Ruth Lorena Bales McElroy was born February 25, 1930 in Chandler to Calvin Cornelius Bales and Mary Rowena Holcomb. She passed away May 6, 2016 in Davenport at the age of 86.

Ruth was a long-time member of the Davenport First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school.

She loved cooking and never missed helping her church family prepare a meal for a family at a funeral.

She enjoyed singing and playing guitar and was a wonderful seamstress.

Ruth was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose specialty was preparing fried chicken as a favorite for a weekly Sunday family meal.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 53 years, Homer "Speck" McElroy; sister, Kathryn Collins and granddaughter, Lori McElroy.

Survivors include her children, Karen and her husband Rick Barezinsky of Scranton, Kansas, Lindall Heavener of Tupelo, Mississippi, Vernon McElroy and his wife Mickey of Chandler, Randall McElroy and his wife Audrey of Newark, Ohio, Gary McElroy and his wife Darla of Davenport; special daughter, Lora McElroy of Davenport; fifteen grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren and one more on the way; sister, Margaret and her husband Dale Hoover of Chandler; brother, Marion Bales and his wife Freda of Davenport; special friends, Charlie and Kate Wilson and many other family and friends.

A funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at the Davenport First Baptist Church with interment following in the Greenwood Cemetery in Kendrick.

Arrangements are under the direction of Lehman Funeral Home of Wellston.