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John Edward McClure, Ph.D., of Charleston, West Virginia, died Monday, September 14, 2026, at the age of 87. Born June 17, 1939, at Marietta, Ohio, he was the son of C. I. McClure and Helen Cottle McClure. He had one sister, Jean McClure Creswick. She and her husband Fred Creswick are also deceased.
Growing up in Marietta, John attended public schools and graduated from Marietta High School. He graduated from Marietta College with a major in chemistry and minors in mathematics and business administration. He began his career as a chemist/metallurgist at the Republic Steel Corporation in Independence, Ohio. He later decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a science teacher. He taught chemistry and mathematics at Marietta High School while working on a master's degree at Ohio University. At the invitation of his adviser, he pursued a doctorate, a program which he largely designed for himself in educational research. At Ohio, he was elected to Kappa Delta Pi (education honorary) and Phi Kappa Phi (scholastic honorary).
Upon graduation, John joined the West Virginia Department of Education, where he was employed for 25 years. His first title was consultant, and he left the department as Director of Research and Director of Technology and Information Systems. He was the first chair of the Interagency Technology Council. He ended his career with the state of West Virginia as Senior Technology Officer in the Governor's Office of Technology. He maintained membership in Phi Delta Kappa and the American Educational Research Association.
Around the time he retired, he discovered his passion for genealogy. The early years were spent doing field work, but more recently he has relied on the computer for obtaining and organizing information. He has assisted numerous people in their genealogical endeavors and given seminars on using DNA data to locate relatives. He has maintained a large database of settlers of Washington County, Ohio.
After college, John married Patricia Richards, who survives. He is also survived by his niece Kristen Creswick McBride and her husband Mark and his nephew Kirk Creswick and his wife Vallerie and their respective families. He enjoyed referring to Kris as "my niece, the rocket scientist." Kirk has developed an interest in genealogy and perhaps has taken his research to greater heights than John. Pat's nieces and nephews (Virginia Richards Flagg, Steven Richards, William Richards, Jane Richards Cook, and Joseph Richards; Carolyn Bleakley Ohlson, Mary
Bleakley, and John Bleakley; Cynthia Richards Prince, David Richards, and Sandra Martin Knipp) survive with their respective families. Niece Janet Martin Ewing is deceased.
The family would like to thank the many friends and neighbors (too many to identify, but you know who you are) who have performed acts of kindness during John's illness. However, Pat would like to extend a special thank you to the paramedics at the Charleston Fire Department and to the Hubbard Hospice House.
No services will be held, but there will be a visitation from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on October 3 at McClure-Schafer-Lankford Funeral Home in Marietta, Ohio, 314 Fourth Street, Marietta, OH 45750.
If you feel so inclined to make a memorial donation in John's honor, the family asks that you consider the Dr. Phillip Thornton Scholarship Fund. Given John's long-standing interest in education, these scholarships, which benefit students from Boone County, are a fitting tribute. The fund is housed in the Boone County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 695, Madison, WV 25130, and administered by the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com.
Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home in Charleston, West Virginia, has been entrusted with the cremation arrangements and first visitation. McClure-Schafer-Lankford Funeral Home in Marietta, Ohio, will host the final public visitation.