Henry Donald McClellan

Buster was born on September 16, 1929 in Canadian, Oklahoma to Henry and Virginia (Harren) McClellan. His premature birth led the doctor to withhold his name on his birth certificate believing he would not survive. He went on to graduate from high school with the help of a local teacher who tutored farm boys who missed school because they were needed to plant and harvest. After high school, Buster first served in the Navy Reserve followed by two years of Army service in the Korean War. Upon his return from the war, and at the age of 26, Buster married Merle Clark of Crowder, OK and they moved to Vista, CA where he secured a job at Camp Pendleton and undertook training to become a lithographer. He retired from civil service after several decades and later worked as a lithographer for the Vista School District.

Buster and Merle were early members of Buena Vista Baptist Church (now Stonebrooke) in Vista, CA where Buster served as a deacon and where he devoted much of his life to serving the members of the church and welcoming all to come and experience the saving grace that he had experienced through his faith in Jesus Christ.

Buster was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend to all who knew him. His kindness and earnestness and his good humor will be sorely missed, but fondly remembered.

Buster is survived by his wife of 61 years, Merle McClellan; his children, Pamela McClellan, Mike (Donna) McClellan, and Judi (Leslie Elin) McClellan, all of Vista, CA; grandchildren, Benjamin McClellan of Las Vegas, NV, Kayle Mahle (Tyler) of Phoenix, AZ, and Esley Johnson of Elk Grove, CA; great-granddaughter Viktoria; sister, Dorothy Dudark of Columbia, MO; brother, Leon McClellan of Krebs, OK; sister-in-law, Juanita McClellan of McAlester, OK; brother-in-law, Kenneth Davis of Fort Worth, TX; and many nieces and nephews who he held dear. He is preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Virginia McClellan; his elder brother, Delmar McClellan; and younger brother, Bill McClellan; and several brothers- and sisters-in-law.

A memorial service will be held at Stonebrooke Church in Vista, CA at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 4th. A private burial will be attended by family at Eternal Hills Mortuary where he will be laid to rest.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Alzheimer’s San Diego (www.alzsd.org