Kathryn Dunlavy McElroy

1946 - 2024

Kathryn McElroy passed away on December 19, 2024 at age 78. Her radiant smile and loving and caring nature will be greatly missed by her family and those who knew her.

Kathy was born in Vallejo, CA, to Mildred and Ralph Dunlavy. Her father passed away when Kathy was 12 and her mother moved with Kathy and her two sisters, Carolyn and Barbara, to Fresno, CA, where they had family. Kathy was raised in a devoutly Christian home and she was a sincere believer and follower of Christ.

Kathy graduated from Fresno High School, attended Fresno City College, Fresno State University and Oral Roberts University. She received her degree in psychology from UNC Charlotte.

She was for many years a manager in the Eastern Airlines reservations center in Charlotte. In the 1980s she left Eastern to work for Jim Flowers at Flowers Furniture Company in Harrisburg, NC. Kathy's good friend, Gena Flowers, Jim's wife, was instrumental in this change.

At Flowers, Kathy developed an interest in interior design. She studied the subject privately and was a member of the Interior Design Society and an Allied member of ASID. She had a talent and flair for design and built relationships with many loyal clients over the years. It was at Flowers that Kathy met her lifelong and best friend, Denise Moore, and they went on to work as partners in several design firms. Kathy and Denise formed Monticello Limited, an interior design firm, and Kathy retired from Monticello in 2016.

Kathy met her husband, Pender, in 1988, and they were married in 1990 at First Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, where she was a member. They enjoyed both Pender's family and Kathy's family. Kathy loved Pender's sons, Ted and Chuck, and they loved Kathy. Kathy also loved Chuck's children, Collier, Mary Watts and Wesley, and they loved Kathy, who was "Grandmom" to them.

Kathy and Pender traveled extensively through their years together to the UK and several countries in Europe, an always remembered church mission trip to Kenya and a Rotary trip to Peru, as well as to Montreal and the mountains of Alberta, Canada. They especially enjoyed Paris, Rome, Florence and Edinburgh. They enjoyed hiking, camping and canoeing. Their first outdoor adventure was a canoe trip to the Okefenokee Swamp. They hiked and camped in Western North Carolina and did canoe trips on several rivers including the Rio Grande in Texas. They liked the western states and did a cattle drive in Montana and a horsepacking trip in Wyoming. They enjoyed traveling in Kathy's home state of California as well as to the coast in South Carolina and the outer banks in North Carolina. Kathy and Pender visited nine national parks and three presidential libraries (FDR, Reagan and Nixon). For many years Kathy would travel to Fresno to visit her mother and sisters, often staying for two to three weeks and enjoying side trips to Carmel.

Kathy loved planting flowers and seeing them grow. Their yard on Norton Road always had flowers and shrubs that Kathy had planted. When visiting her mother, Kathy would always plant new flowers in her back yard.

Kathy was predeceased by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Pender, sons, Ted and his wife Sara of Myrtle Beach, SC, and Chuck of Charlotte, and grandchildren Collier, Mary Watts and Wesley McElroy of Charlotte. She is survived by her sister Carolyn Dunlavy of Anaheim, CA, and her sister Barbara Draughon and her husband Lyn, and their children Joshua and Rebecca all of Fresno, CA. She is survived by niece, Maria Protsyuk of Abingdon, MD, her husband Yan and children Ahava, Kinsley and Desmund; niece Anna Harry of Bel Air, MD, her husband Jordan and children Angel, Jacob and Faith; niece Laura Lindner of Naples, FL, and her husband David and their daughter Kiera and son Ethan; nephew Allen McElroy of Marietta, OH, and his wife Megan, and Allen's children Ford, Mary Kate, Jack, Sara and Nathan; and nephew Larry McElroy of Jacksonville, FL, and his wife Brigid and children Casey, Ryan, Callahan and Maren. Denise Moore of Charlotte, her sister in life and business partner, and her husband Bruce and sons Matthew and Michael survive.

Kathy's memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Charlotte on January 9, 2025 at 2:00 pm. The family will receive friends follow the service at the church.

Memorial gifts may be made to the music program at First Presbyterian Church, 200 West Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28204 (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.