Larry R. McElhaney

Larry R. McElhaney, 71, of Morristown, passed away in his sleep on Monday, Dec. 19, 2016. Born in Rutledge, to a union man and a school teacher, Larry lived his whole life in East Tennessee. He was a baseball coach, farmer, millwright, repairman, husband, brother, father, papaw and a good friend. He would bring you corn and green beans from his garden, fix your car, help you run cable under the house, plow your field, pick you up in the rain in the dead of night and help you break your pony. Most people knew Larry as a hard-working millwright out at Enka/BASF or as a Little League baseball coach. He worked swing shift at the plant for over 30 years. Larry was one of the two coaches of the 1985 and 1987 Morristown American All-Star teams that played in the Little League World Series. He coached hundreds of players who stayed in touch with him, even until the end.

One year, he coached three teams in three different age groups in three different leagues. He taught all his players to believe in themselves and each other. In better health, Larry could be found up at the barn on East Outer, the ballpark, the stock barn, the rodeo, or on a tractor in a hay field. Through it all, he never did anything to draw attention to himself. Although confident, he was quiet, unassuming. Larry was tough as nails. Neither a triple by-pass heart attack nor losing the lower part of his left leg to vein disease slowed him down. Larry touched the lives of most people who crossed his path. He believed, and taught his boys, to work hard and take care of others. He loved everybody.

Larry was reunited in heaven with his parents, Neal and Esa Mae McElhaney; and brothers, Lowell McElhaney and Max McElhaney.

Left behind to carry on his legacy are his wife, Pamela McElhaney (Prowell); sons, Rocky (Penny) McElhaney of Nashville and Reggie (Angel) McElhaney of Cincinnati; step-sons, Robbie Hefner and Eddie (Kasey) Hefner, both of Morristown; grandchildren, Brittany and Kylie Hefner, Macey Hefner and Paxton Seal, Ty, Liam and Cohen McElhaney and Luke, Jake, Tate and Isla Quinn McElhaney; great-grandson, Carter Hefner; sister, Carlene Spence of Morristown; nieces, Martha (Charlie) Rogers, Courtney (Josh) Shipman, Carla (Steve) Ledgerwood and Casey Boatwright.

Friends are invited to join the family to celebrate Larry's extraordinary life. The family will receive friends at Westside Chapel Funeral Home in Morristown on Wednesday, Dec. 21 from 4 to 7 p.m. with funeral services to begin immediately after with the Rev. Ken Cole officiating.

The graveside ceremony will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22 at Central Point Baptist Church cemetery in Grainger County. Those wishing to participate in the processional should gather with the family at 1 p.m. at Westside Chapel Funeral Home.

Arrangements by Westside Chapel Funeral Home.


This obituary was originally published in the Citizen Tribune.