Ricky was born November 16, 1951, in Vernon, Texas, to Thomas Odis (T.O.) and Edna Brock McClung. He graduated from Vernon High School in 1969. He attended the University of Texas in Austin and graduated with Bachelor of Liberal Arts, with a major in history and a minor in English.
Ricky worked at the Texas Department of Public Safety as a dispatcher for the highway patrol, where he met his wife, Barbara Ann Callen. In his pursuit of a Master’s degree, he could no longer deny his desire to fly and made the decision to enlist in the United States Navy in November 1976.
Ricky completed basic training in Pensacola, Florida, and was stationed at Naval Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California, to begin his career as a Naval Radar Intercept Officer flying in the F14 Tomcat. He asked Barbara to join him in this adventure and they married in 1978, and they just recently celebrated their 41 wedding anniversary.
Barbara and Ricky resided in San Diego, California during his career. Ricky completed several deployments aboard the aircraft carriers USS American and USS Constellation. He attended Navy Fighter Weapons School “Topscope”. During his military career he was decorated many times for his courageousness. He received the Meritorious Service Medal, Combat ÒVÓ Air Metal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement medal, Navy Battle ÒEÓ ribbon, Navy Expeditionary medal, National Defense Service medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary medal, Southwest Asia Service medal, Sea Service Deployment ribbon, Navy Recruiting Ribbon, a Kuwait Liberation Medal, an Expert Pistol Shot Medal, and Gold Wreath Awards. He was proud to use his experience and training to serve in Desert Storm in the Iraq war.
Ricky’s military career included education as a Combat Information Center Officer, NTDS Data Utilization, Tactical Action Officer, Staff Tactical Watch Officer, Strike Leader Attack Training, Army Command and General Staff College, Army Strategist Program, Navsup Officer, Senior Officer in Military Justice and Administrative Law, and Recruiting Officer Management.
Ricky retired from the Navy in August 1994, and he and his wife Barbara settled down in Bedford, Texas, to begin his second career. He worked for Kitty Hawk Air Cargo, Southwest Airlines, and Dallas Fort Worth Airport.
His father, T.O. McClung, mother, Edna Brock McClung, and brother Thomas McClung, predeceased Ricky. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, sister Tanna Brock, nephew Brett McClung, niece Megan (Meg) McClung Phillips, and three great nieces, Madison McClung, Mackenzie McClung, and Beth Phillips, and one great nephew, Liam Phillips.
A Funeral Service will be at 12:30 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home Chapel, 5725 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, TX 75034. A Cemetery Committal will follow at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Chico, TX at 3:00 pm later that afternoon. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to your favorite charity.
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