Elsie Joan Vela Holt was born in Podgara, Yugoslavia on March 31, 1929, the third of five children born to Marijan and Franka Nola Vela. She is survived by four children, four grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Of Elsie's family, she is survived by one sister, Amelia Vela Cran, a brother-in-law, Jack Brister, five nieces, and one nephew.

Although born in Yugoslavia, her family immigrated to the United States in 1930 and settled in a Yugoslavian community in Louisiana below New Orleans. Elsie lived in that area until she went to college at what is now Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. There she met her future husband, Donald Glenn Holt, through her roommate who was his sister. Don and Elsie were married on September 28, 1951. They welcomed four children into their family in the first five years of their marriage: Frances Porter, Don Holt, Jr., David Holt, and Merry Bush. They were married for sixty-three years until Don passed away in 2014.

Don was a career Air Force man and Elsie cheerfully followed him wherever he was stationed. She was a wonderful military wife, treating each move as an opportunity to meet more people and see new places. She loved being around people and gladly showed hospitality to those God brought into her life. She never met anyone she couldn't talk to. She enjoyed visiting shut-ins and baking for everyone. Air Force families from the 1960s still comment on her gifts of homemade brownies. She stayed in contact with people, writing letters and sending cards as long as she could.

Elsie was raised Catholic but neither she nor Don were active in any church when they married. After Don rededicated his life to Christ, he took their preschool daughter to church with him. Elsie, wanting to know what their daughter was being taught, decided to go with them, and at that time committed her life to Christ. From then on, wherever they lived, she was involved in children's ministries, teaching Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, mission's groups, and in Children's Camps. She was active in W.M.U. and in the Gideon's Women's Auxiliary.

Elsie had a personal relationship with Jesus, spending time with Him daily in Bible reading and prayer. She longed to be with Him in Heaven and she got her desire, passing away peacefully on March 29, 2019 in Marshall, Texas at the age of 89 - almost 90!