William A Elliott

William A Elliott was born on April 8, 1911 on South Warfield Street in the Grays Ferry neighborhood where he lived the majority of his life. He attended the old Central High School for two years at Broad and Green Streets until family circumstances forced him to go to work. He worked several jobs in manufacturing and bottling in Philadelphia. Mr. Elliott had become a piano player of some note and his services were in demand for social events and parties. It was at one of this events that he met his future wife, Merlene Davis. They met in 1933 and were married in 1937. The love that the two of them shared is unprecedented by most standards. For 69 years they lived and loved together in Grays Ferry on the aptly named Harmony Street. They raised in a Christian home one son, Wilson, three daughters, Edna Bell, Elizabeth Eleanor Pinkett, Valerie Prattis, and one grandson, John W. Billy Sanders. They never had in laws, only additional sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters. Mr. Elliott began his career with the postal services delivering special delivery mail on a bicycle. He was soon promoted to substitute carrier at the Old station D at 19th and Montrose Streets in South Philadelphia. He was eventually assigned to his own permanet route and acquired the nick name "bill the Mailman" from his route residents. He did much more than deliver the mail. He was also a source of information, knowledge, and wisdom to those on his route who needed government of professional services. He was a lifelong member of ther National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). Mr. Elliott was a piller of his community and a veritable icon of his profession He was respected and looked up to by his colleagues, supervisiors, and the public. He cut a dashing fiure in his uniform which his wife keep neatly pressed and his shirts freshly starched. Mr. Elliott was a true professional in every sense of the word.. He loved sports and he was particularly fond of baaseball. He was a staunch fan,supporter, and unofficial historian of the old Negro Leagues and of course the Brooklyn Dodgers with Jackie Robinson. He played some baseball and ran traack in school. Mr. Elliott viewed volunteering as a way to help people help themselves. While with the Post Office and after his retirement in 1982, he volunteeed at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, the Amercian Red Cross, Foster Grandparents, The Chapel of Four Chaplians, Williams Temple C.M.E. Church and an Air Raid Warden during World War Two He was a member of the Philadelphia Lodge, 74 of the Free and Accepted Masons State of Pennsylvania. He was preceded by his wife, Merlene Davis Elliott, his mother Edna Fassett Elliott, his father, Walter a brother, Walter Lloyd, and a sister, Elizabeth Rhodes. He leaves to celebrate his Home Going, his son, Wilson daughters Edna Bell, Elizabeth, Eleanor Pinket, Valerie Prattis, grandson John W. Billy Sanders, sisters Beatrice Pugh, Ida Morris, brother Roland, four grandchildren, three great grandchilden, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, close friends and other relatives.