Carolyn Mcelvain

Celebration of Life Services for Carolyn L. McElvain will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Murray Jones and Chaplain DeWane Dow officiating. Family interment will be held in the Prairie Home Cemetery prior to the services.

Carolyn Lucille McElvain, 89 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at the Christian Homes Care Community in Holdrege.  Carolyn was born January 15, 1927 at Loomis, Nebraska, the third of five children born to Walter Lars and Esther Marie Victoria (Larson) Johnson.  She received her education from the Loomis Public Schools, graduating from Loomis High School with the class of 1945.  She then pursued higher education at Kearney State Teachers College to receive her teaching credentials and taught for a brief time in a country school in Phelps County.

On March 17, 1948, she was united in marriage to Edgar William "Bill" McElvain at her parents' home east of Loomis.  The couple were blessed with six children: Nick, Dan, Tom, Dick, Peg, and Patty.  The family made their home on the family farm northeast of Holdrege, where Carolyn focused her efforts on being a devoted mother and wife. In 2004, the couple moved to Kearney until returning to Holdrege in July of 2012. Bill preceded her in death on April 26, 2013.

Carolyn was a member of the Emmaus Evangelical Free Church, north of Funk, and in recent years, has enjoyed chapel services and the singspiration at the Christian Homes Chapel.  She was also a member of the Grange for many years.  She also enjoyed bowling in her younger years, loved to garden, puzzles, and was talented at sewing and needle work.  Carolyn's pride and joy was her family.  She was a beloved mom and devoted grandmother and great-grandmother.  She will be remembered for her smile, her laughter, gentle and quiet spirit, and her generosity.

Besides her parents and husband; she was preceded in death by her son, Tom McElvain; brothers: Ralph Johnson and his wife, Mary, Roger D. Johnson and Royce Johnson; sister, Rachel Miserintino and her husband, Joe; brothers-in-law: Robert McElvain and his wife, Inez, Cecil Stephenson and Roy Pearson and his wife, Mary.

She leaves to celebrate her life; her three sons: Nick McElvain and his wife, Connie of Lincoln, Nebraska, Dan McElvain and his wife, Susie of Kearney and Dick McElvain and his wife, Donna of Lincoln; two daughters: Peg Johnston and her husband, Don of Kearney and Patty Sullivan and her husband, Dave of Fruita, Colorado; daughter-in-law, Jackie McElvain of Redding, California; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Margaret Dyer and her husband, Daryl of Grinnell, Iowa and Dorothy Johnson of Holdrege; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 26, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Carolyn's honor and kindly suggested to the Christian Homes Care Community, the Gideon's International or the ministry of the donor's choice.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com .

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.