Earl Leonard McClure

September 17, 1936 – October 2, 2022

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Earl Leonard McClure was on born September 17^th, 1936 in East Peoria, Illinois, and passed away October 2^nd, 2022, at his home in Mesa, Arizona.  Earl was the only child of Earl Ernest McClure of Vista, Ca, and Marie Dixie West Slaughter of Decatur, II. Earl leaves his grieving wife, of 37 years, Mylene S. McClure of Mesa, Az.

Earl leaves one son, Jon Martin McClure of Astoria, Oregon and two stepchildren, Matthew J. Rock and Tamatha H. Sampson of Arizona.

Earl had 3 Grandchildren, Daniel L. McClure, Lauren and Taylor Bishop whom he loved deeply and watched grow up. He often mentioned one of his favorite memories was when Lauren and Taylor were infants and took naps on “Papa’s” chest. When they were a bit older and wanted to play “Hair Salon”, Papa was always their willing and favorite  “customer”.

Earl graduated from Vista High School (Ca.) in 1954, and was involved in sports, both Track & Field, and Basketball, which he continued at Palomar Junior College. During his free time, he learned to scuba dive and would go with his friends off the Southern California coast.

In September 1954, Earl joined the California National Guard where he was his Unit’s “Radio man” for 10 years including his unit’s “Alert” status during the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962.

Earl’s career was in Banking and Finance of all kinds; starting as a “Note Teller” and working his way up to President Elect of The Bank of Wickenburg, Az. One of his more memorable positions was at a Bank in Anaheim, Ca. where he was instrumental in securing a loan for Mr. Carl Karcher, the founder of Carl’s Jr. Restaurants in the middle 60’s when Mr. Karcher endeavored to expand his restaurants nationwide.

Earl’s career took some twists and turns over the years, but he was always fastidious in his duties and knowledge of banking, insurance, SEC rules, regulations and laws. During his career, Earl held an insurance license and a Real Estate license. Earl helped many folks who faced financial difficulties in their life and always remembered to help with humility and respect for those less fortunate than himself. One of his last positions as a semi-retired, part-time employee was that of collector. During this time, he received many Thank You notes from members who he contacted for collection initially but helped them in the process via information, advice, referrals to agencies, re-writing a loan, forgiving late fees, extensions and refusing to re-possess autos used by the borrower to go to work.  Consequently, Earl had the lowest repossession rate and the highest loans repaid rate in the Credit Union Industry in the Greater Phoenix, Az. Region.

Earl was a loving, faithful, generous, loyal, kind, understanding and dependable family man. Earl also had the most remarkable sense of humor, with a quick wit and a natural ability to find the ‘funny’ in most situations; as the years went by and I gained a few pounds along the way, Earl assured me that ‘the closet shrank my clothes’. He is greatly missed by all, and the world is a lesser place without him.

Earl left us October 2^nd, 2022, to be with his Lord and Saviour and his faithful furry friends – Jake, Mocha (who saved his life) Brownie and Muffie …who all learned quickly what a pushover he was for a tasty “doggie cookie”.

Earl was laid to rest October 6^th, 2022, at Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Mesa, AZ., with a Memorial Service Sunday, October 9^th, 2022, at the home Earl and Mylene shared for over 35 years.

Book of Ruth Chapter 1: 16-17 …This was read at our wedding, and I read it at Earl’s interment – it’s to Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi, but it’s about Devotion.

And Ruth said,

Intreat me not to leave thee,

Or to return from following after thee:

For whither thou goest, I will go;

And where thou lodgest , I will lodge:

Thy people shall be my people,

and thy God my God:

Where thou diest, will I die,

And there will I be buried:

The Lord do so to me, and more also,

If ought but death part thee and me.