Doris McElroy

Doris White McElroy, 96, of Lamoni, Iowa, passed away peacefully on

September 11, 2026, at Southern Hills Specialty Care in Osceola, Iowa.

Her long life was one marked by devotion to family, faith, friendship, and a

steady presence that many came to depend on and cherish.

Doris was born on February 15, 1930, in Manilla, Iowa, the daughter of Kay

Orlando White and Myrtle (Miles) White. The 3 rd of 5 children – Joyce,

Marian, Doris, Eugene, and Gerald; Doris was the youngest of the 3 girls, all

born within 4 years. They were extremely close growing up and remained

so for the rest of their lives. After a childhood spent in the Cherokee, Iowa

area, she and her family moved to Lamoni in 1945. Doris graduated from

Lamoni High School in 1947. Following high school, she attended

Graceland College, where she earned an Associate’s Degree in Secretarial

Services in 1949. After graduating from Graceland, Doris moved to Ames,

Iowa and worked as a secretary for the Atomic Energy Commission at Iowa

State College while Bill attended Veterinary Medicine School.

One of the great joys of Doris’s life was her marriage to her high school

sweetheart, Bill McElroy. The two were married on November 12, 1949, at

the Graceland College Chapel, beginning a lifelong partnership built on

love, companionship, and shared memories. Together, they formed the

foundation of a family that remained central to Doris’s heart in every

season of her life. Doris and Bill were blessed with three sons: Jeffery,

Dennis, and Steve. Her family also grew to include grandchildren: Jillian

Davis (Alex), Gregory McElroy, Benjamin McElroy (Caitlin), Grayson

McElroy (Amie), and Rileigh Gregory (Paul.) Over the years, their family

continued to expand to include great-grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and

adopted grandchildren and their children. Doris’ family will remember the

tenderness with which she held each of them in her heart.

Doris was a devoted mother, and her love for her children was expressed

not only in the care she gave them, but in the way she listened,

encouraged, and remained steadfastly present in their lives. With three

boys, she was always busy - sledding down a hill, attending sporting and

band events, helping with their cars, or tolerating a pet raccoon. Theirs was

a home filled with their son’s friends who would tag along after school and

end up staying for dinner. Those friends felt comfortable knowing they

could always count on a warm, home-cooked meal and even some

motherly advice.

Faith was an important and lasting part of Doris’s life. She was a member

of the Community of Christ Church and served for several years as Stake

Women’s Leader. She also held the office of Teacher, as did her father and

two sisters. Her commitment to her faith community was sincere and

enduring, and it remained an essential source of meaning throughout her

life. Her service and her example of devotion will be remembered with

gratitude by those whose lives she touched.

Doris was known as funny, loving, and loyal, with a great sense of humor

that added lightness and joy to the lives of those around her. She enjoyed

penny slots, playing cards with family, and time spent with her bridge club,

women’s club, and weekly coffee group. Her time spent with others

reflected her enjoyment of connection and the simple pleasures of

everyday life.

Those who knew Doris will remember not only her many roles as wife,

mother, grandmother, friend, and servant in her church, but also the

personality that made her so memorable. She had a way of bringing humor

into ordinary moments and warmth into everyday conversation. Her

devotion to her family was unwavering, and her loyalty to her friends was

deeply felt. Doris lived a long and meaningful life, one rooted in love and

sustained by the relationships she treasured.

Doris is survived by her husband, Bill, sons Jeff (Kathy), Dennis (Julie), and

Steve (Alison), grandchildren and great-grandchildren, brother Jerry White

(Marlene), sister-in-law Marilyn White, brother-in-law Robert McElroy (Kim)

and many, many nieces and nephews.

Doris is preceded in death by her parents, sister Joyce Tracy (Donald),

sister Marian Heaviland (Lee), and brother Eugene White.

A memorial service will be held at the Community of Christ Church in

Lamoni, Iowa, on Sept. 26, 2026 at 10:30 am. As family and friends gather

to honor her life, they will do so with full hearts, thankful for the time they

shared with Doris and for the lasting imprint she leaves behind.

Donations can be sent to:

William V. McElroy 

206 West 10th Street

Lamoni, Iowa 50140

All donations will help fund the C.H. Sandage School of Business

Scholarship Endowment Fund at Graceland University, which enables

financially challenged students to enter and remain in school. Doris was a

lifelong supporter of education and Graceland University.