PHYLLIS NADINE MCELHANNON

Phyllis Nadine (Walls) McElhannon, 65, formerly of the Mat-Su, died Friday, Dec. 10, 2004, at Maranatha Village in Springfield, Mo.

Funeral services were held at First Assembly of God in Okmulgee, Okla., with burial at Salt Creek Cemetery.

She was born Oct. 5, 1939, in Okmulgee County, Okla., to Lee and Ollie (Nimmo) Walls. Active in 4-H and valedictorian of the 1957 graduating class of Nuyaka High School, she attended Oklahoma State University on an academic scholarship. She would later attend the University of Alaska-Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University.

On May 3, 1959, she married the Rev. Edgar McElhannon in Okmulgee, Okla. In 1961, she and her husband moved to Cordova to pastor the Assembly of God church. They would later pastor churches in Chugiak and South Anchorage, as well as in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Illinois.

She assisted her husband in beginning many of the Assemblies of God youth programs in Alaska, including a fund-raising program for missions, fine arts and Bible Quiz. She was also active in children's and women's ministries.

She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1971 and fought a valiant battle for more than half her life.

Her loved ones wrote, "Although she lost her ability to be active in ministry, her beautiful handwriting and her mobility, she never lost her ability to pick "fights" with deacons, her title of Yahtzee Queen or her beautiful fingernails. Her resiliency, fortitude and sense of humor inspired many."

In 1998, the McElhannons returned to Alaska and her husband served as a chaplain in the four corrections institutions in the Valley. Mrs. McElhannon enjoyed renewing friendships and loved the beautiful Alaskan view from her window. In 2002, the McElhannons moved to Maranatha Village in Springfield, Mo., to receive needed health care. Their love for Alaska, however, remained constant.

In addition to her husband and faithful caregiver, she is survived by three children, Reginald McElhannon of Springfield, Mo.; Regina Lang and her husband, Jeff, of Benton, La., and the Rev. Richard McElhannon and his wife, Rhonda, of Sapulpa, Okla.; five grandchildren, Lindsay, Casey, and Katie McElhannon, and Courtney and Jeffrey Lang; brother, Carlton Walls of Tulsa; aunt, Lucille Walls of Tulsa and her father-in-law, the Rev. Marvin K. McElhannon of Okmulgee, Okla. She was predeceased by her parents and her mother-in-law, Rosetta McElhannon.

The family expresses its appreciation for her health-care providers and caregivers through the years, including Ann Longley, Natalya Danilyuk, and Yelena Plotnikova in Alaska.

Faithful friends Paul and Helen Riley, Ken and Miriam Huling, Jane Deuster, Barbara Bandy and Carole Henry brought many hours of enjoyment to Mrs. McElhannon's life.