Donna D. McElwain

Mrs. McElwain died Friday, Jan. 17, 2003, at Brandon Woods Retirement Community.

She was born Feb. 3, 1928, in Wichita, the daughter of Elmer F. and Leone (Brady) Higgs. She grew up in Wichita and graduated from Wichita North High School in 1946. She lived in Maize from 1951 to 1974, when she moved to Lawrence.

Mrs. McElwain and her husband owned and operated Maize Food Center from 1959 to 1974, when they purchased an interest in Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. They owned that interest until his death. She also worked for Hillside Cos., Lawrence National Bank, Columbia Savings, Charlton Manley, and Petefish, Curran & Immel Attorneys at Law. She retired because of ill health in 1997.

She was a member of Plymouth Congregational Church, Adah Chapter No. 7 Order of the Eastern Star, White Shrine of Jerusalem, Lawrence Ladies Shrine Club and Beta Sigma Phi, where she was an Epsilon Master.

She married Keith M. McElwain on Dec. 18, 1946, in Wichita. He died Dec. 13, 1984.

Survivors include a daughter, Kay Lynn Kratzer, El Dorado; a son, Larry McElwain, Lawrence; a sister, Freida Fredericks, Arcadia, Texas; a brother, E. Gerald Higgs, Ben Wheeler, Texas; five grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

The family will receive friends from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

The family suggests memorials to the church, Douglas County Visiting Nurses Assn., or Hospice Care of Douglas County, sent in care of the mortuary.

E-mail condolences may be sent to info@warrenmcelwain.com, subject: McElwain.