Elinor Marie McGrath was born Nov. 12, 1923, in Custer, S.D., to Oliver and Margaret King. Elinor passed away on Feb. 13, 2013.
At age 2 Elinor moved to Philip, S.D., and lived with her grandparents Edwin and Sara King. She lived there until she was 12 years old. At 12 she moved to California to live with her mother and stepfather, Margaret and Raymond Jackson. When Elinor was 19 she returned to South Dakota where she met and married Howard McGrath. Howard and Elinor were blessed with a loving marriage of 60 years until Howard's death on Nov. 1, 2012. Together, Elinor and Howard raised five children in Philip, S.D. They lived in Philip until Howard retired in 1991, at which time they moved to Battle Mountain, Nev., to be closer to their children.
Elinor was well known for the 20-plus years of baking beautiful wedding cakes and cakes for almost any occasion. She loved to ballroom dance, hold card parties, and host morning coffee seven days a week for all her friends. It was an ongoing joke that Elinor was the owner of the first coffee shop in Philip, S.D. Even though no one ever paid for a single cup, the pot of coffee was never cold.
Elinor touched many lives and passed on many life lessons. She will be missed greatly by all who knew her.
Elinor is survived by: her stepfather Raymond Jackson; her sisters; Sharon Bless and June Skog; her children; Clara (Lyle) Hamilton, Linda (Howard) Thiesse, Diane (Jerry) Engelson, Cheryl (Gordon) Hunt, and Daniel (Julie) McGrath; her grandchildren; Judi Trobee, Shane Szarkowski, Brian (Samme) Engelson, Jerome (Katrina) Engelson, Teri (Chris) Spring, Carrie (Ryan) Hunt-Raley, Tiffany (Dave) Ghering, Randi (Mike) Hunt-Schwartz, Marcie (Pat) Richards, Kheidi McGrath, Heather Allard, Samantha Allard; her great grandchildren Breven Engelson, Ryan, Kaylen, Macyn, Elijah Engelson, Mikey Spring, Christopher, Madison Raley, Noah, Emma, Eli Ghering, Rob, Rylee Hamilton, Easton Schwartz. Elinor was preceded in death by her husband; Howard A. McGrath; her mother; Margaret Jackson, father and step-mother; Oliver and Ester King, sister; Bonita Langley, daughter Elizabeth McGrath, son; John McGrath, grandson; Scott Hamilton, and great granddaughter Alexis Raley.
The family will be returning to Philip, S.D., to have a memorial service for both Howard and Elinor McGrath. The date is still pending.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations toward a memorial bulletin board that will be at the Battle Mountain General Hospital Nursing Home. Please send to 635 Birch Court, Battle Mountain, NV 89820 or contact Diane at (775) 455-5368.
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