yesterday's tennessee

FAUSTINA AURORA MCELRATH

from the obituary files of Novella Tole

Home Going Celebration of
Mrs. Faustina Aurora McElrath

Thursday, May 30, 1991
3:00 p.m.

St. Paul Baptist Church
Decaturville, TN

Rev. Brian Welch, Officiating

Mrs. Faustina Aurora McElrath
January 19, 1890-May 26, 1991

Life Sketch

Mrs. Faustina Aurora McElrath, daughter of the late James M. and Cora Pettigrew Yarbrough was born in Decaturville, TN January 19, 1890. Her fulfilling life came to a close on Sunday evening, May 26, 1991 at the Decatur County General Hospital.

She attended Elementary School in Decatur County Tennessee and High School at Lane Institute (now Lane College), Jackson, TN, A & I State College (now Tennessee State University), Nashville, TN.

At an early age she accepted Christ and joined the St. Paul Baptist Church in Decaturville, TN. She later united with New Hope Baptist Church, Decaturville and was an active member until her health failed serving as church treasurer for over fifty years.

  She was united in holy matrimony to the late Mack Cicero Jones. She later married Julius McElrath who preceded her in death in 1957.

Mrs. McElrath was a retired teacher having taught 45 years in Decatur and Benton Counties. Her civic involvement included Past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star Bright Star Chapter #166 Decaturville, TN, Decatur Co. Retired Teachers, Association, Assistant Secretary Tenn. River District Association. She was the first black columnist for the Decatur County Herald.

She leaves to cherish her memory: 2 daughters, Ms. Lois .Jones, Selmer, TN and Mrs. Ola Bingham, Indianapolis,IN; a son, George McElrath Sr., Decaturville, TN; 8 granddaughters, Mary L. Welch, Serenia A. Scott, Sherry R. James, all of Decaturville, TN, Wilma J. Welch, Jackson, TN, Joy McElrath, Chicago, IL, Addie Whitten, Belleville, IL, Flora Black, Memphis, TN, Constance Dinwiddie of Indianapolis, IN; 8 grandsons, Eric J. Welch, Columbis, OH, Arthur K. Welch Jr., Alexandria, VA, George McElrath Jr., Georgetown, IN, Maurice McElrath, Decaturville, TN, James McElrath, Detroit, MI, Willie T. McElrath, Nashville, TN, William McElrath, Champaign, IL, Edward O'Rea, Indianapolis, IN, and Joel O'Rea, Palo Alta, CA. Twenty-nine great-grandchildren, 10 great-great grandchildren and a number of other relatives and friends.

Casketbearers
George Pettigrew, Jr., Buddy D. Estes, Lamont McClain, Joseph B. Fisher, Jr., Timothy Sanders, Edwin Townsend, Ronnie Tole, Franklin Brasher

Flowerbearers
Great-granddaughters and Ushers

Interment — Decaturville Cemetery

Services Entrusted To
Moore's Funeral Home
Selmer, Tennessee

 

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