an elementary, special education and preschool teacher.

At 60, she completed her master of divinity degree at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and was ordained as pastor of Parkview Mennonite Church in Kokomo, Ind., where she served for 10 years.

Lillian practiced hospitality by providing meals and opening her home to others. Foster children, international students, visiting pastors and at-risk youth were all welcome. Some stayed for weeks, months or even years.

Curiosity and creativity shaped her days. She was a lifelong learner and embraced other cultures, notably during months spent on sabbatical in Israel/Palestine and India. Whether stitching quilts for her children and grandchildren, collecting family recipes, assembling family history or working her way through a stack of library books, she stayed actively engaged. She walked daily in all weather, until she was admitted to the hospital two weeks before she died. 

She is survived by her husband, Jacob; children Laurel (Mark) Crawford of Sydney, Australia, Morlin (Juli VanPelt) of Seattle and Joylin (John) Ykimoff of Horton, Mich.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mennonite Central Committee.