Alex McElroy Jr.
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Alex McElroy Jr., 82, of Mulkeytown, Illinois passed away at 4:34 p.m., Monday, July 23, 2012 at the Marshall Browning Hospital in Du Quoin.
Alex was born May 11, 1930 in Royalton to Alex and Pearl (Bridges) McElroy.
He married Carmelia Luby October 17, 1953 in Royalton. She survives in Mulkeytown.
He is also survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Mike and Carla McElroy of Mulkeytown, Steve and Bonnie McElroy and Randy and Darla McElroy both of Royalton; four grandchildren, Justin McElroy and his wife Brittany of Royalton and Megan McElroy and her fiancé Jeremy of Pittsburg, Alexa McElroy of Fairview Heights and Eric McElroy of Royalton and two great grandchildren, Chestney McElroy of Royalton and Mia Fornandez of Pittsburg; two nieces, Sharon Zelskie and Diane Stubits of St. Louis; six step-grandchildren, Ryann and Railan and Jessica and Bob and Scottie and Kelsey.
His parents; a sister, Madelyn Bosworth and a brother, Emmerson McElroy, preceded him in death.
Mr. McElroy was a member of the St. Aloysius-Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Royalton. He was an Army Veteran of the Korean Conflict serving from 1951 to May of 1953. He was the owner/operator with his son, Mike of Tri-State Tool and Grinding in Mulkeytown. He had worked for Prairie Farms in Carbondale, Illinois Central Rail Road, was a farmer and worked at Inland Steel in Sesser for eight years and a member the UMWA local union. Alex loved his horses and all animals.
A funeral mass for Mr. McElroy will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 26, 2012 at the St. Aloysius-Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Royalton with Msgr. James Blazine officiating. Burial will full military honors courtesy of the Zeigler and Orient American Legions, the West Frankfort VFW and the Marion National Guard Flag Detail will be at Miners Cemetery, east of Royalton. Visiting hours are from 5 to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday at Vantrease Funeral Home in Royalton where a prayer service will be held at 5:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Mr. McElroy are suggested to the St. Aloysius-Sacred Heart Church, P.O. Box 100, Royalton, IL 62983.
Visit www.vantreasefuneralhome.com for more information and to sign the online register book.