"Pat" (Gaga) Wilma Ola McClain, daughter of Wiliam C Richards and Cora Maude Chapel, was born on 16 April 1912 in Woodston, Kansas and died 15 May 1989 in Phillpsburg, Kansas (Pancreatic Cancer). "Pat" Wilma was married in Woodston on 28 June 1931 to Ronald Dean McClain son of Eugene McClain and Pearl Etna Woods of Harlan, Kansas. Ronald "Mac" (Gramps) was born 22 Aug 1912 in Harlan, Kansas and passed on 14 Nov 1971 in Hutchinson, Kansas(Brain Tumor - anaplastic astrocytoma - Grade 3).
Ronald and Pat had three children Carolyn Jeanette born in Sep 1933, Richard Eugene born in 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr born in Sep 1936 and died 2 months later due to pnuemonia in Nov '36.
"Pat" (Gaga) Wilma Ola Richards McClain and Ronald "Mac" McCClain (Gramps) met while Pat was teaching grade school in an old country school (K-8) outside of Woodston. She received a lifetime teaching certificate to teach up through 8th grade. She taught about 2 years before they married in 1931 in Woodston. She was from Woodston and he was a high school basketball all-star from Harlan who began officiating during his high school days and continued to officiate sports for 23 years. Gramps was well known in Kansas as "Mac" in his sports officiating career and his first assignment began 23 Dec 1927 (a Christmas Holiday Basketball Tournament).
Ronald always held a keen interest in athletics and officiating. He and his brothers played for the Harlan High School basketball team (one of the few sports offered there since the school was so small) from 1926 to 1930. After high school he played for the "Portis Dynamos" a local team of the better athletes from surrounding area.
After Gaga and Gramps married, they moved to Kensington, Kansas where he worked for his uncle in a grocery store and continued to officiate games. They lived next door to Minnie and Arel Olliff, a block West of the Methodist Church, who were just having their first child Darel (who later went on to own Olliff & Boeve Funeral Home and Furniture Store in Phillipsburg, KS). Carolyn Jeanette McClain was born in Kensington in September 1933.
In 1934 the McClain's moved to Smith Center and lived in a house one block north of the Community Center. Richard Eugene "Gene" McClain was born in December 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr. in September 1936 and died 2-3 months after birth due to pneumonia in November 1936. While living in Smith Center, Gramps worked at the courthouse as a county clerk and got involved in a check-kiting scheme for which he was sent to prison at Hutchinson for 1 or 2 years. Pat never spoke of this period until the last few years of her life and then only 3 times. She never spoke ill of him either.
While Gramps was in prison, his family lived in Harlan for 1 year and Carolyn attended 1st grade there. Then in 1939 the family moved to Lyons and lived with Aunt Altha and Uncle John Sloop, who owned a Jewelry store. Carolyn remembers going from Aunt Altha's to visit her father at the prison, the gates being locked and unlocked, going inside, and mother never said one word bad against Gramps. Speaking only of loyalty about and to Gramps. Carolyn believes this gave her Dad a new perspective on parenting, too, because he was a demonized adherent to no lies!
When Gramps got out of prison the McClain's moved to Burlington, Kansas for a time and then back to Lyons where Gramps worked for Conoco Oil as a payroll clerk in Geneseo, Kansas just north of Lyons. Since WWII was on during those days, Gramps went to Salina for his Army physical and Carolyn and Gene went with him. Carolyn remembers seeing her first sunrise (she had never been up at 5am before) on that trip. Gramps didn't pass the physical due to a back injury he suffered in 1938 while changing his tire another car ran over him and broke his back and leg in three places.
Carolyn remembers attending 2nd to 5th grade in Lyons and her Uncle Archie LaRue was the grade school principal. Carolyn got into trouble for talking and her Uncle made her go to his office and spanked her and then Gaga (Pat) came and picked her up and took her home and spanked her again!
