Yolanda D. Elam

We pause today to celebrate the victorious life of Yolanda Deborah Nixon-Elam, born on September 25, 1947 in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Trustee William A. Nixon, Sr., and Rose Ziner Nixon. Yolanda was the second oldest of six siblings; Roland Nixon and Roslyn O. Hart and she was preceded in death by her parents and three siblings, William A. Nixon, Jr., Michael E. Nixon and Jerry E. Nixon.

Yolanda, affectionately called "Landie" by her family, received her education in the Baltimore City Public School System. She attended Paul Lawrence Dunbar and graduated from the class of 1965.

Yolanda's Christian journey started at a very young age. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. She continued her spiritual growth throughout her very long and blessed life. Yolanda was baptized on December 9, 1956, and joined the fellowship of the Israel Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Edmond D. Meade Sr., and continued her discipleship under Rev. Dr. H. Walden Wilson, II of whom she loved and received great teaching.

In 1980, Yolanda was united in Holy Matrimony to Jerkin Elam and with this union was her step-daughter, Penny Elam. She was a devoted wife to her husband, an awesome Godmother, sister, aunt and friend who had a strong and unwavering faith in the Lord. She loved God with her whole Mind, Body and Soul.

During the course of her life, Landie worked at Sinai Hospital (1966-1967), in 1967 she was offered a position at the Social Security Administration and served 51 years. She retired from working at SSA and continued to enjoy life as a world traveller on cruises, airways and trailways...you name it, she did it with her best friend Carolyn Lilly.

To know her was to love her; Landie the D.I.V.A. (Divinely, Inspired, Virtuously, Anointed) with a vibrant, compelling, and engaging personality. A servant of the Lord, a woman of God with integrity and vision. She was meticulous, focused, determined, sweet, loving, caring and soft-spoken, with an infectious smile evident in everything she did. She was known for her strong will, unwavering determination, love and support, and most of all for her family. She spontaneously displayed her love and affection to others and was very passionate. She was a woman of leisure who enjoyed her daily coffee, gospel music, traveling, soap operas and westerns.

During the instantaneously time that her health deteriorated, Landie required a lengthy in-patient hospitalization. Her very special and devoted niece "Rolisa" was very attentive to her health and cared for her until her health began to fully decline. Nevertheless, through it all Landie never complained about herself, despite her many weary days. She kept a smile on her face and would always give an encouraging word or nod. She would say "I am alright, the Lord is taking care of me"!.

On Saturday, September 14, 2024, God, in His infinite wisdom, gently took Yolanda Deborah Nixon-Elam into His loving arms, where she is now making heaven her eternal home, and joining her loved ones who have gone on before. She will be tremendously missed by her loving family and friends alike. That strut in her walk, that silent voice, and her unspoken words that spoke volumes, and the wave of her hands will resonate forever. While our hearts mourn the loss, we take comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering.

Yolanda is survived by her beloved husband Jerkins Elam, and stepdaughter, Penny Elam; she leaves to cherish her fond memories; one brother, Roland Nixon; one sister, Roslyn O. Hart; two sisters-in-law, Geraldine A. Nixon and Pamela Nixon; two brothers-in-law, James Elam and Jackie Elam; one aunt, Shirley Jordan; seven nieces and nephews, Rolisa, Henry III, John, Michelle, Kendrick, Jasmine and Garrett; nine great nieces and nephews, and a host of family, cousins and friends and her Israel  Baptist Church Family.