Everett Ollin Clare

Everett Ollin Clare, age 92, passed away May 1, 2020, in Austin. He leaves behind many family and friends who will miss his generous spirit, quiet faith, and frequent expressions of love and appreciation.

Everett was born in Oplin, Texas, on December 3, 1927, to Auva and Rhoda Clare and was raised on a nearby farm. He developed an interest in machinery very early in life and worked as an automotive mechanic for many years before he began to repair and restore player pianos. After graduating from high school in 1944, Everett went to work for a small repair shop in Oplin while also studying automotive repair by correspondence course. He moved to Abilene in 1948, where he worked for West Texas Utilities and as a mechanic and repair specialist for a number of Abilene car dealers.

While living in Abilene, Everett met Margery Louise Luna, and they were married on February 16, 1950. Together, the two raised three children, established and operated several businesses, and shared life adventures for more than 60 years until her death in 2011. They lived in Austin for most of their years together, and Everett loved to chronicle the ways Austin had grown from a sleepy little town to today’s busy metropolis.

In the late 1960s, Everett opened Clare’s Auto Service at 5510 Burnet Road in Austin, which he sold in 1979 to focus on restoring, repairing, and servicing player pianos. What began as a hobby in the early 1970s quickly became a passion, and for the rest of Everett’s life, his house, garage, and workshop were filled with pianos in various states of repair, spare parts, tools, and music rolls. Everett loved giving new life to worn-out pianos, especially when he was able to rescue family heirlooms, and his unique skill was showcased on the TV show “Texas Country Reporter” and a segment of “On the Porch” with Jim Swift. Rebuilding player pianos allowed Everett to engage with machinery while also bringing music and joy into the lives of his customers, family, and friends.

A lifelong member of the Churches of Christ, Everett in recent years attended Southwest Church of Christ and Westside Church of Christ in Round Rock, where he especially enjoyed events and outings with the Westside Fun Bunch. He had also been a member of the Independent Garagemen’s Association and the Piano Technician’s Guild. For many years of his life, Everett dabbled in photography, becoming the unofficial photographer of every family gathering and vacation.

Everett was preceded in death by his father, Auva; his mother, Rhoda; his stepmother, Mamie; and his wife, Louise. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Oura and Helen Clare; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ronald and Susie Clare and David and Belinda Clare of Austin; daughter and son-in-law, Elaine and David Hopkins of Austin; seven grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to World Bible School, the Manna Project, or Southwest School of Bible Studies.

Currently, due to the substantial public risk, city and state government mandates that social gatherings of limited amounts may occur with strict social distancing protocol. Weed-Corley-Fish South will limit our capacity to 25 guests at a service while enforcing all distancing and hygiene standards. We strongly suggest all visitors to wear masks or face coverings. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Alternatively, the service will be livestreamed on Tuesday, May 5, at 7:00 PM from the Weed Corley Fish Facebook page at this link:

www.facebook.com/Weed-Corley-Fish-South-Chapel-1249955418475893/