William McElroy

1920 - 2018

WILLIAM MCELROY William "Andy" McElroy, 97, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 12, 2018. Andy was born to George and Nellie McElroy in Augusta, KS on November 23, 1920. After losing his Father when he was only fourteen he helped on the family farm while continuing to go to school and graduated from Augusta High School in 1939. Andy continued to work the family farm and did custom harvesting work for neighbors until 1942. Because he did not want to have to engage in hand to hand combat that might necessitate killing another person, even though he could not swim, he enlisted in the Navy rather than being drafted to the Army. He served his country during World War II for 3 years, 4 months, and 10 days as a fire control officer on two Destroyers, the USS Rhind and the USS John A Bole and was honorably discharged on December 8, 1945. On December 7, 1944 while on leave in Washington DC he was baptized. After the war he returned to the States where he met Betty May Chambers and they were married on May 26, 1957. Together they had and are survived by four children. Bill and his wife Tami, Don and his wife Cheryl, Alan and his fianc‚e Tamberly, and Cathy Atkinson and her husband Corey. Andy is also survived by eight grandchildren, Christopher Amburn and his wife Lindsey, Michael Amburn and his fianc‚e Layla, Tony McElroy, Elizabeth McElroy, Melissa Dorenzo and her husband Gavin, Alexis Atkinson, Jeremy McElroy and Joshua McElroy. In addition Andy is survived by five great grandchildren Wyatt, Zoe, Marcus, Phina and Vini along with two sisters Etta Anderson and Carolyn Darnell. Andy was a loving husband and Father that will be missed by all his family. They wish to invite friends to a viewing on Friday January 19th between 5:00 and 7:00 at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home and a graveside service on Saturday January 20th at 1:00, Chico Cemetery.