MAC R. McCLANAHAN, Age 93 years, 11 months and 1 day, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, September 23, 2014. He had been a resident of the Bertrand Nursing Facility, now known as York Place at Bertrand, for nearly 10 years.

Though it may take him a bit longer than it used to, Mac McClanahan, at 93 years old, would still like to be "out there", getting crops in and out and acquainted with new techniques of farming these days, only his health is not as good as he'd like it to be, so he worries and prays for his family in hopes that all goes well for another year. That's our Pa!

"My dad put me out there with a team of mules planting cotton when I was 6 years old, by the time I was 7, I had learned to plow with the team and actually had things going my way, until…."

Born on October 22, 1920, in Tennessee, the second of the last child of Gilford and Minnie White McClanahan, a few years later the family moved to Black Island, near Caruthersville, Missouri, where his memories unfold of farming the land and making a living for his family. The family later moved to Mississippi County, MO (known as the Bridges Community) where he worked for Brown Shoe Company in Charleston.

On December 7, 1944, (Pearl Harbor Day) he married Mary Louise Clark and started a family. Times were tough and Mac decided he should do his civic duty for our country and join the Army Air Forces-trained in Las Vegas, Nevada to be a tail gunnery, achieved several awards for outstanding marksmanship and completed his training in California with an honorable discharge after 3 years of service.

Moving back to Southeast Missouri and trying his hand at farming with his brother and with lots of hard work, determination and his faith in the Lord, farming was a very productive life for Mac in many ways. He and Louise had three children in fifty six years of marriage and he was a caring and devoted husband and dad.

His and his family attended the Bridges United Methodist Church until the country church was closed a few years ago and at that time Mac moved his membership to the United Methodist Church in Charleston. During his adult life, he served on community school boards, church committees, the local Farm Service Agency and was also a member of the Charleston Masonic Lodge No. 407 Af&Am. He would always try to help someone in need and help and had a kind word for everyone.

Preceding him in death besides his parents were his wife, Mary Louise; one son, Roger Eugene McClanahan; one granddaughter; two sisters, Ruth Tinnen and Opal Little and three brothers, Wyatt, Totts and John McClanahan.

Survivors include his daughter, Janice Duke of Bertrand; his son, Stephen (Christy) McClanahan of Charleston; grandchildren, Todd McClanahan, Missy McClanahan, Leslie Farley and Britt Duke of Bertrand; Scott Duke of Miami Shores, FL and Stephen (Cara) McClanahan, II, of Nixa, MO; great grandchildren, Charlotte Lillian and Stephen (Trey) McClanahan, III; his sister-in-law, Margaret McClanahan of Collinsville, IL and several loving nieces, nephews and friends.

Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral hour at 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 26, 2014, at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. Rev. David Collum, pastor of the United Methodist Church of Charleston, will officiate. Charlie Harper will offer a eulogy.

Interment will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery near Charleston with full military rites provided by the Missouri Military Honors Program.

Pallbearers will be Britt Duke, Scott Duke, Stephen McClanahan, II, Robert Crosier, Charlie Harper and Joe McCloskey.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Adon Cox, Richard Cox, Leroy Walker, Billy G. Brown, Ronnie Dodson and Donald Robertson.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com

The family requests memorials be made to:
The Resident Fund
York Place at Bertrand
603 W. Highway 62
Bertrand, MO 63823