Elaine Jolly

Celebration of life: 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Moore Funeral Home. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations in Elaine's memory be made to the Jay and Justin Shultz Endowed Memorial Scholarship at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 900 College St., Belton, Texas 76513.

Elaine was born to Charles and Ivy Lewin on July 29, 1924, in Auckland, New Zealand, where she lived until she came to the United States 4 1/2 years after meeting her future husband, John Jolly, at a Red Cross dance during World War II.

Her husband's post-World War II job with an oil company kept Elaine busy moving from Wyoming to Texas to California and then finally back to Texas. After retirement, Elaine's husband joined a friend's offshore drilling company and traveling the world became a way of life. Following another "semi-retirement," the pair moved to Arlington to be close to their two daughters.

In the years after her husband's death at age 75, Elaine officially became the "Dancing Queen." Jazzercise classes, aerobic dance classes and myriad weddings kept her in true dancing form. Always looking for a challenge, Elaine sought out and got her first paying job at age 70 at Gene Allen's Hallmark store in southwest Arlington. Those at the Hallmark store threw her an 85th birthday party that just happened to coincide with her 15th year at Gene Allen's. Known as the "Candy Lady," Elaine became every small child's friend, handing out gummy worms to tots not much taller than her.

Even with failing health, Elaine still attended exercise classes and enjoyed taking her beloved car, Lola, down to the lake to watch the ducks. She will be deeply missed by those whose lives she touched.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John; her parents; and brother, Stanley Lewin.

Survivors: Children, Jennifer Grinage and husband, Louis, of Ovilla, Rebecca McElroy and husband, Richard, of Arlington; grandchildren, Jared Grinage, Kate McElroy Horne and husband, Tim, Colin McElroy and wife, Brittany; great-grandchildren, Chloe Elaine, Charlotte Horne, Baby Girl Horne due in June, and Baby Boy McElroy due in June. Her New Zealand relatives, her sister, Margaret Mewa; niece, Vivienne Mewa; nephew, Robert Mewa; sister, Olive Milne; niece, Cathy Anscombe and husband, Michael; all members of the McElroy family who viewed her as one of their own; and guardian angels, Frank and Diane Schultz.