Claudette Evangeline McClure (Age 85) of Temple Hills, Maryland.

Claudette Evangeline McClure peacefully transitioned home to be with the Lord on Saturday December 19, 2020.  Claudette was born on April 4, 1935 to Samuel Wilson and Pearl L. Wilson   in Washington, D.C.

Claudette was educated in D.C. public schools and attended Dunbar Senior High School.  Upon graduating high school, Claudette tried her hand at various jobs having the ability to do a variety of things.  Ultimately, she chose to work for the Federal Government serving in various Secretarial positions until she retired as an Executive Secretary in 1997 from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Claudette had a love of sports, in particularly football, which is where her son Lance got it from.  She was a very loyal fan of the Washington football team despite the many ups and downs with their seasons and that loyalty was handed down to both of her sons.  Her love of football is what attracted her to the love of her life, Clarence E. McClure, who was a coach for various local football teams and played football himself for quite some time.  Ultimately, he served as coach of the Stonewalls, a local D.C. semi-pro football team.  Clarence was in the military which afforded her the opportunity to travel around the U.S.  After divorcing in 1960, she went on to have the two pride and joys of her life, her sons, Lance and Damon, whom she always spoke highly of.  Claudette and Clarence realized years later that they were meant for each other and they reconnected in the late 80's and remarried in 1990.

Claudette had various talents.  One talent was being a seamstress.  She very much enjoyed fashion and was known as a "dresser."  As a seamstress, she often made her own clothes and even worked for a while as a seamstress.  She was always "put together" from head to toe and made sure that those around her were too.  Whether it was dressing her sons, doing her sisters hair or giving her niece her first lipstick, she wanted everyone looking their best.  Not only did she carry herself this way but also carried that mindset in her home, meticulously having everything neat and symmetrical, well decorated, and in place no matter what room you were in.

Claudette loved her family and supported the family as much as she could in various ways.  From teaching her youngest sister how to stand up to a bully in school, sharing an apartment with her sister and later her mother to giving up her bed for her cousins who came to live with her and her sister. She even gave up her bed for her grandfather who was ill so her grandmother could take care of him. She also gave money when she could, she truly loved her family.

Following retirement, Claudette truly embraced the concept of "homebody."  She enjoyed and was content being in the comforts of her home.  Let her tell it, she did all her "ripping and running" all throughout her life.  Her activities outside of home, besides her weekly errands and shopping, was attending various family gatherings, whether it was the holiday get togethers, or grandchildren events.  You would catch her watching the Washington Football team with her diet pepsi and "goodies" (cake and ice cream).

Claudette leaves to cherish her memory her sons:  Damon Q. McClure (Karen), Lance T. McClure (deceased); three grandsons:  Jovan C.  McClure, Isaac C. McClure, Damon A. McClure; sisters:  Elaine Hamilton (deceased), Miriam Bell (deceased), Jean Gary; nieces: Deborah Parson, Cynthia Hatcher (Wayne), Renee Calloway, Sharon Hamilton, Denise Hamilton, Renee Hamilton (deceased); nephews: Warren Gary (Jasina), James Gary (Diana), Kevin Gary (Lauren), Robert Ellis (Sharon), Ronald Ellis (Michelle), Eric Hamilton (deceased), and a host of family, friends, and loved ones.

Her Viewing will be, 10:00 am until time of Service, 11:00 am, Saturday, January 2, 2021 in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640.  Interment, Maryland Park National Cemetery, 13300 Baltimore Avenue, Laurel, Maryland 20707.

On Saturday, January 2, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. please click on the link below to live stream the service.

Please make sure when viewing the services that the volume located in the right lower corner (where it says "live") on the viewing screen is turned up (the bars should be blue).

The streaming will begin after the final family viewing.  Therefore, there may be a delay before the service appears on the screen. Thank you.

https://www.thorntonfuneralhomepa.com/live-stream