Elbert Floyd, a retired Philadelphia Inquirer employee and a former Container Corp. worker, died on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, after a sudden illness. He was 87.
He was born on Aug. 7, 1934, and grew up in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, with his brothers, sisters and late mother, Pearlie.
He attended Booker T. Washington High School, where he played on the football team. There he met Frances, and shortly after graduation, they married.
One day after work, with $13 left to spare, he bought a one-way ticket for him and his expecting wife to Philadelphia. He found a job at Container Corp. and worked there for 30 years.
The couple raised three children and a grandchild in their lifelong home. Floyd later worked at The Philadelphia Inquirer, while she worked for the School District of Philadelphia. After 30 more years passed, they both retired. They spent the rest of their lives together, becoming a staple in the community while being known for their politeness and kind-heartedness.
Floyd loved steak sandwiches from Geno’s or his own homemade tripe. With his rock stomach, whenever he cooked it became a guessing game for the family of “What’s in the dish?” He was quite the talker and enjoyed telling jokes. He was rarely seen without a piece of Eagles apparel to showcase his love for sports and often watched “Bonanza” and other TV Westerns.
Floyd read the newspaper daily and stood firm in his opinions about current events and human nature, opinions he took great pleasure in voicing.
“He was a strong, proud, honest man. A man of his word. A man that believed in always doing the right thing and turning the other cheek whenever possible,” his family said in a tribute. “He never asked anyone for anything and didn’t believe in debts of any kind. He was the most generous, respectful and peaceful person one could know.”
He was preceded in death by his wife.
He is survived by his two daughters, Janice and Joann; his son, Gregory; grandson, Hamid; and other family members.
Services were held on May 14 at Westminster Cemetery.
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