The McClains moved again to Palco from 1944 to 1947 during Carolyn's junior high years where Gaga (Pat) taught 7th & 8th grade English and History and Gramps ran a barbershop and coached high school football and basketball taking the Palco basketball team to the State tournament. Carolyn finished the 8th grade there (Palco).
Gaga (Pat) said that she moved 32 times in 16 years. She was a #1 mouse-hole-plugger-upper. Our house was always the Happy Birthday house (for others birthdays) because mother was a marvelous cook and had all the birthday dinners. Gaga and her sisters were very accomplished piano players. Gramps played violin. She told stories of how they entertained their families with music in the "old days". She had a piano in her home and it was a source of inspiration for several of her Elliott grandchildren who went on to play piano and organ.
After the war in the summer of 1947, the McClain's moved to Stockton where Carolyn and Gene attended high school. Carolyn graduated in 1951 and Gene in 1952. Gramps was an independent insurance agent (Ronald D McClain Insurance) in an office downtown one block East of the stoplight and Gaga (Pat) worked for him as a secretary in his office.
Carolyn graduated from high school in 1951 at #3 in her class (#1,# 2, and # 3 were .5 grade points apart). She was in all their plays and played tympani in concert band and twirled for the marching band as a Freshman and Sophomore until she became Drum Major as a Junior and Senior. That year the Stockton band went to the Hutchinson State Fair.
In 1952 Gaga (Pat) and Gramps moved to Hutchinson, Kansas where he continued to sell insurance as an independent insurance salesman with Farmers and Bankers Life Insurance. They were members of the United Methodist Church of Hutchinson (where Carolyn was married to Elwood Elliott in 1953). Gaga (Pat) continued to be Ronald's secretary. They rented a house on 15th street and then they bought a home on 20th avenue where they lived (and all of us Elliott kids have so many good memories) in until his death.
Ronald was a well-known sports official known as "Mac" for high shool/college football/basketball in the Kansas/Nebraska/Oklahoma area for 23 years (1927 to 1950). See article Stockton newspaper, 18 Jan 1951, regarding his officiating career and retirement. In 1951 "Mac" was told to "lay down his whistle" by doctors due to problems with infections and illness caused by constant travel and officiating.
Ronald "Gramps" struggled with heart problems in his 50s (had 5-6 heart attacks that he survived) and then very suddenly and surprisingly developed a brain tumor at the age of 59 and died a few months later.
Ronald's "Gramps" funeral was held at Elliott Funeral Home in Hutchinson, Kansas. Rev James R Reed offciated. Pat "Gagas" funeral was held in Phillipsburg Kansas by Oliff and Boeve Funeral at the United Methodist Church. Both are buried in the beautiful Gaylord Cemetery along with their infant son Ronald Dean Jr who passed in 1936.
Gaga (Pat) went to work for Collingwood Grain as the President's secretary after Gramps passed away and worked there for many years until she retired. She moved to Philipsburg, Kansas to live with her daughter Carolyn just prior to her death due to Pancreatic cancer. The home in Hutchinson on 20th avenue was sold.
They are both buried in Gaylord Kansas Cemetery alonside Ronald D. McClain Jr who passed in 1936 at the age of 2 months old.
Note: Ronald and Pat McClain Family Stories (some were recounted by Carolyn Jeannete McClain Elliott, others are excerts from obituaries and also newspaper articles) recorded by David S Elliott.
Ronald and Pat had three children Carolyn Jeanette born in Sep 1933, Richard Eugene born in 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr born in Sep 1936 and died 2 months later due to pnuemonia in Nov '36.
"Pat" (Gaga) Wilma Ola Richards McClain and Ronald "Mac" McCClain (Gramps) met while Pat was teaching grade school in an old country school (K-8) outside of Woodston. She received a lifetime teaching certificate to teach up through 8th grade. She taught about 2 years before they married in 1931 in Woodston. She was from Woodston and he was a high school basketball all-star from Harlan who began officiating during his high school days and continued to officiate sports for 23 years. Gramps was well known in Kansas as "Mac" in his sports officiating career and his first assignment began 23 Dec 1927 (a Christmas Holiday Basketball Tournament).
