(picture) (veteran)

The Rev. Kenneth L. McClain Jr., 65

A special memorial service has been slated for 8 p.m. Friday, July 26, at First United Methodist Church, 1656 Colfax, Blair, for The Rev. Kenneth L. McClain Jr. Rev. McClain, 65, of Lincoln died Monday, July 15, at his home.

Funeral services were held Thursday, July 18, at the Doniphan United Methodist Church in Doniphan with the Rev. Jeff Hale, Rev. F. Cole Fowler and Rev. A. K. Saul officiating. Interment was July 19, 2002, at the Omaha Valley Cemetery in Homer with Rev. William B. Anderson and Rev. Robert E. Call officiating at the graveside. Military honors were conducted by the Ft. Riley Kansas Honor Guard.

The Rev. Kenneth Lee McClain Jr. was born Feb. 27, 1937, in Indianapolis, Ind., to Kenneth L. McClain Sr. and Evelyn (Barnes) McClain. He graduated from high school in Coral Gables, Fla.; received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University at Lincoln and Master of Divinity from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary at Dubuque, Iowa.

He entered the United States Air Force in 1956 and was honorable discharged on October 21, 1962. He then served in the Nebraska Air National Guard from 1965 to 1978 and the Nebraska Army National Guard from 1981 until retiring in 1986.

He was united in marriage to Karen R. Shadbolt on December 27, 1963, at the Dakota City United Methodist Church.

He worked full time for the Nebraska Air National Guard for 13 years. He was later ordained a pastor in the Nebraska Conference of the United Methodist Church and served in ministry for 23 years. During that time, he served the Belmont-Whig, Wisc., United Methodist Churches from 1978-81; Gering Trinity-Melbeta-Bayard United Methodist Church from 1981-84; was founding pastor of Elkhorn Hills United Methodist Church, Elkhorn, from 1984-86; Auburn United Methodist Church from 1986-1995; Blair-Kennard United Methodist Church from 1995-98; Shickley-Clay Center Emmanuel United Methodist Churches from 1998-99; and Doniphan-Rosedale—Trumbull-Inland United Methodist Churches from 1999-until his retirement in June 2001.

He is survived by his wife, Karen, of Lincoln; daughter and son-in-law, Kimberly and Jim Wallingford of York; son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Leah McClain of Homer; six grandchildren; a sister Phyllis Jean Smith of Indianapolis; half-brothers, Ed McClain, Visalia, Calif., and Stephen McClain of Show Low, Ariz., and many other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial gifts will be distributed to the churches that the Rev. McClain Jr. served.

Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home in Grand Island was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~