Donna McElroy

Published 4:04 pm Monday, July 21, 2025

Donna McElroy

Jan. 28, 1932–July 19, 2025

Donna Gail Secrist McElroy, passed away Saturday, July 19, 2025, and of course, she waited until 12 a.m. just to create some controversy.

She was born Jan. 28, 1932, and for those of you not inclined to math proficiency, that means she was 93 years old. And let me tell you, it was a jam-packed 93 years.

Her titles through the years, some of them official, some of the unofficial:

-Daughter: To Homer Secrist, a big rough and tumble sheriff’s debuty and Luella (Boyd) Secrist, a tiny, little redhead who was by far, the more intimidating of the pair. And later to Wilbur Sparling, who would duel her to the ends of the Earth playing Euchre.

-Sister: To Betty and Brenda, who together formed a triumvirate of master candy makers (we won’t mention the one 18-inch nugget of bluish-green butter cream candy that ended up tossed out in the backyard.)

-Donna Gail: To her two brothers-in-laws, Tom and Ralph, who learned she could take it…. and dish it out.

-Church member: Zoar Baptist Church, when she was baptized, they had to break the ice in Storms Creek.

-The Most Beautiful girl at Coal Grove High School: I assume from seeing the pictures.

-Radio Hostess: Appearing on daytime shows at WIRO-AM, where she met our Dad, the ORIGINAL Clinton “Mac” McElroy.

-Mrs. Donna McElroy: when she married our aforementioned Dad

-Ski Queen of Bodmer Village: A loose conglomeration of boaters that amassed on the Ohio River to water ski, camp and consume mass quantities of adult beverages, when weather permitted (and sometime when it didn’t).

-Travel Agent: Emphasis on “travel.” While working for AAA, she hosted many trips around the world, her favorite being China.

-Rosebud Hues Queen: Venice Florida Red Hat Society founding member.

-Mom: Mother to David, Clint, and Mark; Mother in-law to Alice, Leslie, Helen, Carol, and Jan

-Auntie D: to Tim, Tom, Chris, Lecia, Mike, Ryan, and Luann, I remember all their names from the many times she would run through them as she told me: “All your other cousins have summer jobs.”

Nonnie: Grandmother to Michael, Christopher, Justin, Travis, Griffin, Abby and T.J. Grandmother in-law to Min, Sydnee, Teresa, Rachel and Chris. Great-Grandmother to Willow, Meadow, Lydia, Charlie, Bebe, Henry, Cooper, Dottie and Gus. (She really didn’t pay any heed to qualifiers like “step-,” “half-,” “adopted,” etc. She treated everybody the same. She told me once: “I can’t keep track of it myself”.)

-“Mom” (yes, in quotes) to Ort and Mayn, who she always treated like sons (which was sometimes good…. sometimes not)

– And finally, “Momma” to her son Clint (this is the second mention, but it’s a perk for being the obit writer) We loved each other fiercely. We went through some hard times together, me, my brothers and her, but she always did her best even in the roughest of circumstances, and she loved us until her dying breath…. and I will think of her til mine.

There will be a private family graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Donna’s favorite charity, Operation Christmas Child Shoebox, online donations to build-a-shoebox.samaritanspurse.org or if preferred mail a check to Zoar Baptist Church, 1009 Marion Pike, Coal Grove, Ohio 45638 NOTE: In memory of Donna McElroy

Tracy Brammer-Monroe Funeral Home, 518 S. Sixth St., Ironton, is honored to be assisting the McElroy family.

To make online condolences, please visit our website at www.tracybrammerfh.com.