Ronald always held a keen interest in athletics and officiating. He and his brothers played for the Harlan High School basketball team (one of the few sports offered there since the school was so small) from 1926 to 1930. After high school he played for the "Portis Dynamos" a local team of the better athletes from surrounding area.
After Gaga and Gramps married, they moved to Kensington, Kansas where he worked for his uncle in a grocery store and continued to officiate games. They lived next door to Minnie and Arel Olliff, a block West of the Methodist Church, who were just having their first child Darel (who later went on to own Olliff & Boeve Funeral Home and Furniture Store in Phillipsburg, KS). Carolyn Jeanette McClain was born in Kensington in September 1933.
In 1934 the McClain's moved to Smith Center and lived in a house one block north of the Community Center. Richard Eugene "Gene" McClain was born in December 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr. in September 1936 and died 2-3 months after birth due to pneumonia in November 1936. While living in Smith Center, Gramps worked at the courthouse as a county clerk and got involved in a check-kiting scheme for which he was sent to prison at Hutchinson for 1 or 2 years. Pat never spoke of this period until the last few years of her life and then only 3 times. She never spoke ill of him either.
While Gramps was in prison, his family lived in Harlan for 1 year and Carolyn attended 1st grade there. Then in 1939 the family moved to Lyons and lived with Aunt Altha and Uncle John Sloop, who owned a Jewelry store. Carolyn remembers going from Aunt Altha's to visit her father at the prison, the gates being locked and unlocked, going inside, and mother never said one word bad against Gramps. Speaking only of loyalty about and to Gramps. Carolyn believes this gave her Dad a new perspective on parenting, too, because he was a demonized adherent to no lies!
When Gramps got out of prison the McClain's moved to Burlington, Kansas for a time and then back to Lyons where Gramps worked for Conoco Oil as a payroll clerk in Geneseo, Kansas just north of Lyons. Since WWII was on during those days, Gramps went to Salina for his Army physical and Carolyn and Gene went with him. Carolyn remembers seeing her first sunrise (she had never been up at 5am before) on that trip. Gramps didn't pass the physical due to a back injury he suffered in 1938 while changing his tire another car ran over him and broke his back and leg in three places.
Carolyn remembers attending 2nd to 5th grade in Lyons and her Uncle Archie LaRue was the grade school principal. Carolyn got into trouble for talking and her Uncle made her go to his office and spanked her and then Gaga (Pat) came and picked her up and took her home and spanked her again!
The McClains moved again to Palco from 1944 to 1947 during Carolyn's junior high years where Gaga (Pat) taught 7th & 8th grade English and History and Gramps ran a barbershop and coached high school football and basketball taking the Palco basketball team to the State tournament. Carolyn finished the 8th grade there (Palco).
Gaga (Pat) said that she moved 32 times in 16 years. She was a #1 mouse-hole-plugger-upper. Our house was always the Happy Birthday house (for others birthdays) because mother was a marvelous cook and had all the birthday dinners. Gaga and her sisters were very accomplished piano players. Gramps played violin. She told stories of how they entertained their families with music in the "old days". She had a piano in her home and it was a source of inspiration for several of her Elliott grandchildren who went on to play piano and organ.
After the war in the summer of 1947, the McClain's moved to Stockton where Carolyn and Gene attended high school. Carolyn graduated in 1951 and Gene in 1952. Gramps was an independent insurance agent (Ronald D McClain Insurance) in an office downtown one block East of the stoplight and Gaga (Pat) worked for him as a secretary in his office.
Carolyn graduated from high school in 1951 at #3 in her class (#1,# 2, and # 3 were .5 grade points apart). She was in all their plays and played tympani in concert band and twirled for the marching band as a Freshman and Sophomore until she became Drum Major as a Junior and Senior. That year the Stockton band went to the Hutchinson State Fair.
