Donald Walter McClelland born August 9, 1924 in New Philadelphia, Ohio. He was born to Francis (Frank) Marion McClelland and Florence Dorothy Obermiller McClelland. Don died October 13, 2020 at the age of 96. He was a warrior and a patriot who loved the Lord and was deeply loved by his family and friends. He will be remembered for his hugs, smiles and stories.
Don McClelland entered World War II at the age of 17 with the 8th Air Force flying B24 Bombers over Europe, as a tail gunner and flew 31 missions and also volunteered with missions over France with the Black Cat Squadron helping the French Underground.
Ever since he was four years old and seeing planes fly over his farm, he wanted to fly. Flying was his passion in life. After the war he went to Spartan’s School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, OK to train as an aircraft mechanic. Then he was hired by American Airlines on April 20, 1948 as an airline mechanic and later became a Flight Engineer, FAA Designated Inspector and Flight Instructor. His career with American spanned 50 years and he flew many types of jets…DC 3, 4, 6, and 7’s, Convair 240, Boeing 707, 727, 747, and DC10 and all over the world.
In 1949, he drove to Grapevine, Texas and soon took up residence and lived there until 1979. He married Jeanne Batterton McClelland in 1958 after a one month courtship and celebrated 55 years of marriage with her until her death in 2013.
We will never forget his stories of all the special people he met in his lifetime…Jimmy Stewart, Alfalfa of Little Rascals fame, Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Clark Gable, Al Jolson, Don Ho and his most cherished friend, John Travolta.
He leaves behind the people that were most important to him, which was family. His daughter, Vicki Jeter and husband, Roland Jeter. Granddaughter, Brittany, and husband, Timathy Castillo, and great granddaughters, Gabbi and Abbi. Grandson, Madison Jeter, and wife Rebecca, and great grandsons, Wesley, Matthew and Daniel. He cherished and loved deeply all of his sisters, sister in laws and brother in laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Private family service and burial will be held on October 24, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Due to very limited space and Covid-19 precautions, the family requests that you join them virtually through the livestream on Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home Facebook page. Instead of flowers, family requests donations to OperationSmile.org or St. Jude’s Children Hospital in memory of Don McClelland.
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