William Henry McClure, age 83 of Malvern, died Saturday, July 14, 2007 at his residence. He was born on March 18, 1924 in Mountain Home, Arkansas to the late Thomas Henry and Edith Sanford McClure. Reared and receiving his early education in Mountain Home, he later attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. Henry was a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He moved to Malvern in 1952 and, along with his brother George, co-founded McClure Real Estate, McClure Title and Abstract Co., and Southern Credit Corporation, the latter of which grew into Southern State Bank. Henry was a longtime civic leader. He was a member of the local industrial development corporation and had been active in the Malvern Lions Club. Henry was also a member of the First United Methodist Church. He was the widower of the late Maurice Pickens McClure.

He is survived by his children, Peggy and her husband Lee McElroy of Dallas, Texas; Paula and her husband Kent Middleton of Benton, Arkansas; Todd Carroll of Fort Mohave, Arizona; Linda Morgan, and Susan and her husband Alan Padgett, all of Little Rock; by a sister, Glenna Sue and her husband Charles Foresythe of Selmer, Tennessee; by six grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Henry was also preceded in death by two brothers, T. H. McClure and George L. McClure, Sr., and by a granddaughter, Kelly Padgett.

His funeral will be held at eleven o'clock Wednesday morning, July 18, 2007, in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church with the Reverend J. Stephen Wingo officiating. A visitation will immediately follow the service in the church fellowship hall. Henry will be interred on the family plot in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be James Batts, Danny Riggan, Mike Rimmer, Layne Sparks, Don Walsh, and Ron Malnar.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Endowment Fund of First United Methodist Church, 127 East Page Avenue, Malvern, Arkansas 72104.

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