LAVALE — Leona Frances (Myers) McClellan, 91, of LaVale, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, at the Lions Center.
Born Benbush, W.Va., on June 18, 1920, she was the daughter of the late Blanche E. (Nestor) and William Myers. Also preceding her in death was her loving husband of 56 years, Jacob Lee McClellan and her beloved granddaughter, Susan Ann May; two brothers and five sisters.
Leona came to Cumberland at an early age to work at the Celanese Fiber Manufacturing Company. She was a school bus driver for Allegany County Board of Education along with owning Leona’s Ceramics for ten years.
A lifelong member of First Christian Church, she served as an Elder, Chairman of the Board, and President of Women’s Fellowship and was Mother of the Year in 1956. Leona was also a 60 year member of the LaVale Volunteer Fireman’s Ladies Auxiliary and served as President several times. She was honored by the Auxiliary as having been its longest serving member. She also served as President of the Allegany-Garrett Counties Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. Leona was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and UTU Ladies Auxiliary. During her stay at the Lions Center, she became a member of the Red Hat Ladies.
Surviving are her two daughters, LaVerne May and husband Robert, of LaVale, and Ann McClellan, of Glen Allen, Va. Leona is also survived by lights of her eyes, grandchildren, Lisa May Cornwell and husband Kevin, of William-sport, R. Todd Rowley and wife Maureen, of Manassas, Va., and Joelle Rowley Lyons and husband Brian, of Goochland, Va.; three great-grandsons, Brandon Cornwell and wife Jamie, of Hagerstown, Christopher Cornwell and wife Traci, of Williamsport, and Edward Jackson Lyons, of Goochland, Va.; her sisters, Carolyn Cianfaglione and husband Andrew, of Painesville, Ohio, and Cecilia Bozeglav, of Chardon, Ohio; brother, Gary Myers and Gizelle, of Painesville, Ohio; sisters-in-law, Loretta Myers, of Chardon, Ohio, Anna Louise McClelland, of Cumberland, and Corabell Phelps, of Tennessee; and many nieces and nephews.
Friends and family will be received at the Scarpelli Funeral Home, P.A., 108 Virginia Ave., Cumberland, (www.scarpellifh.com) on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. The LaVale V.F.D. Ladies Auxiliary will conduct a memorial service at 7 p.m.
A celebration of her life will be held in the funeral home on Saturday at 11 a.m. with her niece, the Rev. Diane McClelland Smith and the Rev. Rae Browning, First Christian Church, officiating.
Pallbearers will be Todd Rowley, Brandon Cornwell, Christopher Cornwell, Kevin Cornwell, Brian Lyons, and Ray Peterson.
Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Park.
Leona’s family wishes to graciously thank the Lions Center for their excellent care she received and also for their love and compassion that was so obvious in their interaction with their mother. A special thank you to Wilma Swab, who was a loyal friend to Leona, she appreciated the time you took to come visit her.
Other expressions of sympathy can be sent to First Christian Church, 312 Bedford St., Cumberland, MD 21502 or LaVale Volunteer Fire Department, 421 National Hwy., LaVale, MD 21502-7141.
