Earl Mcclure

Earl Hood McClure was born in Waycross Georgia on October 14, 1922 and he went on to be with his heavenly father, in the comfort of his home, surrounded by his family in Norman Oklahoma, May 11, 2018.

Earl was born and raised with eight brothers and sisters, starting out in Georgia, but around the age of 5 they moved back to the White Oak, North Carolina area where Earl's mother was raised. Earl graduated high school at White Oak and never missed a day of school over the eleven years he was there. In school he played basketball and even started on the varsity baseball team in the 7th grade. After graduating, he worked and played some semi-pro baseball to earn a living. Then in February 1943, he was called up into WW II, where he had an exemplary service record in the Fighting 551st Anti Aircraft Artillery Battery, 3rd US Army Division, better known as Patton's Army. Two of the most prominently known battles or conflicts he fought in, were the storming of Normandy beach and the Rhineland battle. While in the Army, Earl was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Army of Occupation Medal. We were so very blessed that he survived those violent conflicts and came back home to have such a long wonderful life with us.

After completing his service duties with the Army, Earl came back to his life in White Oak and went to work for the NC Dept. of Transportation system. He played baseball for the Semi-Pro Bladenboro Spinners baseball team as a catcher as well as many other professional teams. He continued to play baseball until he was 50 years old and then to stay around the game he started umpiring. In October 1956, on his birthday, he married the love of his life, Mae Vonne Hudson. They lived in White Oak for nine years; and while there, son Douglas Earl was born in 1963. In 1965, after they finished building their home, they moved to Elizabethtown, just down the street from Mae Vonne's parents.

Over the next 40 plus years, Earl's life consisted of retiring with the DOT after 33 years, helping to care for his mother and father-in-law, raising a family, coaching and watching Doug play in every sporting event, along with his band and choir activities.

Before moving out to Oklahoma, Earl was baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 2013, Earl and Mae Vonne moved to Norman Oklahoma to watch their Grandson Hudson finish up his high school career. They're daughter-in-law Linda drove them around to watch Hudson play almost every basketball game and baseball game until Hudson graduated in May 2015.

Earl was always known for the best smiles and he had some great witty remarks he would use to get a smile in return. Earl was the first person willing to help someone out or lend a hand if you needed it, and was consistently making sure you had enough money to get a drink. Even when Earl was in the hospital this last time, he wanted to know where his pocket book was, so he could give Hudson some money to get a drink. If you all knew Earl at all, then you know he loved to fish, and he sure could pull some big ones out the smallest ponds.

Earl is survived by his wife of the home, Mae Vonne in Norman, Oklahoma. Son, Douglas Earl McClure and his wife Linda Marie (Evans) of Norman Oklahoma, Grandchildren, Brandi Marie and her husband Garrett Street of Starkville Mississippi, and Grandson Hudson Earl McClure of Norman, Oklahoma. Earl is also survived by his sister Myrtle Packer in Fayetteville, North Carolina and sister-in-laws Louise Hudson of Carrolton Virginia and Ellie Hudson of New Bern North Carolina. Earl is survived by many nieces and nephews and a load of wonderful family and friends.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at Bladen Gaskins Funeral Home in Elizabethtown from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. A funeral service will be held at 1 pm on Thursday, May 17th at Bladen Gaskins Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow the services in the Bladen Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Elizabethtown.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association National Office, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or online at www.alz.org .