Elmer Eugene Light

July 21, 1926 — April 12, 2023

La Mesa

Elmer Eugene Light (nickname "Grop" for Grandpa) of Rolla, Missouri, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the age of 96. His parents were Edward L. and Anna M. (Bassett) Light. Elmer was one of nine children and the last of his siblings to pass away.

He served in the Navy during WWII on the USS Chandler (DD-206) and was honorably discharged on July 17, 1946. After serving in the the military, he married Grace Vivian (Cumps) Light, who passed away January of 1986. They were blessed with two children, Cynthia Ann (Light) Gabay and Cameron Eugene Light.

We say goodbye to the man, the myth, the legend, that went by Grop. If you were lucky and blessed enough to meet or know Grop, you knew how special of a man he truly was in life. This man was all about support, positivity, care, love, and kindness. He was an example of how to be grateful, positive, joyful, and thankful. Grop was an example of what mental and physical health look like at 96 years old. This was a man who lived selflessly. His priorities were to help and support everyone else around him. He was an amazing example of his Christian faith. He lived as an example of Christian faith daily.

The world was blessed to have him in it and his memory and impact will continue on through his family.

Grop-Noun

Definition -A person who provides love, support, kindness, compassion, and joy, selflessly. A person who does not complain, finds the positive in life, and shows gratefulness for his situation and what he has in life.

He was an example of how to live looking at the bright side; how to be positive regardless of the circumstances; how to be grateful; how to be financially responsible; how to think selflessly; how to show kindness to everyone, and how to persevere and have an unmatched work ethic.

“Being in this position now shows what’s really important. All you think about and relive are the good moments and memories. Everything bad is put into perspective, it shows how meaningless it is in the final picture. You don’t even think about or consider it.” - Grop

He was loved and will be greatly missed by his surviving family which includes his two children, Cynthia (Light) Gabay and Cameron Eugene Light, who both reside in San Diego, CA. And by his grandson, Aaron James Gabay, and his two great-grandchildren, Hailey and Jaxson Gabay, who reside in San Diego, CA, as well as other extended family members and dear friends.

He will be interred at Miramar National Cemetry with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Dad's favorite charities; Love a Child and St. Jude's Children's Hospital

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Elmer Eugene Light, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Honors for Elmer Eugene Light

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Starts at 2:30 pm (Pacific time)

Miramar National Cemetery

5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego, CA 92122

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