John A. McElhaney, age 84, of 27375 Friendly Ridge Road, Tippecanoe passed away suddenly Wednesday, August 17, 2016 in Union Hospital Emergency Room, Dover, Ohio. He was born in Piedmont, Ohio April 26, 1932, a son of the late Earl McElhaney & Ada Vickers McElhaney.

Surviving is his wife of 61 years, Martha McCormick McElhaney. They were married June 12, 1955.

Also surviving are two daughters: Linnah (Tom) Hodkinson of Tippecanoe and Carla (Dave) Birney of Dover; four grandchildren: Julia (Vic) Bologna of Dover, Jennifer (Brendan) McKee of Dover, Ben Hodkinson of Tippecanoe and Allison (Aaron) Porter of Dover; four great-grandchildren: Evan Bologna, Camden Bologna, Cassidy McKee and Miles McKee; a brother, Len (Marty) McElhaney of Forest, Virginia; a sister-in-law, Ruth McCormick of Dover; and four nieces and nephews: David (Robin) McElhaney, Diane (Larry) Hull, Kathy (Mike) Worley, and David (Shar) McCormick.

John was preceded in death by an infant son, Gregory Alan McElhaney in 1956; a brother-in-law, Bill McCormick in 1992; and his father- and mother-in-law, William and Isabelle McCormick.

John was a 1950 graduate of Freeport High School. After graduating he worked for the B&O Railroad in Holloway before being drafted into the United States Army. He served his country in Korea from July 1952 to May of 1954. He served on the Harrison County Veterans Service Commission for several years. He was a member and very active with the former Stillwater Valley Post Veterans of Foreign Wars until they dissolved, then joined the Midvale Post where he was still currently active.

He was a member of the Freeport United Methodist Church and the former Lakeland Athletic and Band Boosters.  John was a 4-H Advisor and a recipient of the Guernsey County Young Farmer of the Year Award while farming in Guernsey County. He was an avid deer hunter.

Johnny Mac loved farming and did so his entire life. He and his family started with a dairy farm near Londonderry.  In 1968, they sold their dairy herd and moved to Friendly Ridge, Tippecanoe where he raised beef cattle. He then went to work for the US Army Corp of Engineers Civilian and retired as project superintendent at Clendening Lake. After he retired he served as a Washington Township Trustee for several years.

His two daughters and their husbands were very dear to him. He was very involved with school activities and kept the score book and time clock for boys and girls basketball games for Lakeland High School and he then continued the tradition and followed his grandchildren in sports at Harrison Central and Dover High Schools. He enjoyed spoiling his great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, August 19, 2016 in the Freeport United Methodist Church. Visitation will also be in the church from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday prior to the service which will begin 1:00 p.m. with Pastor David Koch and Pastor Paul Turner officiating. Military rites and burial will follow in Greenmont Union Cemetery, Freeport.

Memorial contributions in John’s memory may be made to Freeport United Methodist Church or a charity of the donor’s choice. 

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