Elmo Meroney

Elmo Blair Meroney, Jr. passed quietly into the arms of Jesus on October 3, 2025 at the age of
94. He was a man of integrity, genuine faith and a unique ‘Elmo’ humor that impacted all who
knew him.

His Visitation (10:00 am) and Celebration of Life service (10:30 am) will be held on Friday,
October 17 at Tallowood Baptist Church, 555 Tallowood Dr, Houston, TX. The service will be
livestreamed using this link: www.tallowood.org./watch
(The family has decided on a private family graveside service.)

Elmo was born on September 1,1931 in Houston, Texas to Elmo Blair Meroney, Sr. and Abbie
Dell Drouet Meroney. Raised among one of the original Houston families, Elmo loved spending
every summer at his grandfather’s cattle ranch where Hobby airport now exists. He graduated
from Lamar High School in 1949. After earning his Business degree from Baylor University in
1953, he honorably served in the United States Air Force as a First Lieutenant manning radar
sites in Germany.

Returning to Houston in 1956, Elmo sold lumber at his father’s lumber business until Elmo, Sr.
suddenly died two years later at age 52. Determining the lumber business was not the career
for him, he moved his family to Topeka, Kansas and began a career in Parks and Recreation,
later getting his Master’s degree in that field at the University of Illinois. After 12 years in 3 midwestern
states, he moved his family back to Houston to be near his aging relatives and Baylor
University. Returning to Sales and Marketing allowed him to do what he loved most - making
others laugh and sharing the good news of Jesus with them while supporting his family.
A member of Tallowood Baptist Church since 1974, Elmo served faithfully as a Sunday school
teacher and a Deacon for nearly 50 years. He traveled abroad on many mission trips and led
the Tallowood prison ministry until 2024, for 3 decades. Another bonus of Tallowood in 2006
was finding his wife Hedy whom he called “God’s blessing.”

Volunteering weekly at a local elementary school, Elmo was named “Volunteer of the Year” on
more than one occasion. The students loved to read to “Mr. Elmo” dressed in his Tickle Me
Elmo t-shirt.

His hobbies included playing doubles tennis until he was 87, making trips to Waco for football
season and vacationing in Galveston.

He leaves behind a legacy of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who love Jesus.
In addition, Elmo led many into a relationship with the Lord who we will not know until we join
him in Heaven someday. His legacy was not one of grand gestures, but one of every day
faithfulness, unconditional love and a servant’s heart. He was a man of few words but the life
he lived spoke volumes.

Elmo is survived by his adoring wife of 20 years, Hedy Gilmore Meroney, and her sons Matt
Gilmore, Tim Gilmore and John Paul (Jacqui) Gilmore along with her 3 grandsons - Sebastian
Boring (Malia), Colton and Chance Gilmore.

Elmo was the proud father of and survived by Diane Clare Meroney Staats (Gary), James Edwin
Meroney (Morag) and Kathy Lynn Meroney. He was also the loving grandfather of Nelson Blair
Staats (Lauren), Mallory Mayne (Robby), Austin Staats (Amy), Sarah Brooks (Brandon), Hunter
Meroney, Brooke Meroney and Conner Meroney. He was the cherished great-grandfather of
Noah, Ruthie and Nate Staats, Addy, Sam and Ava Staats, Layton, Miller and Maddox Mayne
and Emery, Baker and Beckham Blair Brooks.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Katherine Joan Nelson.

Donations in honor of Elmo can be made to Tallowood Baptist Church Missions Ministry or to
Prison Fellowship Ministry.