Martha Parson McElderry

Martha passed away June 23, 2025, 93 years old, at the Cuthbertson Unit at Aldersgate, Charlotte, NC. after a long eight-year struggle with dementia. She was born February 11, 1932, in Shenandoah, Iowa to Walter and Grace Parson, their youngest and only daughter growing up in Centerville, Iowa with six brothers. Martha attended Centerville High School, and married James F. McElderry, Jr. December 31st, 1948. After James graduated from University of Iowa, he was employed by Ethyl Corporation and in 1952, they moved to Baton Rouge, LA. They raised two sons, Tim and Mike, and became long time members of Florida Boulevard Baptist Church. Martha worked at Delta Tank, General Leasing Services, and Louisiana National Bank performing Executive secretarial duties proving to be very proficient in shorthand, an accurate fast typist, and found reliable to handle difficult and confidential financial and legal projects. Mom and Dad moved to Sarnia, Canada, in 1991 and spent three years in that frozen winter tundra. They sent winter pictures of Ice frozen on fences, and Mom did not like cool, much less cold weather.

Mom and Dad were inseparable and loved our Lord through studying His word together and serving God through Florida Boulevard Baptist Church and their active prayer group. Martha devoted herself to Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for many years. She spoke often of Temple Baptist Church in Sarnia, Canada, where deep spiritual friendship ties were formed. Wonderfully close friendships with Ethyl families and fellow believers continued through the years with letter writing, cards, and phone calls, and sharing prayer requests.

She enjoyed creative crafting and ceramics for home decoration and use. She was blessed with the gift to be an outstanding cook. Everyone looked forward to an invitation to dinner from Martha. You weren’t one to be disappointed. Both Mom and Dad had high standards in keeping an exceptionally clean home, everything working properly, and everything had its own place when not in use. When you are done with whatever, clean it and put it away. Mike and I remembered the weekly assigned chores involving vacuum cleaners, mops, brooms, dusters, floor buffers, lawnmowers and edgers. We loved them.

After 52 years of marriage, James passed away, and in 2015 the family convinced her to move to Charlotte, NC. She was preceded in death by her parents, the six Parson brothers, Wayne, Maurice, Victor, Pete (Marion), William, and Schubert (Swede), her son Michael W. McElderry, Sr., brother-in-law, Robert McElderry of Albuquerque, NM, and in-laws, James F. McElderry, Sr. and Naomi McElderry Head. She is survived by James (Tim) and his wife Joan McElderry, daughter-in-law, Adele McElderry, five grandsons, Mitch, Brandon, Robbie, Kenneth, and Keith McElderry, one granddaughter Kristi M. Feller, and four great-grandsons, James, Mikie, David, and Noel McElderry, one great-granddaughter, Emma McElderry, two sisters-in-law, Dorthy Parson and Ginny McElderry, and many nieces and nephews.

Mom was healed of her Alzheimer’s through death as she is face to face with Jesus, and enjoying a reunion hugging James and Mike today. Oh what a day!

A special note to the Aldersgate’s Cuthbertson Oriole Memory Unit staff. We thank you for the excellent care given to mom and for going above and beyond expectations on many occasions during the eight years she resided there. We witnessed the effects of love given to mom every time we were able to visit. Aldersgate is a special place as our family recognized that facilities in their hometown did not offer the same comparable level of facilities, compassion, activities, and care. We felt the Oriole staff was an extension of our family.

The Parson family has had several of its members to pass away with Alzheimer’s. Sharon Mills, Schubert’s daughter, works with the Alzheimer’s Association and the family requests donations be sent to 225 N Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL., 6061 or go to the website www.alz.org to donate online.

Arrangements made through Greenoaks Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA., 70815. The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m., Tuesday, July 1, 2025, followed by a brief graveside service.