Eleanor McNair

Starting in high school, Mrs. McNair became a church organist, and served as organist and choir director in churches her entire life. Following her love of music, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Macalester College, St. Paul, MN which started her on a life full of adventures beginning in Iran as a teacher with the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church teaching music, English and social studies at Community School in Tehran, Iran. The best adventure was meeting the love of her life, Thomas McNair, in Iran and they were married on September 7, 1951 in Tehran, Iran. With one child, a move to Arizona followed where two more children joined the family. Ready for another adventure, she and the children accompanied her husband to Konya, Turkey where he participated in a Fulbright Teacher Exchange program. With the United Church Board for World Ministries of the United Church of Christ the next adventure was teaching music and English in Tarsus, Turkey. Returning to the states, Charlotte, NC became home, where Mrs. McNair was a part-time music instructor at Central Piedmont Community College, the Director of Christian Education at Third Presbyterian Church, a Volunteer Coordinator and Board member of the YWCA, a Board member of Shepherd’s Center East and directed the Shepherd’s Center East Recorders.

Following Mr. McNair’s retirement from teaching in the Charlotte public schools, Mrs. McNair answered the question of “What’s next?” by obtaining a Master of Arts in Church Music and Christian Education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, VA. Then a call overseas to Taiwan with the Global Mission of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to teach English and music in Tainan, Taiwan where her “History of Church Music” was published in Chinese by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Press.

Mrs. McNair was a member of Third Presbyterian Church and over the years was active in the life of the church as an elder, choir director, organist and with the Presbyterian Women. One of her greatest joys was to play the piano for Sunday morning worship until the end of her life.

That young family grew up thankful for the wonderful opportunities that the adventures of Mrs. McNair gave them. Her survivors are blessed to have called her mom or grandma. She was preceded in death by her husband. Her survivors are her three children, Louise Marie McNair Bradford, and husband, Thomas, of Lovettsville, VA, Sarah Kathryn McNair-Grove and husband, David, of Juneau, AK, and David Thomas McNair and wife Cheryl, of Memphis, TN, and three grandchildren, Jenna McNair, Stephen Bradford and Hannah Bradford McNelis, and husband Taylor, her sister, Joyce Hayek and husband, Paul, of Hot Springs Village, AR, sister-in-law, Jean Engeman of Sioux Falls, SD, and nieces and nephews.

The memorial service to celebrate the life of Eleanor McNair will be held Saturday, February 15, 2025, 11am, at Third Presbyterian Church. The family invites everyone to join us for a light lunch and a time to visit from 1pm to 3pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Third Presbyterian church, 4019 Central Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205; Worldwide Ministries Division of the Presbyterian Church (USA), c/o Third Presbyterian Church.