Harold Page McClung

He was born in coal country, Mount Lookout, West Virginia on October 6, 1920 to William Judson McClung and Millie Susan McClung. He was the 8th of 9 children. After Harold graduated from High School he enlisted in the United States Navy and was on active duty for 20 years. While stationed in Boston, Mass. he met the love of his life, Edith Joyce Ball. They married on March 4, 1944 in her parent’s home on Park Avenue, South Weymouth, MA. Except for a couple years he was stationed in Norfolk, VA and San Diego, California, Joyce and Mac spent more than 40 years of their married life in the same home where they married.

From 1939 to 1959 ‘Mac” worked as a Machinist Mate in various ships’ engine rooms and retired as a Chief Petty Officer. During WWII he served on several destroyers and aircraft carriers, including the USS Hornet CV-8 which took part in the battle of Midway, Guadalcanal and launched the Doolittle raid on Tokyo. Harold will be buried with his beloved and well-worn, Hornet CV-8 baseball cap.

Following active service, he worked for the U.S. Navy Recruiting Station in Boston till his retirement in 1969. In 1989, he and his wife moved to South Meadow Village in Carver, MA where they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary surrounded by family and friends. Following his wife’s death in September 2003, Harold lived in West Barnstable, MA, Moorestown, NJ and then moved to Tempe, AZ in 2011.

He is survived by his two daughters, Joyce Elaine and husband, William Shelden Jr. of Morrestown, NJ, and Jane Sayles and husband John Mika of Danville, NH; six grandchildren, Amy Shelden, Bonnie Shelden, John Shelden, Holly and husband Chip Silcox, Kori Shelden and Kalyn Mika and three great-grandchildren, Caitlyn Amy Bhend, Josephine Elaine Silcox and Corinne Marion Silcox.

Services will be held at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA on Tuesday April 15, 2014 at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the United States Navy Memorial in memory of Harold P. McClung, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. North West, Washington D.C. 20004.

Arrangements under the direction of the Nickerson-Bourne Funeral Home, Bourne.