Elaine E. McCarrick

Elaine Lock Elder King McCarrick, 80, passed away after a long battle with dementia at Still Hopes Episcopal retirement community in Columbia, SC on Friday, December 15, 2023, surrounded by her family. Born on September 4, 1943, in Staunton, Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Fitzhugh, Jr. and Genevieve Louise Benckenstein Elder of Staunton, Virginia and Beaumont, Texas, respectively.

Elaine is survived by her sons, George Shields King, Jr. and John Fitzhugh King and their wives Beatrice DeLucy King and Jessica James Orrick King of Columbia, SC; her brother, Fitzhugh Elder III (Christina) of Sarasota, Florida; her grandchildren, George Shields King, III, Charles DeLucy King, William LeConte King, William Fitzhugh King, Means Davis Orrick King and John Henry Abbott King of Columbia, South Carolina; Adam Hollen and Katherine King Schanz and their children Quinn Davis and Barret William; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Elaine attended Staunton, VA public schools from first through eighth grade and Stuart Hall School in Staunton, VA from ninth through twelfth grade. After graduating from Stuart Hall in 1961, Elaine matriculated to Converse College and graduated in 1965 with an Artium Baccalaureus (AB) in Religion. She married George Shields King on May 1, 1965, in Staunton, Virginia and in 1967, they moved to Columbia, South Carolina because as Elaine said, "George did not want to have children born in Virginia". In 1997 she remarried to William A. McCarrick and is preceded by his death in 2010.

While in Columbia she was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and a member of the Junior League of Columbia. In 1978, Elaine and her two sons moved back to Staunton, Virginia where she started her career at Mary Baldwin College as a Budget Coordinator/Acquisitions in 1978 and retired in 2008. She was president of the Stuart Hall Alumnus Council from 1994 until 1996. She was a member of the Stuart Hall board from 1994 until 1998. She received the Stuart Hall Distinguished Member in 2002.

Elaine loved Staunton and her dear friends. She was an extraordinarily thoughtful person, who never missed the opportunity to send a card through the mail to express her love, gratitude, support, or friendship. Elaine was kind, giving, loyal, and unselfish to a fault. She will be best remembered for her selfless and deep love of her two sons and her generous investment of time and energy in them. The love of her sons was only matched by her love and adoration for her grandchildren and all their successes and achievements. In her later years, she relished time with her step grandchildren, Quinn and Barret. Some might argue that she loved them most of all.

The family expresses its deep appreciation to the entire Still Hopes family, but especially Cher Kirk, Veronica Imel, and Dr. Elizabeth Edwards, for their love and support of Elaine and her family. Donations in Elaine's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to Trinity Episcopal Church at 214 West Beverley Street, Staunton, Virginia 24401.

A visitation will be held at the home of George and Beatrice King on Friday evening, December 22nd, from 5 until 8 o'clock.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1 o'clock on Friday, January 5th, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 214 E Beverley Street, Staunton, VA 24401.