Obituary of Joshua Allen Stonebraker

Funeral Services for Joshua Allen Stonebraker of Elsberry, MO will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at the Elsberry United Methodist Church in Elsberry. Rev. Paul Garven of Lake St. Louis and Rev. Laura Taylor, pastor of Elsberry United Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial with Full Military Honors will be in Elsberry City Cemetery in Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers will be David Volkart, Joe LaRue, Zach LaRue, Blake LaRue, Will Stonebraker, Jake Stonebraker and Nick Welch. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Josh Burbridge, Dusty Gibbs, Matt Halley, Willie Briscoe, Trent Crenshaw and Christopher Martin. Josh, 44, was born on August 5, 1980 in Louisiana, MO, the son of Allen Leslie and Margaret Joann Welch Stonebraker. He passed away early Friday morning, March 14, 2025 in an accident on Highway B near Elsberry. Josh was a 1998 graduate of Elsberry High School, and earned an Associate’s Degree from St. Charles Community College, where he studied American History and Musical Education. After another semester at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Josh entered the military. He served his country with two tours of duty during the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflict from April 29, 2003 until he was honorably discharged as a Sargent on February 27, 2010. Josh worked on the Avionics Electrical Weapon Systems of the Apache Longbow Helicopter. When Josh returned to his hometown of Elsberry in 2010, he was hired immediately as an assembly mechanic by Boeing Aircraft manufacturing in St. Louis, where he worked until the present time. Josh was an avid golfer and belonged to the men’s golf league at Sun Valley Golf Course. An outdoorsman at heart, he also enjoyed hunting and fishing. With a quick mind and wit, Josh enjoyed and often won many local Trivia Nights. Josh loved spending time at the Cabin with family and friends. One of his greatest joys was time spent with his nephew and nieces. Growing up in the church, Josh was confirmed and became a member of the Elsberry United Methodist Church on June 28, 1992. Josh was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Tom and Betty Welch; his paternal grandfather, Perry Stonebraker; his uncles, Allen Welch and Stan Stonebraker; and his great-uncle, Harry Stonebraker. Survivors include his parents, Allen and Joann Stonebraker of Elsberry; his sister, Trisha Volkart and her husband, David, of Russellville, MO; and his nephew and nieces: Hank, Maddie, Ella and Jayla. Josh also leaves his paternal grandmother, Peggy Stonebraker of Elsberry; several aunts and uncles: Pat and Kellie Stonebraker, Frank and Becky Welch, Debbie Welch, Brenda Martin and Kenny Pickard, Kevin and Shirley Welch, and Betsy and Forrest LaRue; great-aunt Ruby Stonebraker; and was loved by lots of cousins, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association https://diabetes.org/ in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.