Elaine Pletcher Hanna

Elaine Pletcher Hanna, 97, of Wilson passed away Thursday, December 12, 2024. Elaine was born July 23, 1927, in Blanchard, Pennsylvania to Hayes Allen Pletcher and Pauline Glossner Pletcher. 

 While still in high school, Elaine contributed to the World War II effort as a “Rosie the Riveter,” the rank of women who worked as female defense workers when the young men were drafted into military service. At the end of the war, she completed business school which led her to work as an administrative secretary and a bookkeeper. She retired as a church secretary. 

 Elaine and her husband moved to St. Petersburg, Florida as newlyweds in 1949, where they raised their two daughters and lived for over sixty years before moving to Dover, Florida and then North Carolina. 

 Elaine was a devoted Christian woman who gave dedicated service throughout her life, especially through the women’s, financial, hospitality and visitation ministries of Mirror Lake Christian Church and then Palm Lake Christian Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she served as a Deacon and Elder. 

 Throughout her life, Elaine was a prolific volunteer, first in the many activities of her daughters – scouting, music, chaperoning, and transporting. In retirement, she and her husband, Les, gave a day each week to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, where she logged over 6,000 hours of service. They were regulars in supporting CROP walks and other charitable events. Her hobbies of cooking, sewing and raising orchids were often seen in her gifts and service to others. 

Most of all, Elaine will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of seventy years, C. Leslie Hanna, Jr. Elaine is survived by her two daughters, Linda Hanna Walling (Gary) of Wilson, North Carolina and Judy Ann Hanna of Tampa, Florida; grandchildren Todd Carson (Julie) of California, Colleen Beinhauer (Mike) of Florida, Kristen Walling (Jeff) of Maryland, and Ryan Walling (Ali) of Colorado; four great-grandchildren Atticus and Kai Carson, and Paul and Henry Beinhauer; and her brother, Lewis Pletcher of Florida. She leaves behind a host of friends, as well as cousins, nieces, nephews, and other family members.

 She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Martha Ann Winters. 

 In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be sent to First Christian Church, P. O. Box 2702, Wilson North Carolina 27894, Hope Station, P. O. Box 2164, Wilson North Carolina 27894, the C. Leslie and Elaine P. Hanna Endowment Fund at the Christian Church Foundation, P. O. Box 1007, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206, or to Palm Lake Christian Church, 5401 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, Florida 33710.

 Friends and family will celebrate Elaine’s life at The Landing at Parkwood on December 20, 2024, at 11:00 am. A memorial service and the interment will be in St. Petersburg, Florida in January 2025.

 Condolences directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home and Crematory at www.joyners.net.