She was preceded in death by her beloved mother, Anna Jane McElvain Webb, and her father Walter McElvain. She had five older brothers and sisters of whom all preceded her in death: Anna Mae Minten of Southern California, Christine Shingleton of Roseville, California, James "Jimmy" McElvain of Auburn, California, Joe Allen "Buck" McElvain of Stockton, California, and Edwin McElvain of Manteca, California. She left multiple nieces and nephews, and grand nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved dearly.
Marita was born April 10, 1941 at the General Hospital in Shawnee, Oklahoma. She lived in Shawnee until she was 8 years old. She and her mother, Anna Jane, boarded the train headed to California for a new life. Marita celebrated her ninth birthday on that train ride. On that train, a love for travel was born.
Anna's older children were already in California to welcome them. Anna dreamed of a good education and life for Marita and her other children as well, as times were hard in Oklahoma.
Marita graduated from Butte Valley High School the fifth day of June 1959. Over the summer, along with her best friend Kaye, she wrote her life plan.
An excerpt of what Marita wrote:
"Life was all planned out. I would go to college, have a teaching career, travel, and finally marriage. But there were other things in store for me." Seeds planted years before.
There again she boarded the train headed for the next chapter in her life:
University of California at Davis
California State University at Stanislaus, Bachelor of Arts-Social Science
Master's Degree from Fresno State College in Social Work
Registered by the state of California LCSW, held that license for 25 years
Adjunct faculty member for California State University, Sacramento
Consultant for the State of California Commission on Aging
Recipient of the Mental Health Worker of the Year 1988 by the Mental Health Association of Sacramento, California
After her career was established, she began traveling. And travel she did. All over the world. Scotland and China were her favorite. Scotland being her heritage, she learned all she could, including how to speak Gaelic. She said not very well though. She always wanted to walk the Great Wall of China so in 2008, her dream of walking that wall was fulfilled with a trip to China and Japan.
Not only did she have a life of service to her community, she was a philanthropist as well. Samaritan's Purse was her favorite charity. The love she had for children in other countries. She fostered these children until they would age out of the system, and then choose another, having three or four at a time. Other organizations include: World Vision, The Caring Place of Georgetown, TX, The Baptist Children's Home of Round Rock, TX, The Worship Place of Sun City, TX, and multiple others.
She was also a Stephen Minister for churches in California and Texas. A Core Group Leader for CBS (Community Bible Study), she was a plethora of Bible study knowledge. She also studied with the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Ashville, North Carolina.
She had a true love of God and Country instilled by her mother of which we are so grateful. She was our Queen of everything, and the matriarch of our family, and we will all miss her very much.
A visitation for Marita will be held Friday, April 8, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628, followed by a funeral service at 1:00 PM. Marita will be buried in Lincoln, California at a later date.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldendavisfuneralhome.com for the McElvain family.
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