In 1952 Gaga (Pat) and Gramps moved to Hutchinson, Kansas where he continued to sell insurance as an independent insurance salesman with Farmers and Bankers Life Insurance. They were members of the United Methodist Church of Hutchinson (where Carolyn was married to Elwood Elliott in 1953). Gaga (Pat) continued to be Ronald's secretary. They rented a house on 15th street and then they bought a home on 20th avenue where they lived (and all of us Elliott kids have so many good memories) in until his death.
Ronald was a well-known sports official known as "Mac" for high shool/college football/basketball in the Kansas/Nebraska/Oklahoma area for 23 years (1927 to 1950). See article Stockton newspaper, 18 Jan 1951, regarding his officiating career and retirement. In 1951 "Mac" was told to "lay down his whistle" by doctors due to problems with infections and illness caused by constant travel and officiating.
Ronald "Gramps" struggled with heart problems in his 50s (had 5-6 heart attacks that he survived) and then very suddenly and surprisingly developed a brain tumor at the age of 59 and died a few months later.
Ronald's "Gramps" funeral was held at Elliott Funeral Home in Hutchinson, Kansas. Rev James R Reed offciated. Pat "Gagas" funeral was held in Phillipsburg Kansas by Oliff and Boeve Funeral at the United Methodist Church. Both are buried in the beautiful Gaylord Cemetery along with their infant son Ronald Dean Jr who passed in 1936.
Gaga (Pat) went to work for Collingwood Grain as the President's secretary after Gramps passed away and worked there for many years until she retired. She moved to Philipsburg, Kansas to live with her daughter Carolyn just prior to her death due to Pancreatic cancer. The home in Hutchinson on 20th avenue was sold.
They are both buried in Gaylord Kansas Cemetery alonside Ronald D. McClain Jr who passed in 1936 at the age of 2 months old.
Note: Ronald and Pat McClain Family Stories (some were recounted by Carolyn Jeannete McClain Elliott, others are excerts from obituaries and also newspaper articles) recorded by David S Elliott.
"Pat" (Gaga) Wilma Ola McClain, daughter of Wiliam C Richards and Cora Maude Chapel, was born on 16 April 1912 in Woodston, Kansas and died 15 May 1989 in Phillpsburg, Kansas (Pancreatic Cancer). "Pat" Wilma was married in Woodston on 28 June 1931 to Ronald Dean McClain son of Eugene McClain and Pearl Etna Woods of Harlan, Kansas. Ronald "Mac" (Gramps) was born 22 Aug 1912 in Harlan, Kansas and passed on 14 Nov 1971 in Hutchinson, Kansas(Brain Tumor - anaplastic astrocytoma - Grade 3).
Ronald and Pat had three children Carolyn Jeanette born in Sep 1933, Richard Eugene born in 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr born in Sep 1936 and died 2 months later due to pnuemonia in Nov '36.
"Pat" (Gaga) Wilma Ola Richards McClain and Ronald "Mac" McCClain (Gramps) met while Pat was teaching grade school in an old country school (K-8) outside of Woodston. She received a lifetime teaching certificate to teach up through 8th grade. She taught about 2 years before they married in 1931 in Woodston. She was from Woodston and he was a high school basketball all-star from Harlan who began officiating during his high school days and continued to officiate sports for 23 years. Gramps was well known in Kansas as "Mac" in his sports officiating career and his first assignment began 23 Dec 1927 (a Christmas Holiday Basketball Tournament).
Ronald always held a keen interest in athletics and officiating. He and his brothers played for the Harlan High School basketball team (one of the few sports offered there since the school was so small) from 1926 to 1930. After high school he played for the "Portis Dynamos" a local team of the better athletes from surrounding area.
After Gaga and Gramps married, they moved to Kensington, Kansas where he worked for his uncle in a grocery store and continued to officiate games. They lived next door to Minnie and Arel Olliff, a block West of the Methodist Church, who were just having their first child Darel (who later went on to own Olliff & Boeve Funeral Home and Furniture Store in Phillipsburg, KS). Carolyn Jeanette McClain was born in Kensington in September 1933.
