Murrel Kenneth McClure

M. Kenneth McClure Murrel Kenneth "Kenny" McClure, age 93, died December 20, 2012, in Anderson, following a brief illness. Born in Marion, Indiana, on March 17, 1919, he had lived in Anderson since 1920, attending Mount Hope Elementary in North Anderson and graduating from Anderson High School in 1937. He also attended both the University of Chicago and Anderson College. He was employed as a chemical engineer at Delco-Remy Division of General Motors from 1941 to 1981; earlier he carried newspapers for the Anderson Daily Bulletin and worked in groceries operated by his family. In 1970 he and his three brothers were recognized by Anderson Newspapers for carrying over 1 million newspapers, with Kenny delivering over 500, 000 papers himself. Kenny's commitment to the community was long-lasting and deep. He was appointed to the board of Anderson Community Schools in 1973, serving until 1980 as member, vice president, and president. McClure was among the planners of the so-called "pocket" integration plan for ACS to respond to legal calls for integration. He also led the successful effort to build Robinson School, the first inner-city school built in over forty years in Anderson. He left the board in 1981 in a dispute over in race playing a role in hiring a new superintendent. In 1981 he was named Madison County citizen of the year by the NAACP, reflecting his long-time support to the African-American community. For his work on the School Board and in the community he was also runner-up as citizen of the year among Delco-Remy staff in 1982. He was active for many years in the American Baptist Church, locally in the First Baptist, Meadowbrook, and Highland congregations, and at the Indiana state level, where he originated and ran a number of youth-outreach and leadership-building activities during the 1940s and 50s serving as President of the youth program of the Indiana Baptist Convention. From 1942 onward he was an active supporter of the non-denominational American Youth Foundation, participating in an annual leadership conference and sponsoring close to 200 young people from the Anderson area to attend the AYF's Camp Miniwanca in Shelby, Michigan. An avid traveler and photographer, from the early 1930s through 2011 he visited a number of world's fairs, all 50 states, and 30 countries, most significantly on a solo round-the-world trip in 1958-59. His daily letters from the pre-jet age world trip were published as a guest feature entitled "Fifty Days to Gotham" in the Anderson Daily Bulletin's "Man About Town" column; in addition, he presented slides and films from the trip to support local churches and charities. For many years he was an active member and officer of Toastmasters, more recently of Socrates Café and the Madison County Bicentennial Stamp Club. Charities he supported over the long term include the YMCA, the Anderson Christian Center, Goodwill Industries, and the Public Concern Foundation. He pursued all of these activities despite limited eyesight, which he never allowed to become a handicap. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Noma Prince McClure; four sons, Joseph T. McClure of Northglenn, Colorado; Mark McClure of Ordway, Colorado; Matthew K. McClure of Schaumburg, Illinois; and Paul McClure of Washington, D.C., and Ljubljana, Slovenia; a daughter-in-law, Nancy L. McClure, of Schaumburg; five granddaughters; seven great-grandchildren; and 15 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by eight brothers and sisters. Cremation will take place with a memorial service being held at 5:00 pm at Robert D. Loose Funeral Homes and Crematory. Visitation will be from 4:00-5:00 pm. Memorial donations may be made to the American Youth Foundation.

Murrel Kenneth McClure

March 17, 1919 - December 20, 2012