John W. McClure

Funeral services for John W. McClure, age 93, of Milaca will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 11 AM at Zion Lutheran Church in Milaca with Rev. Stephen Blenkush officiating. Visitation will be from 5 – 8 PM on Friday at Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca and 1 hour prior at the church on Saturday. Interment will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery in Milaca. Military honors will be provided by Hansen-Hayes American Legion Post #178 and Siemers-Hakes VFW Post #10794. His grandchildren and nephew will serve as casketbearers. Music will be provided by Ann Johnson and Cheryl Bailey. Arr. Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home of Milaca. John W. McClure was born April 1, 1916 to Frank and Ethel McClure in Milaca, MN. He graduated from Milaca High School in 1933 and from Hamline University in 1938. He served in the National Guard for several years in Battery D 125th Field Artillery. He would later serve in the Army Air Force from 1942 to 1945. John was a radio operator and played in the Army Air Force Band. He married Novella Solberg on June 26, 1948 and the couple made their home in Milaca. In 1959, he took a job in the Pine County Welfare Office and worked there for three years. In 1962, he began working for Mille Lacs County and served as the Mille Lacs County Welfare Director from 1964 until he retired in 1979. John was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Milaca, where he sang in the church choir for nearly 40 years and served on the church council. He also sang in the church choir at Zion Lutheran Church when he and Novella became members there in their later years. He was a member of the Milaca Historical Society and was active in doing research for the Centennial History Book. He was a member of the original United Way Board as well as the Masonic Lodge, Eastern Star and the Royal Arch Masons. He was preceded in death by his wife, Novella in 2001. For the last four years, John has lived at the Heritage Assisted Living in Foley and the Foley Nursing Center. He died on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at the Foley Nursing Center. He is survived by his children, Jerry and wife Ginny McClure, Mary and husband Phillip Nelson, and David and wife Diane McClure; grandchildren, Michael and wife Valerie McClure, Laura and husband Bill Campbell, Jeffrey Nelson, Douglas and wife Mimi Nelson, Lisa and husband John Roske and Scott and wife Jennifer McClure; great-grandchildren, Ryan, Katelyn, Emily, Jacob and Parker; also by many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Novella and two sisters.