After her graduation from Winthrop in 1943, Mary Sue Britton McElveen worked in Military Intelligence as a cryptographer and later became a stewardess for American Airlines. She and her husband Jim have two children.
During her student years at Winthrop she served as Senior Class President, Treasurer for Student Government, Chair of Senior Order and Coordinator for the dance band. She was listed in Who's Who Among College Students. Her love for Winthrop has been evident through her years of service. In addition to serving as president of the Lake City Alumni chapter, she was a member of the Alumni Executive Board for twelve years where she held several offices, including President. She was elected to the Winthrop College Board of Trustees in 1970 and in 1985 became the first alumna and the first woman elected as chair.
Involvement with the Presbyterian church spans local, regional, and national levels. She helped to establish churches in Pineville and Santee and held many leadership roles, including Elder. Her extensive career of public service includes membership on recreation advisory boards, bank boards of directors, and the United Way. Among her numerous awards are the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award from Winthrop in 1983, the Order of the Palmetto in 1990, and an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Winthrop in 1999.