Elmer was nicknamed "Stub" for much of his life. He was five foot ten inches tall, black hair and Irish blue eyes. He was born on the parental farm near Delhi, Iowa on May 1, 1910. and spent his youth in that area, helping first on the family farm and later as a farmer with his own family. He met Mary Simons several years before 1937, but nothing developed of the acquaintance until she returned from college in Cedar Falls, Iowa and began to teach at Stoney Point. Stoney Point was a small rural school 3 or so miles east of Delhi. On November 23, 1937, Mary Simons and Elmer John McElmeel were married at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Earlville, Iowa.

The couple's first child, a daughter -- Joyce Marie, was born in 1940. A year later their first son, Elmer John McElmeel, Jr. -- Jack, was born. Two more sons, Jerome Francis and Steven Martin, and two more daughters, Rosemary and Kathryn Elaine were born. Kathryn died a few months after her birth, in 1950.

During their marriage Elmer and Mary McElmeel farmed west of Delhi, Iowa in Hazel Green Township. They kept a herd of dairy cows, and raised grain crops. Work was exchanged between neighbors. The children walked over two miles to a county school. Each had their chores and worked hard.

Elmer suffered a heart attack in April, 1952. He was in Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Manchester, Iowa when he passed away on April 15, 1952. He left behind his widow and five young children: Joyce (12), Jack (10), Rosemary (8), Jerry (5), and Steve (3 1/2).

• Joyce Marie (b. February 2, 1940 in Monticello, Iowa)
  
  Joyce married Ronald Christen (b. February 16, 1937) on December 31, 1960 at the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She earned a nursing degree and was for more than three decades a registered nurse in the maternity ward at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They became parents to four children:
  
  • David John (b. June 30, 1961 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; married and living in Denver, Colorado - 2000; two children)
    
  • Robert Joseph (b. July 5, 1962 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; married Diana, living in Walford, Iowa - 2000; two children: Matthew and Lisa)
    
  • Patrick Jacob (b. March 7, 1964 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; living in Fairfax, Iowa - 2000)
    
  • Mary Ann (b. July 6, 1966 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; living in Walford - 2000)
  
  
• Elmer John, Jr.(b. June 11, 1941 in Monticello, Iowa)
  
  "Jack" married Sharron Leila Hanson (b. September 13, 1942) on January 12, 1963 at St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Delhi, Iowa. He served in the United States Air Force from August 1959 to August 1963. As a member of Local #263, Sheet Metal Workers International Association he worked for over three decades in the Cedar Rapids - Iowa City, Iowa area. They are parents to six children:
  
  • Michael John McElmeel - married Starr Little Soldier (1987) -- children Michael Joseph (May 28, 1983) and Jade Marie (November 21, 1990)
  • Deborah Lea McElmeel (John Clark (committed as a couple - March 17, 1997)
  • Thomas John McElmeel -- daughter Aubrey (b. Dec. 27, 1990)
  • Steven John McElmeel -- married Christina Lynn Johnson in Lincoln, California -- children:  Elmer Joseph (b. 9/23/2000), Kylie Lynn (b. 01/15/2003),  Kaydence Paige (b. 10/19/2005), Marissa Leila (b. 01/07/2007)
    
  • Matthew John McElmeel
  • Suzanne Lea McElmeel
• Rosemary (b. July 31, 1943 at Ryan, Iowa)
  Rosemary married Ronald Terrance Clark in Lodi, California on May 7. After living in Wisconsin and Alaska, the couple settled in Glendale, Arizona. Rosemary and Terry now live in Jackson, Texas. She was a procurement officer with the U.S. Government -- often responsible for ordering all the equipment, food, and so forth when large groups of firefighters are fighting fires in the western part of the United States. They are parents to two sons: Timothy John (b. December 22, 1964 in California) and James David (b. February 10, 1966 in Wisconsin).
  
  
• Jerome Francis (b. May 20, 1946 at Monticello, Iowa  d. March 7, 2007)
  
  Jerome married Carolyn Locke (b. February 19) on February 19, 1968 in the Naval Chapel in San Diego, California. After living for a few years in California the couple returned to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and eventually Jerry became a member of Local #263, Sheet Metal Workers International Association and worked in the Cedar Rapids- Iowa City, Iowa area. They have two sons:
  Mark Jerome (b. April 25, 1969 in St. Mary's Hospital, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California) -- Married Renee Siders  in Cedar Rapids;  two sons (twins) b. July 28, 2005 - Alex Witte and Ryan Christopher.
  Brian James (b. August 11, 1974, Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa; married Dawn ___________ September 22, 2007 in Vancouver, Washington).
• Steven Martin (b. September 21, 1948 at Monticello, Iowa)
  
  Steven married Ellen Wilson Jones (b. March 16, 1948) on October 13, 1984. Steven became a member of Local #263, Sheet Metal Workers International Association and worked in the Cedar Rapids - Iowa City, Iowa area. Together they raised her daughter, Julie Jones (b. September 19, 1968).
  
  
• Kathryn Elaine (b. August 10, 1950 at Dubuque, Iowa;  died September 18, 1950)
  
  Kathryn Elaine lived only a few weeks. She died on September 18, 1950 in Dubuque. Buried in St. John's Catholic Cemetery, next to her father, in Delhi, Delaware County, Iowa.

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