Lloyd J. McElhiney
January 28, 1922 - September 19, 2006                                                                           Lloyd McElhiney holding picture of H Y & T Train in Reagan Museum

Visitation: Thursday, September 21, 2006
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Garland Funeral Home in Tampico

Service: Friday, September 22, 2006
Services 10:30 a.m.
Garland Funeral Home in Tampico

Lloyd J. McElhiney, age 84, of 304 E Booth Street, Tampico, Illinois died Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at CGH Medical Center in Sterling.

Mr. McElhiney was born on January 28, 1922, in Peoria, Illinois, the son of John R. and Emily B. (Perkins) McElhiney. He was united in marriage to Alma Caldwell on July 2, 1944 in Peoria, Illinois. He attended Kellar Elementary School near Peoria, Illinois and Dunlap High School in Dunlap, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a master’s degree in Agronomy. He farmed in the Tampico area for seven years and taught Vocational Agriculture for seven years at Carlinville, Illinois. He managed the Tampico Farmers Elevator for 23 years and then ran the Ronald Reagan’s Birthplace in Tampico for eight years. He was a charter member of the Tampico Lions Club, was a Tampico Fire Department Board of Trustee for 30 years, former Tampico American Legion member and was on the Tampico Historical Society since 1991. He served on the Tampico Village Board for many years, was a member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association and a former Tampico School Board member. He served on the Regan Trail Committee and many other community activities.

He is survived by his wife Alma “Amy” McElhiney of Tampico, Illinois; two sons Todd (Trish) McElhiney of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Steve McElhiney of Tampico, Illinois one daughter Beth Brondas of Troy, Virginia; six grandchildren; Jennifer (Eric) Staples of Sterling, Illinois, Amanda (Nathan) Boettner of Forreston, Illinois, Jaleigh McElhiney of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Gary (Jess) McElhiney of Prophetstown, Illinois, Greg McElhiney of Prophetstown, Illinois, Wendy (Terry) Scholl of Argyle, Wisconsin; eight great grandchildren; one sister Frances McElhiney of Marion, Illinois and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be conducted on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at the Garland Funeral Home in Tampico with the Rev. Monty Fox, pastor of the Tampico United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Tampico Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Garland Funeral Home in Tampico.

A MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN HIS MEMORY TO FUND A STATUE OF RONALD REAGAN AS A BOY IN RONALD REGAN PARK IN TAMPICO. Donations may be sent to:

Tampico Historical Society
P. O.Box, 154
Tampico, IL 61283
(please make a note what the donation is intended)

Garland Funeral Home
14733 IL HWY 92
Walnut, IL 61376
815-379-2010

SAUKVALLEY.COM

Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Lloyd McElhiney
TAMPICO — Lloyd J. McElhiney, 84, of 304 E. Booth St., Tampico, died Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006, at CGH Medical Center.

Mr. McElhiney was born on Jan. 28, 1922, in Peoria, the son of John R. and Emily B. (Perkins) McElhiney. He was united in marriage to Alma Caldwell on July 2, 1944, in Peoria. He attended Kellar Elementary School near Peoria and Dunlap High School in Dunlap. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in agronomy. He farmed in the Tampico area for seven years and taught vocational agriculture for seven years at Carlinville. He managed the Tampico Farmers Elevator for 23 years and then ran the Ronald Reagan Birthplace in Tampico for eight years. He was a charter member of Tampico Lions Club; served on the Tampico Fire Department Board of Trustees for 30 years; was a member of the Tampico Historical Society since 1991; and was a former Tampico American Legion member. He also served on the Tampico Village Board for many years; was a member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association; a former Tampico School Board member; and served on the Reagan Trail Committee and many other community activities.

He is survived by his wife Alma "Amy" McElhiney of Tampico; two sons, Todd (Trish) McElhiney of Mount Vernon and Steve McElhiney of Tampico; one daughter, Beth Brondas of Troy, Va.; six grandchildren, Jennifer (Eric) Staples of Sterling, Amanda (Nathan) Boettner of Forreston, Jaleigh McElhiney of Mount Vernon, Gary (Jess) McElhiney and Greg McElhiney, both of Prophetstown, and Wendy (Terry) Scholl of Argyle, Wis.; eight great-grandchildren; one sister, Frances McElhiney of Marion; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Garland Funeral Home, Tampico, with the Rev. Monty Fox, pastor of Tampico United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be at Tampico Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Garland Funeral Home, Tampico.

A memorial has been established in his memory to fund a statue of Ronald Reagan as a boy in Ronald Reagan Park, Tampico. Condolences may be sent to www.garlandfuneralhome.com.

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Lloyd McElhiney, volunteer at Reagan's birthplace

TAMPICO, Ill. -- Lloyd McElhiney, a longtime volunteer at the building where President Reagan was born, died Tuesday. He was 84.McElhiney, who with his wife maintained the two-story museum for more than a decade and gave daily tours until 2005, died of cancer, said Joan Johnson, president of the Tampico Historical Society.

In August, the couple's contributions earned them an award from the Ronald Reagan Trail Association, which traces the Illinois-born president's roots through about a dozen towns. -- Associated Press

The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, N. C.

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Belleville News-Democrat - Belleville,IL,USA

Longtime volunteer at Reagan's birthplace dies
Associated Press

TAMPICO, Ill. - Lloyd McElhiney, a longtime volunteer at the building where President Ronald Reagan was born, has died of cancer. He was 84.

McElhiney, who maintained the two-story museum for more than a decade along with his wife and gave daily tours until 2005, died Tuesday, said Joan Johnson, president of the Tampico Historical Society.

The second-floor apartment where Reagan was born and a museum and gift shop in the building are open daily and have drawn more than 3,000 visitors this year.

"They were on call 24-7. If they weren't right there you could give them a call day or night and they'd be there. They were the force behind it," Johnson said.

In August, the couple's contributions earned them an award from the Ronald Reagan Trail Association, which traces the Illinois-born president's roots through about a dozen towns.

Other winners of the Reagan Legacy Award include the actor-turned-president and his late daughter, Maureen.

McElhiney's funeral will be Friday at Garland Funeral Home in Tampico, a town of 800 people about 20 miles southwest of Reagan's boyhood home in Dixon.

His wife, Amy, asks that donations to the village be made in lieu of memorials for a statue of Reagan that she hopes will someday be built in a park near Reagan's birthplace.

DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE LLOYD MCELHINEY MEMORIAL FUND for the erection of the Ronald Reagan statue in Reagan Park:

More details on the Ronald Reagan Birthplace and Museuem web page on this site