In 1934 the McClain's moved to Smith Center and lived in a house one block north of the Community Center. Richard Eugene "Gene" McClain was born in December 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr. in September 1936 and died 2-3 months after birth due to pneumonia in November 1936. While living in Smith Center, Gramps worked at the courthouse as a county clerk and got involved in a check-kiting scheme for which he was sent to prison at Hutchinson for 1 or 2 years. Pat never spoke of this period until the last few years of her life and then only 3 times. She never spoke ill of him either.
While Gramps was in prison, his family lived in Harlan for 1 year and Carolyn attended 1st grade there. Then in 1939 the family moved to Lyons and lived with Aunt Altha and Uncle John Sloop, who owned a Jewelry store. Carolyn remembers going from Aunt Altha's to visit her father at the prison, the gates being locked and unlocked, going inside, and mother never said one word bad against Gramps. Speaking only of loyalty about and to Gramps. Carolyn believes this gave her Dad a new perspective on parenting, too, because he was a demonized adherent to no lies!
When Gramps got out of prison the McClain's moved to Burlington, Kansas for a time and then back to Lyons where Gramps worked for Conoco Oil as a payroll clerk in Geneseo, Kansas just north of Lyons. Since WWII was on during those days, Gramps went to Salina for his Army physical and Carolyn and Gene went with him. Carolyn remembers seeing her first sunrise (she had never been up at 5am before) on that trip. Gramps didn't pass the physical due to a back injury he suffered in 1938 while changing his tire another car ran over him and broke his back and leg in three places.
Carolyn remembers attending 2nd to 5th grade in Lyons and her Uncle Archie LaRue was the grade school principal. Carolyn got into trouble for talking and her Uncle made her go to his office and spanked her and then Gaga (Pat) came and picked her up and took her home and spanked her again!
The McClains moved again to Palco from 1944 to 1947 during Carolyn's junior high years where Gaga (Pat) taught 7th & 8th grade English and History and Gramps ran a barbershop and coached high school football and basketball taking the Palco basketball team to the State tournament. Carolyn finished the 8th grade there (Palco).
Gaga (Pat) said that she moved 32 times in 16 years. She was a #1 mouse-hole-plugger-upper. Our house was always the Happy Birthday house (for others birthdays) because mother was a marvelous cook and had all the birthday dinners. Gaga and her sisters were very accomplished piano players. Gramps played violin. She told stories of how they entertained their families with music in the "old days". She had a piano in her home and it was a source of inspiration for several of her Elliott grandchildren who went on to play piano and organ.
After the war in the summer of 1947, the McClain's moved to Stockton where Carolyn and Gene attended high school. Carolyn graduated in 1951 and Gene in 1952. Gramps was an independent insurance agent (Ronald D McClain Insurance) in an office downtown one block East of the stoplight and Gaga (Pat) worked for him as a secretary in his office.
Carolyn graduated from high school in 1951 at #3 in her class (#1,# 2, and # 3 were .5 grade points apart). She was in all their plays and played tympani in concert band and twirled for the marching band as a Freshman and Sophomore until she became Drum Major as a Junior and Senior. That year the Stockton band went to the Hutchinson State Fair.
In 1952 Gaga (Pat) and Gramps moved to Hutchinson, Kansas where he continued to sell insurance as an independent insurance salesman with Farmers and Bankers Life Insurance. They were members of the United Methodist Church of Hutchinson (where Carolyn was married to Elwood Elliott in 1953). Gaga (Pat) continued to be Ronald's secretary. They rented a house on 15th street and then they bought a home on 20th avenue where they lived (and all of us Elliott kids have so many good memories) in until his death.
Ronald was a well-known sports official known as "Mac" for high shool/college football/basketball in the Kansas/Nebraska/Oklahoma area for 23 years (1927 to 1950). See article Stockton newspaper, 18 Jan 1951, regarding his officiating career and retirement. In 1951 "Mac" was told to "lay down his whistle" by doctors due to problems with infections and illness caused by constant travel and officiating.
