Stephen “Bill” McElhinney, 80, of Morning Sun, passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 10, 2023 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Snyder and Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Services in Morning Sun. Memorial Services will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at the First United Presbyterian Church of Morning Sun. Memorials may be directed to the Morning Fire Department, Morning Sun Ambulance, or Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House in memory of Bill. Sympathy notes may be left for the family at www.sandhfuneralservice.com.
Stephen William McElhinney was born on March 14, 1942 in Yarmouth, Iowa, the son of Martin Wilson and Ruth Arsenith (Lane) McElhinney. Bill was a 1960 graduate of Morning Sun High School. On February 25, 1961, Bill was united in marriage to Celia Thomas in Morning Sun. After high school Bill drove semi for his brother, he also worked at the Morning Sun Locker and Pierce Funeral home where he earned his EMT certificate to drive ambulance for Pierce’s. From 1978 until 1986, Bill and Celia were owners of the Morning Sun Locker. Bill then went to work for Morning Sun Mutual Telephone Company until his retirement in 2008. Bill was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church of Morning Sun where he served as an Elder and Deacon. He was a former member of the Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church. Bill was involved with Little League and served on the Morning Sun Fire Department for over 30 years as Chief. He was a self-taught ventriloquist and his dummy’s name was Steve. He enjoyed doing stained glass, tending to his roses and was quite a craftsman with his woodworking skills.
Bill will be deeply missed by his wife Celia of Morning Sun; son Brian McElhinney of Morning Sun; daughter, Brenda (Danny) Harris of Morning Sun; grandchildren, Jordan Harris of Morning Sun, Holly (John) de la Chapelle of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Lee Hilton Harris of Morning Sun; great-grandchildren, Anna, Libby and Marie de la Chapelle; siblings, Celia Murphy of Burlington, Gladys Parish of Wapello, Pauline Metzger of Morning Sun, Hubert McElhinney of Crawfordsville and Verla Bigger of Media, Illinois and several nieces and nephews.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Dale and Harold McElhinney and sisters, Ola Lambert and Dorothy Kerr.