Longtime pastor Raymond McElhaney dies at age 85

Raymond Thomas McElhaney of Athens died Jan. 30. He was 85.

McElhaney surrendered to the call to serve the Lord and began his ministry in 1955 at the age of 18. He was pastor of First Baptist Church Tanner for 37 years. He previously was bivocational pastor of Farm Hill Baptist Church, Cantonment, Florida, and Old Town Creek Baptist Church. He preached the convention message to the Alabama Baptist State Convention in 1994.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and retired from Chemstrand/Monsanto Company, where he worked as area personnel representative.

After leaving Tanner, he joined FBC Athens, Alabama, where he taught Sunday School and served as a deacon. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Clara; three daughters; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.