Elnora Anderson Kirkpatrick

ELNORA ANDERSON KIRKPATRICK
STAFFORD - Elnora Marion Anderson Kirkpatrick, a longtime resident of McAllen and the Valley, died Thursday, November 30, 2006, in Stafford, Texas. She was born June 28, 1918, in Donna, Texas, to Oscar John and Caroline Gran Anderson. She was raised in the First Christian Church of Donna and educated in the Donna Public Schools. After graduating from Donna High School in 1937, she worked as a switchboard operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. There she met Joseph Rayner Kirkpatrick of Weslaco, who was a lineman for the same office. They married in Donna on August 18, 1940. After his service in World War II, they moved to their home on North Ware Road in McAllen. She served her community as a 4-H leader, as an election clerk, and as a member of the Treble Choir of McAllen. She was an active member of the First Christian Church of McAllen, serving as Sunday School teacher, choir member, women's fellowship president, delegate and officer of Church Women United, pre-school director, deaconess and elder. At the time of her death, she was an elder emeritus of the church. For the past eight years, she had been a resident of Oasis Lifestyles in Stafford.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, by four brothers, Arthur Anderson, Victor Anderson, Orville Anderson, and Leon Anderson and by one sister, Geneva Anderson Townsend Giese. She is survived by her two sons, Jerald and his wife Brenda, of Waco, and James and his wife Bonnie of Sugar Land, by two granddaughters, Amanda and her husband Jesse Wolgamott of Richmond, and Courtney of Los Angeles, by three grandsons, Wade and his wife Karen of Richmond, Andrew and his wife Susan of Atlanta, and Edward of Los Angeles, by her brother, Orin Anderson and his wife Hazel of Donna, by her exchange student "son," Kjell Antby and his wife Brita of Alingsås, Sweden, and by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Visitation will be at 5 p.m., Sunday, December 3, 2006, at Kreidler Funeral Home, 314 N. 10th St., McAllen.. Graveside service for her will be at 9 a.m. Monday, December 4, 2006, at Valley Memorial Gardens, Mission. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. the same day at the First Christian Church, 1400 North Tenth Street, McAllen. Kreidler Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, friends may make memorial gifts to the First Christian Church of McAllen, the First Christian Church of Donna, the Alzheimer's Association, A-Med Community Hospice of Houston, or one's favorite charity.