Ruth Strand McClanahan

Ruth L. Strand McClanahan 76, of Shelbyville, passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2005, after suffering from non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for six months. Born January 17, 1929 and raised in Chicago as the oldest daughter of George and Annarose Strand, she attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where she met her husband of 58 years, Ronald M. "Mac" McClanahan. Mac passed away in March of this year. Most of her life was spent in Indianapolis and Shelbyville, where she was active with many organizations including P.E.O., Jobs' Daughters, Eastern Star and the Daughters of the Nile. She also played in numerous Bridge Groups. She, along with her husband, Mac, owned the Mary Carter Paint franchises in Indianapolis during the 1960s'. Ruth was a warm, sweet, loving lady whose joy, enthusiasm and smiles came from her three children, her sister and two grandchildren. She loved to entertain, travel, read, sew, needlepoint and play the slot machines in Las Vegas and the riverboat casinos in southern Indiana. She was so grateful that she and Mac moved to Shelbyville 30 plus years ago, where they were blessed with "World Class" friends in her wonderful community. Ruth is survived by her daughters, Kathleen McClanahan-Gruhl (Thomas E. Gruhl) of Zionsville, IN and Sanibel Island, FL, Pamela McClanahan-Elcik (Dr. John P. Elick, IV) of Wellington, FL; her son, David Michael McClanahan (Nancy I.) of Shelbyville; her only sister, Karen Strand Lawler of Indianapolis; and grandchildren, John PAul "JP" Elcik, V and Michelle Kathleen Elcik, both college Freshman in Florida. Visitation will be Friday, October 21, 2005 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Carmony - Ewing Harrison Street Chapel, Freeman Family Funeral Homes, 819 S. Harrison Street in Shelbyville. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 22nd at the funeral home, with the Rev. Gary W. Huffman officiating. Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. ;In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The McClanahan Family Fund co The Blue River Community Foundation, P.O. Box 808, Shelbyville, IN 47176. Proceeds from the Fund support the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) campaign administered through the law-enforcement agencies in Shelby County. The Fund was established by friends and family of Mac and Ruth McClanahan on their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1997.