Ellen Verlene McIver Edelbach

Ellen Verlene McIver Edelbach, 83, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend, passed away peacefully at the Pine Tree Lodge Nursing Home in Longview, Texas on November 5, 2019.

Born June 12, 1936, in Tallapoosa, MO, Ellen was the daughter of the late Christina Mae Musgrave and Anderson Pavy.

She was preceded in death by her brothers Richard Allen Pavy in 1974 and Anderson Eugene Pavy, son Timothy Richard McIver in 1981, first husband, Grover Neil McIver in 1992, and husband, Loren Charles Edelbach in 2010.
Ellen had a great love for her family and friends. She became a devoted follower of Jesus Christ in 1960, and faithfully ran her race of faith. In these last weeks, she enjoyed singing hymns to herself and hearing them sung to her, which provided much comfort.

Ellen raised her children in the Dallas, Texas area, and later moved to Minneapolis, MN after marrying Loren Edelbach. There, the family increased to a total of 10 children. She and Loren later retired in Big Sandy, Texas and lived out their lives there.

She greatly enjoyed the hunt of unusual gems and jewels found at thrift stores for creating, gifting and selling her own exquisite pins and pieces of jewelry she made. In addition, she loved researching family genealogy.

All of the children, over the years, remember the amounts of produce and fruits and the large gardens that provided for canning pickles, chow-chow relish, vegetables, jams and jellies - ALL among favorites that mom canned and shared with the family and at church events and pot lucks.

Surviving Ellen are her sister Margie Nelson and husband John of Forney, TX; McIver children: Pamela Sparks and husband Kenneth of Suffolk, VA, Neil McIver and wife Martha of White Oak, TX, Brenda Townsend and husband Tim of San Diego, CA and Randy McIver and Kim Shoemaker; Edelbach children: Helen Ellard and husband Jerome of Big Sandy, TX, Karyn Edelbach-Robertson and husband Bill of Goodhue, MN, Sherry Noreen and husband Dennis of Buffalo Lake, MN, and James Edelbach and wife Deb of Litchfield, MN; grandchildren Kristen Shannon and husband Kevin, Lisa Quinn and husband Richie, Ryan Sparks and wife Candice, Celina Jitjaeng and husband Mike, Andrew McIver and wife Anna, Sophia Sabo and husband Charlie, Zacharey Townsend, Heather Skidmore and husband Steven, Joshua McIver, Erin Horton and husband Micah, Rory Ellard, Tracy Sholing and husband Mike, Allen Schmitz and wife Kim, Joe Schmitz, Heather Shepard and husband Wilhelm, Mikal Noreen and wife Anne, Charles Noreen and wife Mindy, Andrew Edelbach and wife Michelle and Edward Edelbach and Sonja Lee; great grandchildren Emily, Austin, Emilee, Connor, Rowan, Kendyl, Macie, Michael, Brandon, Evan, Alexander, Dylan, Victoria, Raven, Piper, Ellie, Grace, Nathan, Maria, Tyler, Aiden, Noah, Samuel, Madeline, Christian, Kaden, Katelyn, Brentan, Bradyn, Bryant, Branson, Lincon and Anastasia as well as many other loving family and friends.

A memorial service will be held to celebrate Ellen’s life will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 14, 2019, at Grace Communion in Big Sandy. The family will receive friends for a meal immediately following the service in the Fellowship Hall of Grace Communion. Interment will follow the meal at 2:00 p.m. at Gladewater Memorial Park.

Thank you to Pine Tree Lodge Nursing Home and Heart to Heart Hospice for your care. Special thanks to family members Neil and Martha McIver, Jerome and Helen Ellard, Andrew and Anna McIver, and Mike and Celina Jitjaeng for your loving attention and care, as well as Sherry Noreen for your faithful weekly letters.