On July 1, 2026, Eulalea "Lea" Ellington DeLoach Engelhardt of Covington, Georgia, went to be with our Lord, surrounded by her loving family and cherished friends.

Eulalea Ellington was born on February 24, 1933, to Melvin and Sybil Ellington in a home her parents built in Oxford, Georgia, near the Emory campus, where her father taught foreign languages and her mother taught at Palmer Stone Elementary School.

At the age of five, she began taking singing and piano lessons. By the age of six, she had become a talented pianist and performed her first recital. She continued her lifelong love of music by serving as the pianist at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church for many years, where she also sang in the choir.

As the only child of two teachers, she developed a natural love of learning and a passion for teaching others. Just three months after her 16th birthday, she graduated from high school as valedictorian. She then attended business school in Atlanta and later furthered her education by earning a certification in Early Childhood Education.

In 1953, she married Allan DeLoach Sr., and together they welcomed three children. The family spent the early years of their lives in Florida before returning to Georgia. Once back home, she devoted herself to supporting her children in all their activities, including Scouts, 4-H, marching band, tennis, basketball, and church youth group. If asked, she would likely say that her children were her greatest accomplishment.

Throughout her life, she worked in an accounting office in Porterdale, a doctor's office in Atlanta, the Newton County Welfare Office, and at Jack and Jill Kindergarten in Oxford before opening her own kindergarten, The Gingerbread House, which many in Newton County still remember her as "Miss Lea". Her final career was with John Deere in the Consumer Products Department, where she retired. Although she held many jobs throughout her 93 years, often working more than one at a time, her favorite role was raising her three successful children: Allan, Sherry, and Debbie.

One of the happiest chapters of her life began in 1997 when she married the love of her life, Marlin Engelhardt. Together they were devoted members of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church. They especially enjoyed traveling and spending time with family both in Georgia and beyond. Marlin and Lea were the perfect pair—he loved tending a bountiful vegetable garden, and she delighted in preparing delicious meals from everything he brought home. Though they married later in life, their youthful spirits shone brightly as they enjoyed taking dance lessons together.

Lea will be lovingly remembered as a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, neighbor, and faithful servant of the Lord. To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was simply "MawMaw." She never missed an opportunity to teach someone how to cook, sew, crochet, or share the faith that sustained her through life's greatest joys and most difficult seasons.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Dr. Sherry Lea DeLoach Maloney, M.D.; her son, Dr. Allan Lewis DeLoach, D.D.S.; her husband, Marlin Dean Engelhardt; and her first husband, Allan Lewis DeLoach Sr.

She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Lynne DeLoach Ball (Lamar); her grandchildren, Ashley Arrow (Andy), Ryan DeLoach (Alex), Jacob Maloney, Luke Maloney (Dashia), Morgan Thompson, Grace Maloney, and Peyton Thompson; her great-grandchildren, Brylee Rodriguez, Carson Rodriguez, Alana Rodriguez, Zeppelin DeLoach, and Madeline DeLoach; and son-in-law, Dr Mike Maloney and daughter-in-law Diane Brennan.

The family is deeply grateful for the compassionate care and friendship shown to Eulalea throughout her final years. A special thank you to her devoted caregivers, Holly and Sharon, who lovingly cared for her for three years, and to Kim and Veronica, who faithfully cared for her during the last year of her life. We are also sincerely thankful for the many other caregivers who walked alongside her and our family throughout her journey. Your kindness, patience, and love brought comfort not only to Lea but to all who loved her, and your care will never be forgotten.

Her legacy lives on through the family she loved so deeply, the countless children she taught, the meals she shared, the music she played, and the unwavering faith she passed on to everyone blessed to know her.

Well done, good and faithful servant. Her family finds comfort knowing she has been welcomed home into the presence of her Savior and reunited with her two children, Allan and Sherry.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Engelhardt will be on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 11 o’clock at Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church with Reverend Lea Cunningham, Pastor Michael Dunbar, and Pastor Mickey Moss officiating. The family will receive friends for visitation from 10:00 am until 11:00 at the church prior to the service. Interment will be held at 2:00 pm in Winterville Cemetery located at 255 Parkview Rd. Winterville, Ga. 30683. J.C. Harwell and Son Funeral Home has been entrusted with these services.