Diana (Parker) McClure

Gladstone, MI

Diana R. (Parker) McClure, of Gladstone, age 80, passed away on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at Murray’s Country View in Gladstone.

She was the middle child of seven children born to Hugh and Lucille (Frenette) Lamirand in Manistique, MI on July 9, 1942.

In 1961, she married Paul G. Parker in Lansing in the Grace Methodist Church. They were married for thirty years and had three sons.

When her sons were growing up, she enjoyed watching them compete in many sports activities such as; high school and college football, wrestling, track, hockey, basketball, motocross racing, BMX and enjoyed camping in the U.P. And many other areas with them.

She married Harvey McClure II in November of 1990 in the First Lutheran Church in Gladstone.

Diana loved traveling with her husband and vacationing in Mexico, Jamaica, Arizona, Florida and many other places in the United States to escape the harsh winters.

Her employment took her to many positions in her life, beginning with long distance operator in Lansing, accounting, secretary for Gulf Oil, to executive secretary for Harnischfeger and the last job Secretary for Baybank loan department. She managed the branch in Escanaba for a year.

During her employment with Harnischfeger, she wore many hats due to the closure of the Escanaba plant. It was a very sad time for all her employees. She took over many positions as the plant employees dwindled. She was also secretary and recruiter for P&H Technical Services, which was started a year before the plant closure, wrote resumes for the employees as they left the job they had their whole lives, to help them find employment, served as a nurse, retiree advocate, receptionist and mail person. She then loaded up her typewriter, and the files for P&H Technical Services and drove to Oak Creek, WI, to set up their offices and train a new secretary for them. It was hard for her and all the employees who lost their jobs. She loved working there and missed all the wonderful people she had the pleasure of working with.

She attended Bay College in her thirties and trained as a reporter with the “Delta Reporter” in Gladstone under the guidance of Dave Rood, who was the publisher at the time. She loved interviewing people for stories and wrote a series of articles which were all published. She enjoyed the human interest articles she wrote about local “Men Who Love To Cook.”

Writing short stories and poetry was enjoyable to her, and was editor of “The Beacon” a monthly newspaper for Bay College. When she attended the creative writing class there, she was also the editor of a yearly book with stories and poetry written by the students called “Serendipity.”

She was a 4-H leader for beginners sewing. She liked having girls around, since she didn’t have one and always wished that she had a daughter.

She was on the first Gladstone beautification committee, and was a member of the Escanaba Women’s Club (GFWC) for many years and was Publicity Chairman on the Charity Ball committee, Auditor, and photographer of all events and was known as “The Picture Lady.” She won three blue ribbons and two honorable mentions at conventions for compiling the club’s yearly activities in the clubs publicity scrapbook.

She loved having family gatherings for holidays, sleepovers, picnics and just having the grandchildren for the day. They thought she made the best teddy bear pancakes in the world. She loved her husband, children and grandchildren dearly, and will be missed by them all.

Some of the things she enjoyed were singing, interior decorating, sewing, gardening, dancing and listening to old records of all kinds.

One of the Mother’s Day cards, from her son Paul says it all. The verse in it said, “A Mother’s Day Poem from your Son,” for forcing me to wear clean shorts and being there when I played sports… for giving rides and cooking too for all the selfless things you do… for sharing wisdom and advice and being smart and nice… for all the “Mom stuff” that you’ve done… thank you from your loving son.

Diana is survived by:

Sons: Paul (Suzanne) Parker of Gladstone, MI

          Jonathan Parker of Gladstone, MI

          Robert (Karen) Parker of Sheboygan Falls, WI

Step Son: Michael (Leslie) Haehn of Waterford, MI

Brother: John (Donna) Lamirand

Sister: Joan (Octavius) DeRose

6 Grandchildren: Alexis, Paul, Rian, Paige and Brett Parker and Maxx Haehn

She was preceded in death by:

Husbands: Paul and Harvey

Parents

Brother: Paul and Elwin

Sisters: Betty Larson and Priscilla Benson

Nephew: Tim

3 Brothers-in-law

Several Aunts and Cousins

Family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 from 1:00 until 3:00 PM at the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone. A closing prayer will be conducted at 3:00 PM at the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone. A luncheon will follow at the Gladstone Yacht Club.

The Skradski Family Funeral Homes of Delta County are assisting the McClure family.