ELMER E. MCCALL

Coach Elmer E. McCall, 87 years, of Granger, IN, died on November 26, 2003 at 9:30 p.m. He was in the University of Chicago Center for Advanced Medicine undergoing procedures for an aortic aneurysm.He became a resident of Wellington Park Villas in Granger in 1995. He lived 37 years in the DePauw University - Greencastle, IN community, served twenty years as varsity basketball coach and he served three years coaching cross-country, golf and tennis.He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1981.

Other positions were Ventura Co. High School, Delphi and Bloomington, IN, Ventura Junior College, CA and South Bend Central High School.Coaching was his life's dream.

Encouraging young men to succeed in life as well as on the court was his goal.He taught and coached at all levels: university, junior college, high school and junior high. He held basketball camps at DePauw for 17 years.Born in Frankfort, IN, on August 5, 1916, his early education was in the Frankfort schools, graduating in the Class of 1934. He lettered in four sports.From there he attended Ventura Junior College in CA. He played basketball and was named to the All Southern California Jr. College Western Conference Team and Most Valuable Player at the J.C.He then attended Fresno State College in Fresno, CA, played three years and was captain of the team.

He received his BA degree in 1941 and a MPE degree at Purdue University in 1948. He served in World War II in the U.S. Navy. In 1944, he was commissioned as an Ensign and sent to the Pacific area and assigned to a LCI gun boat that preceded troop landings. He received an honorable discharge in 1946 as a Ltjg. after serving in the Philippines, Borneo and Korea.His many honors were:1941-42 Ventura High School, County Champions1952 CA State Championship at Ventura Jr. College1950 & 1951 JVC Western States Conference Champions1951 JVC National Jr. College Tournament, finalist-runnerup1953 IN Basketball State Championship, So. Bend Central1957 IN Basketball State Championship and undefeated year, So. Bend Central1967-68 DePauw University NCAA Tournament1977-78 NCAA Tournament1967-68 Coach of the Year - IN Collegiate Conference1973 Inducted into IN Basketball Hall of Fame1995 Inducted into DePauw University Athletic Hall of Fame. Was a 42 year member of National Association of Basketball Coaches.

He remains a coach emeritus.Elmer believed the team awards belonged to the players who gave so much time and effort to the game. He is a member of Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church in Greencastle, IN.Elmer;s thoughts were of his family.

He was devoted to Marjorie, his wife of sixty-three years and their daughters who shared in his endeavors. They were married on Sept. 1, 1940 in Flora, IN, at the home of the bride;s father, G.E. Voorhees.Survivors include his wife, Marjories Voorhees McCall; two daughters, Marcia A. (husband, Joe) DeLuca, Martinez, CA, Sharon E. (husband, Gunnar) Jenson, South Bend; a grandson, Joseph Scott DeLuca, Bay Point, CA; two granddaughters, Melissa and Michelle DeLuca, Martinez, CA; three great-grandsons, Cody Joe DeLuca, Martinez, CA, Dustin James and Shane Michael De Luca, both of Bay Point, CA.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 4, 2003 in Welsheimer Funeral Home, North Mortuary, 17033 East Cleveland Rd, South Bend. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, December 5 at the mortuary. Burial at Maple Lawn Cemetery, Flora, IN.In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to DePauw University Athletic Scholarships Fund or to Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church, Greencastle, IN.

Published by The Indianapolis Star on Dec. 3, 2003.

02/09/2023 EJS