Ronald "Gramps" struggled with heart problems in his 50s (had 5-6 heart attacks that he survived) and then very suddenly and surprisingly developed a brain tumor at the age of 59 and died a few months later.
Ronald's "Gramps" funeral was held at Elliott Funeral Home in Hutchinson, Kansas. Rev James R Reed offciated. Pat "Gagas" funeral was held in Phillipsburg Kansas by Oliff and Boeve Funeral at the United Methodist Church. Both are buried in the beautiful Gaylord Cemetery along with their infant son Ronald Dean Jr who passed in 1936.
Gaga (Pat) went to work for Collingwood Grain as the President's secretary after Gramps passed away and worked there for many years until she retired. She moved to Philipsburg, Kansas to live with her daughter Carolyn just prior to her death due to Pancreatic cancer. The home in Hutchinson on 20th avenue was sold.
They are both buried in Gaylord Kansas Cemetery alonside Ronald D. McClain Jr who passed in 1936 at the age of 2 months old.
Note: Ronald and Pat McClain Family Stories (some were recounted by Carolyn Jeannete McClain Elliott, others are excerts from obituaries and also newspaper articles) recorded by David S Elliott.
Ronald and Pat had three children Carolyn Jeanette born in Sep 1933, Richard Eugene born in 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr born in Sep 1936 and died 2 months later due to pnuemonia in Nov '36.
"Pat" (Gaga) Wilma Ola Richards McClain and Ronald "Mac" McCClain (Gramps) met while Pat was teaching grade school in an old country school (K-8) outside of Woodston. She received a lifetime teaching certificate to teach up through 8th grade. She taught about 2 years before they married in 1931 in Woodston. She was from Woodston and he was a high school basketball all-star from Harlan who began officiating during his high school days and continued to officiate sports for 23 years. Gramps was well known in Kansas as "Mac" in his sports officiating career and his first assignment began 23 Dec 1927 (a Christmas Holiday Basketball Tournament).
Ronald always held a keen interest in athletics and officiating. He and his brothers played for the Harlan High School basketball team (one of the few sports offered there since the school was so small) from 1926 to 1930. After high school he played for the "Portis Dynamos" a local team of the better athletes from surrounding area.
After Gaga and Gramps married, they moved to Kensington, Kansas where he worked for his uncle in a grocery store and continued to officiate games. They lived next door to Minnie and Arel Olliff, a block West of the Methodist Church, who were just having their first child Darel (who later went on to own Olliff & Boeve Funeral Home and Furniture Store in Phillipsburg, KS). Carolyn Jeanette McClain was born in Kensington in September 1933.
In 1934 the McClain's moved to Smith Center and lived in a house one block north of the Community Center. Richard Eugene "Gene" McClain was born in December 1934 and Ronald Dean Jr. in September 1936 and died 2-3 months after birth due to pneumonia in November 1936. While living in Smith Center, Gramps worked at the courthouse as a county clerk and got involved in a check-kiting scheme for which he was sent to prison at Hutchinson for 1 or 2 years. Pat never spoke of this period until the last few years of her life and then only 3 times. She never spoke ill of him either.
While Gramps was in prison, his family lived in Harlan for 1 year and Carolyn attended 1st grade there. Then in 1939 the family moved to Lyons and lived with Aunt Altha and Uncle John Sloop, who owned a Jewelry store. Carolyn remembers going from Aunt Altha's to visit her father at the prison, the gates being locked and unlocked, going inside, and mother never said one word bad against Gramps. Speaking only of loyalty about and to Gramps. Carolyn believes this gave her Dad a new perspective on parenting, too, because he was a demonized adherent to no lies!
