Sara Louise McElrath 1925-2002

MCELRATH BAIRD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 3/18/2011 at 18:40:30

Sioux City Journal
1 March 2002

MOVILLE, Iowa -- Sara Louise McElrath, 76, of Moville died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002, at Correctionville Nursing and Rehab Center in Correctionville, Iowa.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Moville United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Harold E. Werley officiating. Burial will be in Arlington Township Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Arrangements are under the direction of Christy-Smith McCulloch Chapel in Moville.

Miss McElrath was born Dec. 12, 1925, in Moville, the daughter of Fred Payson and Janet (Baird) McElrath. She was raised in Moville, where she attended school. She graduated from Moville High School and attended Wayne State College for one year. She then attended Iowa State University for two years. she was a lifelong Moville resident.

She started working at the Woodbury County Library in January 1954 and became head librarian in April 1960. She worked at the library for 40 years.

She was an active member of Moville United Methodist Church and had been involved in helping with many church productions and was in charge of taking care of the flowers weekly. She was also on the Woodbury County Fair Board and head of the antiques department. She served on the St. Luke's Auxiliary and was general chairman of the centennial committee. She also was a member of the zoning board, Historical Society, Chamber of Commerce and MCDI committee. She helped with the landscaping at the Woodbury Central School, Haskel Swimming Pool and Moville United Methodist Church. She also worked at the Sioux City hospitals during the polio outbreak.

Survivors include her nieces and nephews, Fred Bleil of San Diego, Calif., Susan and her husband, John Gernhart, of Kingsley, Iowa, Steve and his wife, Michelle Bleil, of Kingsley and Bill and his wife, Laurel Bleil, of Cullowhee, N.C.; and several grandnieces, grandnephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Mary Bleil; and a grandnephew, Chad Gernhart.