Mr. Trench McElrath, 64 – formerly of Morganton – departed this earthly life on Tuesday October 10, 2023 at Sunview Respiratory and Rehab in Youngtown, Arizona after a lengthy illness.  Born June 22, 1959, he was the son of the late Fred McElrath Sr. and the late Addie Bell Connelly McElrath.  He was educated in the Burke County Public School system, graduating from Freedom High School.  Following high school he attended Hardbarger Jr Business College and obtained an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Grade Senior Accounting.  He was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church in his younger years.  Trench worked as an entrepreneur, specializing in real estate and insurance sales.  During his spare time, he was an avid Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves fan, and enjoyed watching wrestling.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by maternal grandparents Elliot Connelly and Myrtle Bradshaw Connelly; paternal grandparents Jefferson Davis McElrath and Alice King McElrath; brothers Freddie McElrath Jr., Anthony Blake McElrath; sister Angelia "Sissy" McElrath; uncles William Edward Connelly, Roy Connelly, and Fred Connelly; aunts Eva Connelly and Omelia Armstrong.

Left to mourn his loss but cherish his precious memories is his daughter Ashley; sisters Sharon McElrath and Karon McElrath-King both of Greensboro, NC; brother Jeffrey McElrath (Diane) of Morganton; aunts Helen Fullwood, Mary Hunt, Hester Cooke, and Ophelia Harshaw (Albert); sisters in law Stephanie McElrath and Cynthia McElrath, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A funeral service will be held Saturday October 21, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. in the Corpening Memorial Chapel of McCain Funeral Home & Cremations, LLC.  The family will receive friends thirty minutes prior to the service.

The service will be livestreamed on the McCain Funeral Home & Cremations Facebook page and YouTube Channel; the links are found below:

McCain Funeral Home & Cremations Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/mccainfuneralhome/

McCain Funeral Home & Cremations YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu4qb7IT7sO-Kc0BRs05J-A