David L. Mcclure

David L. McClure of Lewistown, Montana passed away Friday, June 24, 2022, at Central Montana Medical Center, surrounded by his loved ones. Following a lengthy battle with illness, it was his time to be free from the fight.



David was born October 23, 1939, in Lewistown, Montana, son of the late Roy and Louise (Anderson) McClure. He had one older sister, Donna (McClure) Freeman, who preceded him in death. His early childhood began in the town of Hanover, where his father worked in the cement plant and mine. He started school by riding the Hanover school bus to Lewistown. In 1946, his father began working in the Gypsum mine at Heath and the family moved south of Lewistown. A few years later, the family had a chance to start a farm just West of Hanover, where he spent his entire farming and ranching career, raising wheat, barley, hay, and cattle.



David was very active in FFA in high school, achieving the State Farmer Degree and going to the National FFA Convention in Kansas City in 1956. He graduated from Fergus High School in 1957 and enlisted in the Army, attending basic training in Fort Ord, California. Then, an airplane ride to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, was only the beginning of the many miles he would spend traveling throughout his life. While he was in Fort Chaffee, another young man named Elvis Presley joined the Army. Following his discharge in 1958, he returned home and prepared to start college at MSC, now known as Montana State University in Bozeman- Go Bobcats!



While attending college and working back on the farm in the Summer, he began dating Joyce Strunk, also from Lewistown. They were married on September 9, 1961, just before his senior year. With the passing of his father that November, a lot of adjustments had to be made. Joyce stayed home with David’s mother, Louise, to take care of the farm and he would come home every weekend to haul hay and prepare for the Spring work. In June of 1962, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering. David and Joyce were blessed with 2 sons, Roy (1962) of Lewistown, MT, and Rodney (1965) of Roy, MT.



The most important thing to David was Farm Bureau. He lived and breathed it. He was the President of Fergus County Farm Bureau for many years, as well as a board member and chairman of several other Farm Bureau groups and committees. In 1987, he was elected as the President of Montana Farm Bureau, to which he served until 2008. He served on the American Farm Bureau Board for 5 years, was Vice President of the Mountain West Insurance Board, and Chairman of the Montana Republican Ag Platform Committee. As a very active agricultural advocate, he was involved with as many agricultural groups and committees he possibly could, and truly loved all his wonderful constituents and the work these did. He also served on the Fergus County Fair Board from 1984 to 1992, retiring after the big project of the new grandstand was completed. His agriculture service and leadership was admired across Montana, and many continents.



David spent a lot of his time traveling the world for Farm Bureau and agricultural events, as well as many trade missions. He traveled to all but 3 states and traveled to Washington DC more than 40 times alone. Travels overseas included dozens of countries in Southeast Asia, South America, and Cuba.



After his retirement from farming and ranching, he enjoyed spending time visiting with his coffee buddies at the 4 Aces and was a very active member of the American Legion in Lewistown.



Preceding him in death are his parents, Roy and Louise, his sister, Donna, and her husband, Don Freeman, along with many special friends.



David is survived by his wife Joyce (Strunk) McClure, two sons, Roy McClure, Rodney and his wife, Doreen (Cimrhakl) McClure; 6 grandchildren, Danielle (Kyle) Moseman, Cody McClure, Danyce (Luke) Stulc, Quentin McClure, Denae McClure, and Roddy McClure, as well as 5 great-grandchildren.



Pallbearers are Roddy McClure, Quentin McClure, Roy Koch, Jim Pearson, Chuck LaFountain and Jake Cummens. Honorary pallbearers are Dan Cimrhakl, Eric McCollum, Raymond Koch, Foy McCollum, and all of David’s coffee buddies.



In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation, American Legion in Lewistown, MT; or to a charity of your choice. Visitation will be held Friday, July 8, at 10am at Cloyd Funeral Home in Lewistown. Funeral services will follow at 1pm on July 8 at Cloyd Funeral Home. Interment will take place at Central Montana Memorial Gardens with military honors. Online condolences may be shared at www.cloydfuneralhome.com.