Elias Westfall-Nixon

Elias Shane Westfall-Nixon, born April 14th 2022 to parents Roni Westfall of Joplin MO and Brandon Nixon of Tyler TX, passed away in the Vanderbilt neonatal intensive care unit on May 4th 2022 while battling a congenital heart defect. 

Elias was a brave little fighter that gave his family 20 precious days with him. He had his father's red hair and ears and his mother's nose and chin. He was named after his papa Shane Westfall, enjoyed his nana reading to him, and would only stop fussing for music and cuddles. He liked holding his parent's hands and being warm.

He is preceded in death by his granduncles Michael Leonard and Mark Smith , his great grandmother Cynthia Stirts, and his great great grandparents Gladene Harper, James and Barbara Smith, Virginia Hunter, and Leonard and Ernestine Hicks.

He leaves behind a big family of people that love him including his big sister Ember, papa and nana Shane and Sheli Westfall of Clinton and Warsaw MO, great grandmother Dixie Leonard of Warsaw MO, aunts Alexia Westfall and Martianna Westfall of Joplin MO, a grand aunt and uncle, grandparents Dawn and David Smith, great grandfather Larry Nixon, two uncles, a half-brother, several granduncles and aunts on his father's side, and Roni's best friend of 16 years, Rose, as well as her children. 

In lieu of a funeral, the parents have elected to release a lantern on the water every year on his birthday and invite anyone that would like to celebrate Elias' brief but beautiful existence to do the same.