Linda "Terry" (Tayar) Mcelroy

Services for Linda "Terry" (Tayar) McElroy, 75, of Healdton, are scheduled for 2:00 P.M., Friday, October 20, 2023, at the Milo Baptist Church at Milo, with Rev. Mike Johnston officiating.  Interment will follow at Mount Olive Cemetery in Healdton.  Services are under the care and direction of Alexander Gray Funeral Home of Healdton.

Terry McElroy began her life in Oklahoma City on November 11, 1947. The Lord saw fit to move her to Healdton, Oklahoma where she was raised by her parents, Fred and

Nell Tayar. Growing up, Terry, her brother Freddy, and sister Beverly enjoyed playing outside. One time, she was having so much fun outside that she ignored the incoming tornado and was struck in the eye by a baseball that was carried by the gusting winds.

Terry was a proud Healdton Bulldog and loved being a cheerleader for the school and town she adored. In her senior year of high school, she was voted homecoming

queen and it was one of the highlights of her life. In later years, she would take joy in returning to alumni games and being titled “the oldest living cheerleader.”

At HHS she made lifelong friends and more importantly, she met the love of her life and soulmate, Mike McElroy. The two dated through high school and college and just before Mike enlisted in the military for Vietnam the two eloped to be married on December 28, 1967.

While stationed at Shephard Air Force base in Wichita Falls Texas, Terry gave birth to her beloved daughter Robin Danyelle Needham. She adored Robin and loved dressing her in the prettiest clothes and doting on her daily. Nearly eight years later Terry gave birth to her second child Michael William McElroy. There was a completeness to Terry after having her second child as she always believed two children, especially a boy and a girl, were the perfect number of children. “It’s good to replace yourself in this world,” she would say.

After spending several years in Texas, Mike and Terry moved back to the only place they considered home…Healdton. In Healdton, Terry worked for Healdton Tank Trucks until she eventually opened the Video Corner and Teacher’s Corner. The thing Terry loved the most about “The Corner” was getting to spend time with her customers and

she also loved watching the movies with her family.

Outside of her businesses, Terry loved to serve her beloved Healdton community where she presided as president of the Healdton Hospital Board and volunteered at the Chamber of Commerce. One of her proudest memories was working diligently to save the Healdton hospital which would in turn save her and her husband on different occasions. She knew having a working hospital with emergency care was of the utmost importance to her small community. She was right.

On October 1, 2004, the love of her life, Mike, preceded Terry in death. Oh, how she missed him. Her tears would eventually leave lines on her face from the hours spent

crying over her lost love. Her last moments were thinking of him. Terry joined him in Heaven this Tuesday, October 17, 2023. Together they sit at the feet of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Terry was also preceded in death by her parents. 

She is survived by her brother Freddy and his wife Belynda Tayar, her sister Beverly and her husband Glen Mitchell, her daughter Robin and her husband Billy Needham, and her son Michael and his wife Stacy. Michael and Robin each had two children, a boy and a girl who were Nana’s “little dumplins” Robin’s Children are Nancy and her husband Chayne Perkins, and Nick Needham. Michael’s two children are Payton and Liam McElroy. Nancy gave Terry three great grandbabies whom their Nana adored, Harper, Creed, and Keller Perkins. Terry is also survived by her lifelong friend and closest confidant Pat Moore.

At the end of her life, she was a member of Milo Baptist

Church.

Pallbearers will be Mike Billingsley, Terry Shaw, Bill Dan Brady, Chad Bettis, J. Brad Johnson, and Donnie Aycox.

Honorary bearers are Cody Johnson and Rip Graves.

Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 6-8 P.M. at the Alexander Gray Funeral Home Chapel in Healdton.

Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.alexandergrayfh.com