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James David McElhaney (October 28 1928-January 3, 2003)
Lovingly known as J.D.
James David “J.D.” McElhaney, 74, of Norman died Friday, Jan. 3, in Norman.
Services were held on Tuesday January 7, 2003 at First Baptist Church of Norman with
the Rev. Mike Bumgarner officiating. Interment will follow at IOOF Cemetery.
Services are under the direction of Havenbrook Funeral Home.
JD was born Oct. 28, 1928, in Norman to Ben Franklin and Retta Adeline Andrews McElhaney. He lived in Norman all his life, graduating from Norman High School in 1946 and joining the Army shortly afterward. He served as a cook and mess sergeant in the 738 Military Police Battalion in the Philippines and Okinawa, Army of Occupation forces, 1946-1947. Mr. McElhaney traveled halfway around the world, spent his 18th birthday in the Philippines and then came home to settle down within a mile of where he was born. He married Irma Jean O’Neal June 5, 1949, at the First Baptist Church. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated from Draughons Refrigeration and Air Conditioning School. He worked as a carpenter for his brother Ben and later worked as a construction superintendent with Builders Construction, Tankersley and Sons and Barbour & Short. He retired in 1995 after 47 years in the commercial construction business. He worked on building and renovation projects on every Norman school, as well as several churches and banks.
He was an avid fisherman, active in Boy Scouts with his sons for many years and a lifelong OU football fan.
Mr. McElhaney was preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, David Gene McElhaney; brothers, Ben and Ray McElhaney and sisters Lottie Jenkins and Lucile Frogge.
Survivors include his wife, Jeannie of the home; sons Gary McElhaney and wife, Julie, of Lexington, J. David McElhaney and wife, Lorie, of Katy, Texas, and R. Kelly McElhaney and wife, Cindy, of Norman; a daughter, Lori McElhaney and husband, David Kurjiaka of Athens, Ohio; a sister, Robbie Locke of Atlanta; a brother, Deaune McElhaney and wife, Pat, of Noble; and grandchildren, Jacob McElhaney, Kevin McElhaney, Eamonn McElhaney, Katie McElhaney and Kendall McElhaney. Bearers will be Louis Kennedy, Robert Colwell, David F. McElhaney, Rick McElhaney, Bennie McElhaney and Ray Philpot. Honorary bearers will be Shaun McElhaney, James Brockhaus, Huston Colwell, Joel Barbour, Stan Clark and Jody McElhaney.
A fund has been established to build a permanent memorial in Andrews Park in Norman. Donations can be made to the J.D. McElhaney Memorial Fund, through the Norman Parks Foundation, P.O. Box 370, Norman, 73070. For more information on the memorial, call (405) 366-5473.
Uncle J.D. was like a big brother to my mother Mar Sue Frogge, since they were less than ten years apart in age. He fought cancer for many years, and on January 3, 2003 he gave up the fight. He will be missed very much by all of the family and the community.
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