Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Henry McClendon, age 91, of Gatesville, passed away on Monday, August 15, in Waco.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, August 25, at Turnersville Community Tabernacle. Inurnment will follow at Turnersville Cemetery.
H. N. McClendon was born on a ranch in Coryell County near the Bosque and Hamilton County line on June 8, 1931. His family moved to a farm two miles south of their home in 1940, where his neighbors were the Smith, Cathey and Pruitt families. He worked as a farm laborer with his family until 1955. He graduated from Turnersville High School in 1949. He was very athletic and participated in all sports. He was basketball captain in 1948, and his classmates called him “Henry” through most of his school years. His father, R. M. “Dad” McClendon passed away in May 1950. The McClendons had purchased the Tharp Lone Tree Place near the town of Turnersville in 1948. Henry was not accepted by the military when he volunteered at age 18, most likely because his mother and brother needed him to help operate the farm. When the farm note was paid off, Henry decided to move to the city. He met and married Helen Harris in 1955. Henry was hired by Standard Oil Company in 1957 and delivered gasoline. He was promoted to dispatcher and retired after 31 years of service from Exxon in 1989.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Joyce McClendon on May 10, 2015; brothers and sisters, Syble, Ralph, Roland, Bertha Marie and Dick.
Henry is survived by three children, Carl McClendon and wife, Patti, Steve McClendon and wife, Shannon, Deana McClendon; brother, Eugene McClendon; eight grandchildren, Michelle Blalack, Mark Blalack, Jason McClendon, Drew McClendon, Whitney Wesser, Chase McClendon, Rachel Shirey and Brent McClendon; twelve great-grandchildren; six great-great grandchildren; nephews, John and Fred Mayberry, Richard, Helen Jean, Roy and Ruth Ann, Roland and Doug Bibb and Larry Fickland.
Memorials may be made to the Turnersville Community Center, P.O. Box 701, Gatesville, TX 76528.
