Elmer Nathan Place, 92, of Denton, went to be with the Lord on Monday, January 8, 2018 in Denton, Texas. He was born July 13, 1925 to Elmer and Glenna Laird Place in Los Banos, California. Elmer grew up in San Francisco during the Great Depression and served in the Army during WWII. He attended the University of California at Berkeley through the G.I. Bill where he earned a B.S. degree in International Business. He was a part of the Greatest Generation.
Elmer moved to New York to work as a commodities trader and married Margaret E. McHale. Together they had a son, David. Margaret passed away and Elmer returned to California with his son. Elmer was assigned to Nicaragua because of his expertise in coffee. There he met Ileana Le Franc. They married in Managua on October 31, 1961.
Elmer's cupping expertise led him to become the Quality Control Manager at a large instant coffee plant in Nicaragua. Later, he took positions in Costa Rica, Singapore and Alameda, California.  Elmer and Ileana retired to the Good Samaritan Denton Village to be near family.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Leland Place of Anaheim, California, and his sister Pauline Fauss of Paradise, California.
Elmer is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years Ileana, his son David and Maria Urbina of Columbia, Maryland, his son Don and wife Charlotte of Denton, Texas, his son Ken of Raleigh, North Carolina, his daughter Kathy and husband Donald Lee of Houston, Texas; his grandchildren Laura Place, Stephen Place, Nathan Place, Austin Lee and Amanda Lee.
A memorial service will be held at the Good Samaritan Denton Village chapel at a later date. His wishes are to scatter his ashes in California among the giant redwood sequoias.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Denton Community Health Clinic or to Asbury United Methodist Church, Denton ARM Food Pantry.
The family would also like to thank Charlene Myers, Good Samaritan Society-Denton Village and Heritage Hospice for the loving care they gave Elmer during the past 18 months.