Joann Oliver McClung 81, passed away on January 17, 2025, in Parksley, VA. Joann was born in Toccoa, Georgia, and was preceded in death by her husband William Leason McClung in 2022 and her parents Jack Oliver and Laura Goolsby Oliver Herron. Also waiting to welcome her to heaven were her in-laws, Blair and Lillian McClung, brother Michael Oliver, brother-in-law Jim McClung, sister-in-law Sandra McClung Aman, and her husband Jackson Aman, as well as a large extended family of grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
She always considered the red clay hills of Georgia home, cherishing the Goolsby and Oliver home places in Carnesville, Georgia. Her father Jack's service in the Air Force meant the family moved around often. During that time, the family lived in North Carolina, Mississippi, Indiana, Munich Germany, San Bernadino, California, Oklahoma, Alabama, Chateauroux France, and San Rafel, California, with stops back in Georgia in between. This included one whole school year at Red Hill, where she had her favorite teacher, her Aunt Margaret Le Croy. She was a 1961 graduate of San Rafel High School in California.
During her senior year of high school, she met a young airman who worked for her father at Hamilton Air Base. Jack would often invite young airmen over for dinner or to visit and one day he invited “Red” as Bill was known to the family. After a while “Red” asked Joann out of a date. They would go to prom together and that night he proposed. Joann and Bill were married on July 22, 1961. When Bill was discharged from the Air Force in 1963 they moved across the country to his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia. In Norfolk, they first lived with Bill’s parents and then in an apartment nearby. In 1968 they bought a house in the Norfolk Highlands neighborhood of Chesapeake. Once there Joann said, “I have moved all my life, and I am not moving again.”
Left to carry on her legacy, includes her son The Rev. William L. McClung, Jr., and his wife Carrie. Daughter Peggy McClung Woestman and her husband Kevin. Grandchildren Andrew McClung, Noah Woestman, Breanna Denson, Norah McClung, and Claire Woestman Joann’s brother Donald Oliver and his wife Patricia and sisters-in-law Patsey Oliver and Elizabeth McClung. Numerous nieces and nephews.
Joann McClung was an active member of Wesley Grace Church. Participating in Sunday School, classes, bible studies, United Methodist Women as well as a variety of leadership positions at the church. She was active in the Norfolk and later Elizabeth River district United Methodist Women serving as president multiple times. This also led to holding positions in the Virginia Conference United Methodist Women as well as being an At Large Delegate to the Virginia Annual Conference for multiple years. She also served as Church Secretary at Wesley Grace United Methodist church for 47 years.
Her great love of children and youth led her to be the long-time Youth Ministry coordinator for Wesley Memorial which later became Wesely -Grace. She would take youth to a variety of district and conference youth retreats and other events. Joann also participated in youth mission experiences by taking groups to Mountain T.O.P and being a support person for the Virginia Methodist Conference's “Voices of Youth” ministry for four years.
In addition to her service through her church, Joann was very involved in the Parent Teacher Association in her children’s schools at Indian River Junior High and High School, the City of Chesapeake, and as President of the Tidewater Region PTA.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Wesley Grace United Methodist Church located at 288 E. Little Creek Road on Saturday, February 1st at One o'clock pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Wesley Grace United Methodist Church.
