Joe Nathan McClure

On September 5, 1945 in Curtis, Arkansas Leo and Janie McNeal McClure celebrated the birth of a son, they named Joe Nathan. Joe Nathan was a life member of Mt. Friendship Baptist Church in Curtis, Arkansas, a 1964 graduate of Peake High School in Arkadelphia and a graduate of Agriculture, Mechanical and Normal (AM&N) College now University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. On March 13, 1967, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was a faithful employee of Reynolds Metal Company. He married Ms. Gloria Nelson and the Lord added to their life five children. After 63 seasons, Joe Nathan passed into the Lord’s embrace on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Medical Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was welcomed home by his parents, Janie Cleo and Leo McClure, Sr., and a sister, Jeanette McClure. Those left to celebrate and cherish his memories are: his wife of 39 years, Gloria McClure of Curtis, Arkansas; three handsome sons Rickey and his wife Lowvonda McClure of Curtis, AR; Brian and his wife Francella McClure of Arkadelphia, AR; and Eric McClure of Little Rock, AR; two beautiful daughters, LaTarsha McClure and Aliyah McClure both of Curtis, AR, eight grandchildren and Doug Walker who was cherished as a son. He also leaves in God’s care; four sisters Blossie V. Mitchell and Clarice Turner & her husband Alvin of Little Rock, AR; Louise Ross, Vera Ross & her husband James all of Tulsa, OK; two brothers Leo, Jr. & his wife Mattie McClure, and Phenoid & his wife Wilma McClure all of Curtis, AR; two aunts Dorothy McNeil of Pine Bluff, AR and Mattie Lee McClure of Lansing, MI; two best friends Paul Bailey, Earl Bailey and a caravan of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, numerous friends and the Mt. Friendship Baptist Church family. Mr. McClure will lie in state at Williams Funeral Home on Monday, March 16, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and the family will greet and share with friends the Images of Life DVD from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The last farewell and final tributes will be shared on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 in the Sanctuary of Mt. Friendship Baptist Church in Curtis, Arkansas where Rev. Louis Jones is the pastor and will preach the celebration message. The committal service and final resting place will be in Curtis Cemetery. Active bearers of the casket will be Warren Horton, Greg Mitchell, Kenny McClure, Robert Green, Marcus McClure, and Chris Nelson. Honorary bearers of the casket will be Charles Hill, Glen Hill, Nathan Mitchell, Steve McClure, Emmanuel McClure and T. J. Moss.