Shirley Elliott, bank president, dies Sunday

Shirley "Ike" Elliott, 63 died at his residence in Campbelltown Sunday, night, Sept. 20 at 7:42. He had been suffering from cancer the past several weeks.

Elliott was president and chairman of the board of both the Spurgeon State Bank and Pike County Bank of Petersburg. He was also president of The Spurgeon Financial Corp. which owns both the Petersburg and Spurgeon banks.

He began his banking career in 1962 when he accepted the position of cashier at the First National Bank in Spurgeon. He later became president of that bank and under his leadership the bank grew to one of the most successful banks of its size in the entire state.

He later became involved with the First National Bank of Petersburg and also became president of that bank in 1974. Later both banks were converted to state banks.

He was instrumental in forming the first bank holding corporation in the state at Petersburg. Since that time a majority of banks in the state have formed holding companies. He then formed a multi-bank holding corporation, Spurgeon Financial Corp., which owns both the Petersburg and Spuregon banks.

Elliott was a veteran of World War II, serving four years in the Navy. During that time he was involved in several battles, having been on three different vessels which were sunk.

He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Moose Lodge, Petroleum Club and Indiana Society of Chicago. He is a graduate of Vincennes University and Purdue University with a degree in agriculture. He also attended Iowa State University while in the Navy, taking courses in electronics.

Following his graduation at Purdue, Elliott taught one year at Mt. Olympus, then went to work for Wayne Feeds and later for General Mills. He also raised livestock for a short time.

Elliott was a member of the first elected school board in Pike County and was influential in getting Pike Central, Otwell Elementary and Winslow Elementary school buidlings built. He served on the Winslow School Building Corporation which built the Winslow Elementary School.

He was born in Hazleton, August 2, 1924, the son of Curtner H. and Ruth Ann Jones Elliott, both deceased. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Winifred Dorsey, and a son, Gary.

Surviving are his wife, the former Margaret Mays; two sons born to his first marriage, Michael Elliott of Washington and Max Elliott of Winslow. Both sons are involved in banking with him.

Other survivors include three brothers, Curtner Elliott of Route 2, Oakland City, J. Bryan Elliott of Vincennes, and Gordon Elliott of Hazleton and two grandsons.

Funeral services were Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 10:30 a.m. at Curtis Funeral Home in Winslow. Rev. Hubert Seracy officiated and burial was in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.