Woodrow Wilson McClure was a man who touched lives. He believed that the blessings of life required one to serve others and he endeavored to loyally do so much of his life. He faithfully served his Country, his family, his church, his community, and the organizations that he loved dearly. Born July 10, 1923 in Ballground, GA to his parents, Dr. and Mrs. George McClure, Wilson attended Emory University as a pre-med student and then served as a medic in the Unites States Army in World War II. As a Sargent First Class his unit built and delivered temporary hospitals to the troops in the Pacific Islands. Upon returning from service, he graduated from The University of Georgia with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.Following college he returned to Atlanta where he made his home for the remainder of his life and met his wife of 61 years, Helen Stephens McClure. They had met previously in college and were re-acquainted when they were working in Downtown Atlanta. They were married at Saint Mark United Methodist Church on April 21, 1951. Professionally, Wilson spent his career in Commercial Real Estate. Under the Lyndon Johnson Administration he served as an Urban Renewal Manager for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and was responsible for the for the renewal efforts in the West End of Atlanta, Georgia for 22 years. Later, working with Harry Norman Realtors, he focused his expertise on the then rapidly expanding North Fulton County area and, as a broker, assembled for development much of what is the Peachtree Dunwoody corridor today. In 1990 he established his own company, McClure & Associates. He received innumerable awards for his accomplishments within the Real Estate Industry; including the 1984 Alvin B. Cates Award given by the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors where he was also a lifetime member of the million dollar club.
While Real Estate was his livelihood, his true passion came in the form of serving others. He served as Boy Scoutmaster of Troop 86 for more than 41 years where he was responsible for guiding close to 150 young men to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Over those years he led excursions to untold places including Philmont Ranch in New Mexico and many National Jamborees around the Country and had hiked much of the Appalachian Trail. In addition to Troop 86, he spent a dozen years establishing secondary in-school troops (Boy and Girl Scouts) for special needs children and sharing the joys of Scouting with them. One of his favorite things to do was, working with Delta Airlines, to take many of such children on their first air flight – most often leaving from Atlanta and going to Charlotte, NC and back “home” but always landing with some wide eyes and indelible memories. Wilson always and sincerely held that the love that he received from these children, as well as simply seeing them succeed later in life, was one of life’s greatest rewards. For such service to youth, he earned the Chanel 11 Community Service Award and loved each moment and the lasting relationships he made. Wilson belonged to The Order of the Arrow, an honorary Society of the Boy Scouts of America and was awarded the Silver Beaver Award - the highest and most rarely granted award by the Boy Scouts of America - for Distinguished Service to Scouting and Youth. He was also a recipient of the Jefferson Award from the American Institute for Public Service.He was a proud and Charter Member of St. John United Methodist Church, which was also the home for his beloved Boy Scout Troop 86. He was the Head Usher there for more than 20 years and held many positions and board memberships throughout the decades. Wilson was a lifetime Usher and he fulfilled the definition of an usher in every sense of the word. As a student at Emory, he was an Usher at The Fabulous Fox Theatre and saw, from atop light pole, the opening night of Gone With The Wind. As a retiree, he and Helen served as Ushers for the Atlanta Symphony and Chastain Park Amphitheatre. Following retirement, he continued his Usher theme by becoming the Greeter at the Fountain Oaks Kroger. He made sure to make everyone feel welcome with his big smile, sparkly eyes, and always had a kiss for the ladies. He also formed, and came to love, a group of Seniors affectionately known as the “Liars and Loafers Club” that meets weekly today in Sandy Springs, GA. Having adopted it as his second home town in the late 1950’s, Wilson deeply loved and honored the land and history of Sandy Springs, GA. Seeing it become an independent City was a sincere pride and long term desire of his. He worked tirelessly for years and in many roles toward that goal and was greatly honored to be a recipient of the Sandy Springs Spirit Award. He was an active member of many different civic clubs and affiliations including : American Association of Office Management (AOMA), Buckhead 50 Club, an over 50 year Member of Kiwanis (Buckhead, Downtown, West End, and Sandy Springs chapters), Buckhead Business Association, the Roswell Rotary Club, and was a proud Captain of the Old Guard of the Gate Guard Battalion of Atlanta. Wilson also served on the Board of the Cerebral Palsy Society and Foundation and the Boys and Girls clubs of West End, Atlanta, GA and for many years was a Judge for the Miss Atlanta and Miss Georgia Pageants. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Helen Stephens McClure; sons Mark Stephens McClure and Woodrow (Woody) Wilson McClure, Jr.; a daughter in law Pamela Ducker McClure; a granddaughter Ashley McClure Miller and her husband, Chris Miller and a Great Grandson Davis Stephens Miller. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ms. Pearl Elliott; his father, Dr. George McClure; his step-father, Mr. Joseph Elliott; his brothers George and Robert McClure, a sister, Mary Emma McClure and his grandson, Mark Stephens McClure, Jr.The family will reverently receive family and friends on Sunday, January 6, 2013 at Sardis United Methodist Church, 3725 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta GA 30342 from 6-8pm. Funeral Service will be Monday, January 7, 2013, at 11am at St. John United Methodist Church, 550 Mount Paran Road, Atlanta GA 30327 with Dr G. Gil Watson and The Reverend Brent Ward presiding. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Wilson McClure Memorial Fund for the benefit of (the restoration of) Sardis United Methodist Church; the second oldest United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia and a church, and the heritage of which, he loved dearly.
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