Raymond H. “Buck” McElravy, 97, a lifelong Karns City area resident, went to be with the Lord Friday afternoon, March 23, 2018 at the Chicora Medical Center.
Raymond was born in Karns City on January 7, 1921. He was the son of the late John and Mary Morgan McElravy.
Raymond attended public school in Karns City. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
He had attended the Karns City Church of God of Prophecy for many years. In his youth, Raymond served with the Conservation Corp and worked on various projects near Sligo, Clarion County. Buck had a strong work ethic and a strict moral compass. He always had “something to do” and enjoyed tinkering, fixing up, and working outside around his house. Buck looked forward to deer hunting and camping, especially near Kelletville. He was well-known among family members for reminiscing about “the good old days” in Karns City, hanging out at the Maples, shooting marbles and flying kites.
He retired from Koppers Company in Petrolia. Buck spoke fondly of his many co-workers at “The Pickle Works.”
Surviving are two children, Linda L. Roudebush and Marshall R. McElravy and his wife, Peggy, two sisters-in-law, Armeda McElravy and Henrietta McElravy, all of Karns City; thirteen grandchildren, Lisa, Mike, Chris, Laureen “Sis”, Scott, Bradley, John, Greg, Keith, Kim, Chad, Jared, and Ian; sixteen great grandchildren, four great great grandchildren, as well as a number of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two children, Marsha Ekas Truman in 2010 and Larry McElravy in 2013. Buck was the last surviving member of his immediate family and was preceded in death by four brothers, Lincoln “Dink”, Milford “Mutt”, Rev. Charles “Chuck”, and Lester “Jiggs” McElravy; four sisters, Edith Mahood, Bernice McElravy, Betty Hile, and Grace Hile; a son-in-law, Larry Roudebush; his children’s mother and his former wife, Dorothy Reddinger, as well as a number of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home of Karns City, 128 Main St., Karns City, from 1 – 3 and 6 – 8 p.m. Monday. A funeral service will be held from the funeral home at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday with the Rev. Robert G. Hile Jr., Raymond’s great nephew and pastor of Family Life Ministry Church of God of Prophecy, Butler. Interment with military honors provided by The Chicora, Brady’s Bend, and East Brady American Legion Posts will follow at Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia. Memorial contributions may be made to the Karns City Church of God of Prophecy, 1510 Kittanning Pike, Karns City, PA 16041. For additional information or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.