Betty Elizabeth McElroy

Betty Elizabeth McElroy, 95, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday evening, January 16, 2022 at Seasons Hospice in Cumming, Georgia. Betty was born July 7, 1926 in Akron, Ohio. She graduated from North High School in Akron on June 8, 1944 and in 1945 she moved with her parents and sister to Memphis, Tennessee where Betty lived most of her life. Betty was a founding member of what is now Grace Church of the Nazarene in Memphis. The church was started in 1949 in her home, and as the church grew they moved and established the Park Avenue Church of the Nazarene. Years later the church moved to Winchester Road and was renamed Grace Church of the Nazarene, and  later moved again to its present location on East Shelby Drive.  Betty was very active in her church and served as a Sunday school teacher, vacation Bible school director and teacher, and children’s music director for many years. She was also involved in her community as well, serving as PTA president one year at an elementary school and one year at a junior high school when her children were in school. Betty enjoyed meeting people and made many friends through the years. She enjoyed reading her Bible every day, attending gospel music concerts and singing, traveling, attending and hosting garage/yard sales, and socializing with family and friends. She was an energetic and caring person with a good sense of humor, and she was a positive influence on many lives in her 95 years of life. In June of 2021, Betty moved from Collierville, Tennessee to Cumming, Georgia to be near her family to help care for her.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, King Whitaker Houston and Dovie Eloyce Houston. Betty was also preceded in death by her first husband, Harrison Vinton Strait, and her second husband, William Grover McElroy.

Betty is survived by her sister, Barbara Consterdine; two daughters Susie (Wayne) Justice and Cheryle (Ed) Lindsley; three grandchildren, Bethany (Robert) McClurkan, Kevin Shackelford, and Laurel (Robert) Reitz; and three great grandchildren, Cassidy (Joseph) Ibarra, Houston McClurkan, and Zachary Reitz.

Several years ago Betty made arrangements through the Genesis donor program  to donate her body to medical education and research upon her death.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 4 pm, Saturday, April 23,  2022 at Grace Church of the Nazarene, 8979 East Shelby Drive, Memphis Tennessee. The service will be officiated by the Reverend David Spann. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in Betty’s honor to support the ministry of Grace Church of the Nazarene. Donations can be made online at http://www.gracenaz.org/give/. (Please use the Comments line to specify your donation.)

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