Idela was born August 5, 1919, at Balko, Oklahoma , to N.G. and Lydia Nelson. Idela went to her Lord August 10, 2011. She graduated from high school in Perryton, Texas , in 1937. She attended Panhandle State College at Goodwell, Oklahoma , where she met her husband, Kenneth R. Cavin. They were married April 30, 1939, in Dighton, Kansas . To this union were born three sons, Robert, deceased 1953, Burdette and Lynn. Kenneth Cavin passed away January 2, 1966, in Guymon, Oklahoma .

In August, 1968, she moved to Amarillo, Texas to attend Amarillo Junior College where in May of 1970, she graduated with an associate degree in Nursing.

She married Ralph McCarty on December 21, 1968, in Liberal, Kansas , and moved to Plains, Kansas , in June, 1970. She worked at the Meade District Hospital and Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas , retiring in July, 1984. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Plains, and was an active in ABW, choir, and a Sunday School teacher. They moved to High Plains Retirement Village, Lakin, Kansas , on April 1, 2006. Ralph passed away on July 8, 2006.

She leaves to mourn her passing her sons and family; Burdette and Willa Kay Cavin of Kansas City, Kansas , Lynn and Laura Cavin of Mathews, North Carolina ; stepdaughter, Helen McCarty Kessler, Lakin, Kansas; three grandchildren, Ashley Cavin Holmberg and husband Alan of North Franklin, Connecticut , Cory Cavin of New York City, New York , and Ronny Kessler and wife Nancy of Lakin, Kansas; five great-grandchildren, Caroline and Jacob Holmberg of North Franklin, Connecticut , Jacob, Cassie and Hayden Kesser of Lakin, Kansas ; sister-in-law Ruth Deprin and husband Lou of DeKalb, Illinois ; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband; son; and six brothers, Arthur, Harvey, R.E., Foster, Bradley and Delbert Nelson.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 13, 2011, at the United Methodist Church, Plains, Kansas, and burial in the Plains Cemetery, Plains. In lieu of flowers, family and friends please make a donation to the Lakin Food Bank or the Christmas Star Program (this program provides Christmas gifts to Lakin children who would not otherwise have a Christmas gift) in care of Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary, Meade.

Personal condolences may be given to the family at www.fidlerormebachmanmortuary.com