McClure

Carolyn Ann McClure, 84, of Hermitage, Mercer County, passed away on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, at the Embassy of Hermitage nursing home.

Born on Oct. 22, 1940, in Bellevue, Allegheny County, she was the daughter of Clyde Jennings and Kathryn (Newman) McClure.

Carolyn was a perfectly normal if not precocious child until she contracted two diseases simultaneously in 1946 at the age of 6, culminating in a temperature of 107, which left her hospitalized and mentally challenged. While this life-changing event might have killed or at least fully incapacitated a lesser person, Carolyn went on to return home and attend school up to third grade, when it was finally determined that she could no longer benefit from further attempts at education.

Carolyn enjoyed a mostly sedate early home life with her parents and brother. She regularly attended church and was baptized at the age of 24 to become a member of the Peters Creek Baptist Church in Library, Washington County. She would move with her parents four times until she was placed with the MCAR upon the passing of her father in 1983.

There she would flourish, having developed a friendly, outgoing and decidedly social persona. Carolyn enjoyed coloring, knitting, and especially her music, outings and friends. She was most certainly a Steelers fan. In countless ways, she was an exceptional person, and was well-loved, and will be sorely missed but always fondly remembered by her family and friends.

Carolyn is survived by her brother, Merrill “Mac” and sister-in-law, Jane McClure; a niece, Kelly Thompson of Tallahassee, Fla.; a nephew, Michael Shawn (Lisa) McClure of Havelock, N.C.; and five grandnieces and grandnephews; as well as a great-grandniece and two great-grandnephews.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the organization and especially the case managers, social workers, nursing staff and caregivers of MCAR, who unselfishly gave of their care and love to Carolyn throughout her later life, and most recently, those of Helping Hands and the Embassy of Hermitage nursing home.

MCCLURE — Visitation for Carolyn Ann McClure, who died Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 310 W. Neshannock Ave., New Wilmington. The service will be conducted directly following visitation by the Rev. Tom Metz.

Burial will be private at Forest Lawn Gardens, Donaldsons Crossroads, Washington County, later that afternoon.

Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be given to The Arc of Mercer County Foundation, 850 N. Hermitage Road, Hermitage, PA 16148.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.