Obituaries

A Celebration of the Life of Lucile Clendenin will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at Friendship Cemetery at 2pm with Rev. Joe Ed Goolsby of First United Methodist Church Sherman officiating. The family will receive friends and family at the residence of son David at 914 Hillcrest, Sherman, Texas at 12pm prior to the service. Dannel Funeral Home has charge of arrangements Lucile was born March 18, 1920 in Furman, Alabama. An only child, both parents passed away prior to her turning two years of age. She was taken in by her aunt and Uncle Carl and Bama Robinson. She moved to their farm in Snow Hill, Alabama, a small town near Birmingham. Uncle Carl was an executive at a local steel mill while Lucile and Bama tended to the small farm. There she acquired her love of animals and honed her inquisitive mind. At age 16 she became an incoming freshman at Judson College in Marion, Alabama. While at Judson, she explored the sciences eventually settling on biology and receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in the subject. Even though small in stature, she was a two year varsity letterman in basketball. She went on to continue her education at the University of Alabama. Thus began her lifelong devotion to her beloved Crimson Tide. She emerged from "The University" as she called it with a Masters Degree in Biology. In a time when few women taught the science at a major university, Lucile helped pave the way for others to follow as a biology professor at the school. While at Alabama, she met her future husband Lt. Carl Clendenin. Lucile and Carl were married January 21, 1955 an this began a time in her life that still holds fond memories. They traveled the country as Carl went from posting to posting, crossing the country from Gary, Indiana to Mobile, Alabama to Los Angeles, California and Anchorage, Alaska. While in Alaska they were blessed by the birth of their first son Bruce Dean followed twenty months later by the birth of a second son David Ed. The travels continued to Norman, Oklahoma followed by returning to her beloved Alabama and Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. Lt. Col. Carl Clendenin retired from the Air Force August 8, 1968. They retired to Sherman, Texas to be near Perrin AFB as well as Carl's family in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Bama Robinson, known to everyone as Auntie accompanied them on their posting from Norman, Oklahoma to Montgomery, AL and finally retirement in Sherman with Lucile taking the role of caregiver to her. Auntie remained with Carl and Lucile until her death at the age of 102. In April of 1982 Lucile became Memaw with the birth of grandson Jefferson David (Jay) Clendenin. In February 1985, two more grandchildren arrived, twins Margaret Ellen (Maggie) and Joseph Clendenin. Thus began the role in which she excelled above all others. Memaw cut the crust off the bread and spread the peanut butter evenly to all corners. With both the parents working outside the home, Colonel and Lucile would run the carpools to school, at times taking them to three different schools. Each day Memaw would always arrive thirty minutes prior to picking them up to ensure she could get the same parking place every day. She was always there to help with homework and answer any question on any subject Jay would have. She taught Maggie to always dream big and never be afraid. She taught Joe to see the good and the beauty in the world around him. In 2015 she became a great grandmother with the birth of Owen Lee Clendenin to Jay and his wife Amy. The family would like to express the appreciation to the nursed and staff at Mullican Care Center in Savoy and the caregivers at Heart to Heart Hospice for helping her navigate the final years of her life. Lucile is survived by her sons Bruce of Dallas and David and his wife Meg of Sherman, grandson Jay and his wife Amy, great grandson Owen of Austin, TX and granddaughter Maggie of Sherman. She was preceded in death by her husband Lt. Col. Carl Clendenin and Grandson Joseph. Pallbearers will be Steven Ferguson, Bret Clark, Darren Tankersley, Shawn Davis, Dustin Perkins and Dakota Perkins. In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Lucile's name to Judson College, University of Alabama or Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. You may sign the online guestbook at www.Dannelfuneralhome.com.