Lorie Evans McElheney, 87, of Panama City, Florida died Tuesday, April 19, 2016, at Bay Medical Center after an extended illness. He was born in Perry, Georgia on January 19, 1929, to Lorie and Louise McElheney. He was one of ten siblings. As a child, he loved spending summers on Houston Lake near Perry, teaching swimming to many students including Senator Sam Nunn. After graduating from Perry High, he attended Mars Hill College and graduated from Mercer University with a bachelor's degree in chemistry prior to entering the Army in 1951. After his service during the Korean War, he graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in pharmacy. He moved to Panama City, Florida in 1956, and met Ann, his wife of fifty-eight years, at the First United Methodist Church in Mary Ola Miller's Sunday school class. He purchased Cooper's Drugs in 1965 and developed it into one of the most successful independent pharmacies in the southeastern United States. He loved all the customers who came to rely on him for many years. He was a trailblazer in the profession of pharmacy evolving the traditional independent pharmacy into a provider of home health, infusion and institutional services. He also had a love for flowers which led to the opening of Hallmark Flowers in 1977. He was able to continue the flower business into his eighties until his grandson Harrison took it over in 2014.
Mr. McElheney is survived by his wife, Ann McElheney, his sister, Mary Junkins, two sons, Richard McElheney of Kennesaw Georgia, Randall McElheney and wife Karen of Panama City, one daughter, Lorianne McElheney of Panama City, four grandchildren Mary Alice McElheney of Tallahassee, Harrison McElheney and wife Savanna, Braxton McElheney and Ellery McElheney, all of Panama City and special family members Leigh Mathes and Ann and Mitch Leonard.
A funeral will be held at 11am on Friday at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Sean Peters and Rev. Steve Rascoe officiating. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church from 10-11 A.M. on Friday. Active pallbearers will be William Harrison, Mike Duncan, Bo Rivard, Mitch Leonard, Mark Ashley and Darrell Vice.