Carl McClure Obituary

Description: Carl McClure Obituary... Our Heartfelt Condolences To His Loved Ones...

May 2nd, 1938 - August 3rd, 2025

Obituary

Carl Nathan McClure passed away early on the morning of August 3, 2025, after dealing with Alzheimer's and heart disease. He lived a life of service.
Carl was born on May 2, 1938, in Anderson, Indiana, to Paulina (Bishop) and Truman J. McClure. After moving to Colorado, Carl attended Olney Springs Schools from elementary through high school, graduating in 1956. During that time, he helped run the family hardware store, where he delivered water and assisted with plumbing projects for customers. After graduation, he worked in the Texas oil fields until he entered Otero Junior College. At Otero, he earned an Associate of Arts degree and was named Mr. Rattler, an honor awarded to the top graduate that year.

Carl married Berniece E. Wittman June 14th, 1959, and they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary this year. After their wedding, Carl and Berniece moved to Denver, where they attended the University of Denver. There, Carl earned his bachelor's degree and a teaching certification. To pay for school, he washed windows on high-rise buildings, worked at a gas station, managed a dorm, and was even a butler for a short time, a fact that was news to his children. Carl also joined the U.S. Army Reserves where he served for 6 years as a Sergeant in the Medical Corp.

After college, Carl and Berniece returned to Olney Springs, where Carl was employed at Rocky Ford High School as an English and Journalism instructor. During his five years of teaching at RFHS, his daughter, Darii, was born. Not long after, the family moved to Iowa, where he worked at the State Mental Hospital as a vocational evaluator, helping residents transition to meaningful employment. Carl, always one who valued education, earned a master's degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Northern Iowa. Also, while living in Iowa his second child, Warren, was welcomed to the family.

Carl and his family returned to Olney Springs in 1976, where he discovered one of his true passions: running the family farm. To support his farming habit, Carl took a position at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility shortly after it opened in 1987, where he worked until his retirement in 1999. He continued farming into the 2010s, even as his body protested the physical activity. While farming, Carl became an advocate for farmers in the Arkansas Valley and nationwide. He played an active role in the farm strike of the late 1970s and traveled with the Tractorcade as a communications frontman on the way to Washington, D.C. Water issues and water law also became a passion during this time. He served on several local water boards as he fought to keep water in Crowley County and available for farmers in the valley. This advocacy led to an appointment as a board member of the Southeast Water Conservancy District, where he served from 2005 until April 2022.

Carl rarely slowed down and continually worked to better Olney Springs and the surrounding communities. He and Berniece were lifelong members of the Olney Springs United Methodist Church, where he was the de facto church handyman and a member of the choir. He very much enjoyed singing while Berniece played the piano or organ. Additional service to the community included serving terms on the OJC Board of Directors and the Crowley County School Board. He was a 4-H project leader, served as Farmers Union President, and was a member of the Crowley County Chamber of Commerce.

There are so many services Carl provided for his community that one might think he didn’t have time for his family, but that was far from the truth. He worked hard to carve out time to attend family activities, sporting and band events, anniversaries, reunions and graduations of his children and grandchildren. Always patient, he continually taught his children and grandchildren when they worked alongside or spent time with him. He will be missed immensely.

Carl is survived by his wife, Berniece McClure; daughter Darii (Richard) Wohlers of Woodbury, Minnesota; son Warren (Julie) McClure of Rocky Ford, Colorado; and five grandchildren: McKenna, Colin, and Carolyn Wohlers, Terra, and Kellen McClure. He is also survived by two siblings, Wally (Diane) McClure of Mesquite, Nevada, and Lydia (Bob) Dell of Kremling, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Mary May.

Services Held on Sunday, August 17th, 2025 at 1:30pm at the Olney Springs United Methodist Church. Bellwood Ustick Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Tweet