Elois Landrum

Mrs. Elois Landis Landrum, daughter of the late Isaac and Vara Squires Landis, was born on September 13, 1930, in Greensburg, Kentucky in a house on “Winding Star Hill”. She departed this life on October 15, 2024, in Campbellsville, Kentucky, having attained the age of 94 years, one month and two days. She was one of eleven children born to her mother.

During the depression things got so bad the family had to move from Greensburg back to the “Landis Farm” in the Bramlett Community of Green County, Kentucky. She grew up as a country girl. The major job on the farm was raising tobacco as it was the main source of income. After helping set tobacco, she would help neighbors who paid her .50 cents an hour for dropping the plant from a basket as someone follows you with a tobacco peg and sets the plant. When she heard they paid .75 cents if you set tobacco, she immediately started setting. 

She walked from the farm about a half mile to the Summershade one-room schoolhouse up through the seventh grade. In order to complete her education, she was able to move back to Greensburg to live with her sister Delia. Elois graduated from Greensburg High School in 1947. While going to high school, she worked after school and on weekends at the Dime Store, John Durham’s Café, and Dr. Simmons’s Pharmacy and Soda Fountain located in town. During her senior year, she was crowned “Diamond Ring Queen” and graduated as the youngest girl in her class of 1947. 

After graduating from high school, she moved to Louisville and lived with her sister Ruth and worked in the cashier cage at J.J.B. Hilliard and Son. On a blind date in 1948, she met William “Bill” M. Landrum II, who had returned from the Navy and worked for Armour Company. The following year, on June 18, 1949, Elois and Bill were married at the Fourth Avenue Methodist Church in Louisville.

In 1950, Bill was transferred first to Roanoke, Virginia, then in 1956 they moved to Fort Worth, Texas, then in 1959 to New Orleans, Louisiana, then in 1960 to San Antonio, Texas. While in San Antonio, Elois managed Robinson’s Dress Shop and later served as manager of the Metropolitan General Hospital Gift Shop and Director of Volunteers. Upon their retirement, Elois and Bill returned home to Greensburg in 1980 to the family “Scenic L” farm. Elois was a Mary Kay consultant for over 35 years. In 1992 and 1994, she was nationally recognized as one of the top sales consultants in Kentucky for Mary Kay Cosmetics. 

Her most cherished memories over the years were that of her family. Her grandchildren, Erica Leigh and Billy, and her great-grandchildren, Scarlett Grace, Calvin James and Graham Arthur, were the joys of her life, and she was affectionately known as “Oma”. She loved her grandson-in-law James, whom God created especially for Erica. Lastly, her son and daughter-in-law Col. Billy and Justine, were inspirations to her life. 

She was so excited to go to South Korea to see Erica Leigh graduate from High School and in 2010, to travel to the Holy Land, where Jesus performed miracles and to walk the land of the Bible. She always mentioned that it was a blessing for her to have her daughter-in-law Justine as her experienced traveling roommate. 

As a longtime member of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, she thoroughly enjoyed singing in the choir with her sister Delia Paxton, while accompanied on the piano by her dear friend Patsy Burris and her niece, Diane Rattliff, on the organ. 

In recent years, Elois enjoyed greeting others with a beautiful smile and warm conversation at the family’s restaurant business in Greensburg.

Her husband, William M. Landrum II passed away on January 9, 1997. 

In addition to her husband, she was also preceded in death by her siblings: Houston Hartfield, Ivy Landis, Edna Vaughn, Tandy Ellis, Terry Landis, Ruth Hatton, Welby Landis, Delia Paxton, Doris Skaggs, and Norma Jean Pearce.

Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law: Col. (Ret.) William and Justine Landrum of Greensburg; two grandchildren: William “Billy” M. Landrum IV of Greensburg, Erica and James Hansen of Virginia; three great-grandchildren: Scarlett Grace, Calvin James, and Graham Arthur; plus a host of other relatives and friends. 

The funeral services for Mrs. Elois Landrum will be conducted at 2 PM, Central Time, on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at the Gupton Landrum Funeral Home in Greensburg with burial to follow in the Summershade Cemetery. Reverend Brenson Bishop officiating.

Visitation is requested after 11 AM, Central Time, until the time of the service on Sunday.

Pallbearers: William M. Landrum IV, Erica Hansen, Wade Squires, William Lewis Rattliff, Andy Dowell, and Vincent Bullet.

Gupton-Landrum Funeral Home in Greensburg is in charge of the arrangements.