Clare McElrath (Plainview)

Clare Cody McElrath, 73, of Plainview passed away on Sunday, December 18, 2022. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, December 23, 2022 at First Baptist Church with Dr. Jacob West officiating. Burial will follow in the Plainview Cemetery under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview.

A visitation will be held Thursday evening from 5 to 7 P.M. at Kornerstone.

Clare was born on December 24, 1948 in Dallas, Texas to Adrian and Fontaine Cody. She grew up in Oak Cliff and graduated from Kimball High School. While growing up, she was an active member of Hampton Place Baptist Church. She worked at Mobil Oil where she met and married Joel McElrath on February 3, 1973 in Dallas, Texas. She was mainly a homemaker, but did work outside the home as a church secretary and mother’s day out teacher. Her favorite times were spent preparing meals for family gatherings and then enjoying a round of dominoes. 

Because of Joel's work, they called many places home over the years including Colorado, multiple cities across Texas, and even London, England. Clare served as the secretary at Quail Valley Baptist Church in Missouri City and First Baptist Church of Grapevine. She and Joel taught youth Sunday School in Grapevine and Midland. Eventually, they retired to Granbury, TX, where they spent 10 years. They were active members of Lakeside Baptist Church and Acton Baptist Church, staying involved in Sunday School and worship choir. Clare especially enjoyed singing with the Melody Belles, a community choir of Granbury. They moved to Plainview in 2017 to be near grandchildren. They joined First Baptist Church of Plainview. Clare was a member of the Singing Women of West Texas along with her daughter.

Clare was preceded in death by her husband Joel McElrath on August 18, 2020.

She is survived by a daughter, Lori Franklin and husband Scott of Plainview; son, L.D. McElrath and wife Nicole of Hurst; two brothers, Adrian Cody of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Richard Cody and wife Terry of Midlothian; sister, Patty Joyce and husband Bob of Lubbock; and five grandchildren, Emily Franklin, Timothy Franklin, Zachary Franklin, Drake McElrath, Alexa McElrath. She leaves behind aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins whom she loved dearly.

The family suggests memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.