Elwell J. Clendenny of Seminole, passed away on June 3, 2017. He was a resident of Freedom Square in Seminole, and was predeceased by his wife, Mary, in March 2016.

Elwell was born in Rahway, NJ to M.G. Clendenny, Sr. and Helen Unchester Clendenny, on August 1, 1925. He attended local Rahway schools.  Both Elwell and Mary served their country during World War II, Elwell as a medic in the Marine Corps and Mary as a Navy W.A.V.E.  During the war, Elwell landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day in June 1944, and later in April 1945, landed in Okinawa where he was wounded in action.  He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal.

After the war, Elwell and Mary attended and graduated from Florida Southern with degrees in teaching. After a short return to New Jersey and teaching positions, they settled in Lakeland.  Mary taught in local schools and Elwell was employed by the FHA and was involved in local real estate.  They subsequently moved to Redington Beach and then to Seminole.

In addition to his wife Mary, Elwell was predeceased by his parents, brother Morrie (M.G., Jr.) and his niece, Noreen and nephew, Michael.

Elwell is survived by his nephews Gerald and Jeffrey of Randolph, NJ and Thomas of Bernardsville, NJ.

Interment will be at a later date for both Elwell and Mary at the family plot in Westfield, NJ.

The Clendenny family wishes to thank the staff at Freedom Square and Suncoast Hospice for their care, professionalism, and compassion over the past few years. Special thanks to Elwell and Mary's closest friends, Terry and Gary Gueetzlaff of Seminole.  Gary was especially helpful and essential in the care of both in their later years and made the family's long-distance responsibilities much easier to handle.