This story starts with Joy Callaway in January, at a Dairy Queen in Bay Minette. Joy was waiting for a drink refill and struck up a conversation with a couple waiting in line. The man said that he and his wife were on the way to the beach from Cullman, Alabama. Joy mentioned that she lived there all her life. The man, said �well, my name is George McElroy�. And this is how George was found after all these years.
I called George and did an interview.
George grew up in York, Alabama, about 30 miles east of Meridian, MS. His father was first to Gulf Shores and started a business, and the family followed. George attended Foley High in the 10th and 12th grades, with the 11th back in York, AL.
Now, an interesting fact that I didn�t know, was that we had servicemen in school. George, Jack Kelly and James Everage joined the National Guard in 1958 and took basic in May of 1959.
After graduation, George attended William Carey College in Hattisburg, MS, and Southern Miss, majoring in Education.
George continued in the National Guard and also spent 16 months on active duty, and later changed to the Air National Guard, with a total of 23 years service.
While at Gulf Shores and working in the family business (McElroy Cottages) in the late 60�s, there was a family from Cullman, Alabama that would stay there that had a daughter. That daughter, Glenda, later became George�s wife, and they have been happily married for 30 years.
He spent a total of 27 years teaching Elementary School and High School in Cullman, Alabama..
George and Glenda have one daughter, Christy.
George had several brothers; Allen that lives in Orange Beach, and Johnny, six years younger who died of lung cancer last year.
I asked George about travelling, and he said that they went on a cruise to Alaska in May of last year.