When Gramps got out of prison the McClain's moved to Burlington, Kansas for a time and then back to Lyons where Gramps worked for Conoco Oil as a payroll clerk in Geneseo, Kansas just north of Lyons. Since WWII was on during those days, Gramps went to Salina for his Army physical and Carolyn and Gene went with him. Carolyn remembers seeing her first sunrise (she had never been up at 5am before) on that trip. Gramps didn't pass the physical due to a back injury he suffered in 1938 while changing his tire another car ran over him and broke his back and leg in three places.
Carolyn remembers attending 2nd to 5th grade in Lyons and her Uncle Archie LaRue was the grade school principal. Carolyn got into trouble for talking and her Uncle made her go to his office and spanked her and then Gaga (Pat) came and picked her up and took her home and spanked her again!
The McClains moved again to Palco from 1944 to 1947 during Carolyn's junior high years where Gaga (Pat) taught 7th & 8th grade English and History and Gramps ran a barbershop and coached high school football and basketball taking the Palco basketball team to the State tournament. Carolyn finished the 8th grade there (Palco).
Gaga (Pat) said that she moved 32 times in 16 years. She was a #1 mouse-hole-plugger-upper. Our house was always the Happy Birthday house (for others birthdays) because mother was a marvelous cook and had all the birthday dinners. Gaga and her sisters were very accomplished piano players. Gramps played violin. She told stories of how they entertained their families with music in the "old days". She had a piano in her home and it was a source of inspiration for several of her Elliott grandchildren who went on to play piano and organ.
After the war in the summer of 1947, the McClain's moved to Stockton where Carolyn and Gene attended high school. Carolyn graduated in 1951 and Gene in 1952. Gramps was an independent insurance agent (Ronald D McClain Insurance) in an office downtown one block East of the stoplight and Gaga (Pat) worked for him as a secretary in his office.
Carolyn graduated from high school in 1951 at #3 in her class (#1,# 2, and # 3 were .5 grade points apart). She was in all their plays and played tympani in concert band and twirled for the marching band as a Freshman and Sophomore until she became Drum Major as a Junior and Senior. That year the Stockton band went to the Hutchinson State Fair.
In 1952 Gaga (Pat) and Gramps moved to Hutchinson, Kansas where he continued to sell insurance as an independent insurance salesman with Farmers and Bankers Life Insurance. They were members of the United Methodist Church of Hutchinson (where Carolyn was married to Elwood Elliott in 1953). Gaga (Pat) continued to be Ronald's secretary. They rented a house on 15th street and then they bought a home on 20th avenue where they lived (and all of us Elliott kids have so many good memories) in until his death.
Ronald was a well-known sports official known as "Mac" for high shool/college football/basketball in the Kansas/Nebraska/Oklahoma area for 23 years (1927 to 1950). See article Stockton newspaper, 18 Jan 1951, regarding his officiating career and retirement. In 1951 "Mac" was told to "lay down his whistle" by doctors due to problems with infections and illness caused by constant travel and officiating.
Ronald "Gramps" struggled with heart problems in his 50s (had 5-6 heart attacks that he survived) and then very suddenly and surprisingly developed a brain tumor at the age of 59 and died a few months later.
Ronald's "Gramps" funeral was held at Elliott Funeral Home in Hutchinson, Kansas. Rev James R Reed offciated. Pat "Gagas" funeral was held in Phillipsburg Kansas by Oliff and Boeve Funeral at the United Methodist Church. Both are buried in the beautiful Gaylord Cemetery along with their infant son Ronald Dean Jr who passed in 1936.
Gaga (Pat) went to work for Collingwood Grain as the President's secretary after Gramps passed away and worked there for many years until she retired. She moved to Philipsburg, Kansas to live with her daughter Carolyn just prior to her death due to Pancreatic cancer. The home in Hutchinson on 20th avenue was sold.
They are both buried in Gaylord Kansas Cemetery alonside Ronald D. McClain Jr who passed in 1936 at the age of 2 months old.
Note: Ronald and Pat McClain Family Stories (some were recounted by Carolyn Jeannete McClain Elliott, others are excerts from obituaries and also newspaper articles) recorded by David S Elliott.
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Ronald D McClain
