Robert Lafayette McElhaney
1858 - 1941

AGED MINISTER DIES AT HOME

Rev. R. L. McElhaney Passes Following Lengthy Illness.

~

            The Rev. R. L. McElhaney, 82, retired Baptist minister and former pastor of the Eastdale Baptist Church, died early this morning at his home on Greenwood Road in Eastdale, following a long illness.

            The Rev. Mr. McElhney was the surviving charter member of the Eastdale Baptist Church . He had resided in Chattanooga for more than 70 years and was widely known in religious circles throughout this area.

            Survivors include two sons, Oscar and Elwood; six daughters, Mrs. Chester Gallman, Mrs. R. C. Talley, Mrs. C. R. Genung, Mrs. Edward Chastain, Miss Isabella McElhaney, all of Chattanooga, and Mrs. James McRoy, of Detroit Mich.; 15 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Charles McElhaney, and two sisters, Mrs. Laura Jones and Mrs. Rebecca Dedmon.

            Funeral services will be conducted at 2;30 o’clock Sunday afternoon at the Eastdale Baptist Church , with the Revs. J. R. Bethune and R. R. Denny officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery .

            Active pallbearers will be: Boyd Chapman, E. W. Wyatt, J. H. Hughes, Wiley Hudson, Sam Varnell, Jr., and Grover McDowell.

            Honorary pallbearers will be Sam Varnell, Sr., Tom McDowell, J. L. Hudson, Bill Bush, Jerry Johnson, Will Jones, Tom Gillespie, John Gillespie, C. E. Camp, Mack Fryar, Lee Lightfoot, W. A. Burnett, Eugene Turner and members of the board of deacons of the Eastdale Baptist Church .

The Chattanooga Free-Press, Saturday, June 14, 1941.

Note: Son of Thomas Nolan & Sarah Jane (Frank) McElhaney. Husband of Fannie Lightfoot.