Olan Jacob Clemens

Olan Jacob “Zeke”Clemens, age 90, passed away on December 30, 2024 from the effects of esophageal cancer. He was born on December 23, 1934 in Norborne, Missouri. He moved from Missouri to Middle Tennessee at the age of 5 after his father passed away. He grew up in Franklin where he ran the projector at the Franklin Theatre as a teenager. He graduated from Franklin High School in 1952. While attending the 1953 fair in Franklin, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He served 4 years and a day active duty and 4 years as a reserve. He met his wife Judy Brandon while attending MTSU. They were married for 64 years. They moved to Smyrna in 1962 where he remained the rest of his life. He and Judy spent the last 25 winters living in Lake Placid, Florida, where they made many new friends. Olan went to work at the Ford Glass Plant in Nashville where he worked as a glass inspector for 37 years until his retirement in 1996. Olan was part of the group who founded Smyrna’s youth football and basketball leagues. He convinced UAW 737 to sponsor one of the 4 original football teams. Olan was quite a character who always had a story or joke to share. Once when he was introducing Judy to a friend, the friend replied to her, “You have my sympathy, ma’am!” He was always generous with his time and resources and would do anything to help a family member or friend. He loved fishing, gardening, reading, woodworking, nice cars, and old westerns.

Olan is survived by his wife Judy and their two sons, Olan Jacob “Buster” Clemens, Jr. (Kim) and Charles Brandon “Chuck” Clemens (Melissa), his brother Larry Skelley, four grandchildren Olan Jacob “Trey” Clemens III (Brittany), Zachary Lee Clemens (Rachael), Matthew Brandon Clemens (Erin), Mary Kate Clemens, six great grandchildren (Corinne Clemens, Olan “Jack” Clemens IV, Watt Clemens, Eleanor Clemens, Charlotte Clemens, and Cooper Clemens), two nieces (Jackie Morton and Jenann Lay), and two nephews (Chris Skelley and Jonathan Olan Skelley). Olan was preceded in death by his father Lester Thornton Clemens, mother Trula Mae Kidwell, and two nephews (Jay Curtis and Skyler Dean Skelley).

A visitation will be held on Friday, January 3, 2025 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. A memorial service will begin at 3:00pm followed by the burial. All services and burial will be at Roselawn Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 5350 NW Broad St., Murfreesboro, TN 37129.

Olan’s grandchildren and nephews will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be long-time friends H.G. Cole, Billy King, Robert Mullins, and Willie Winfree. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Smyrna Senior Center, 100 Raikes Street, Smyrna, TN 37167, Highland Church of Christ Youth Group, 400 N. Houston Levee Rd. Memphis, TN. 38018, or the charity of your choice.