LaVerne S. McClellan

Our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother passed away December 18, 2011 at the age of 101. She was born November 9, 1910 to the late Oresta Ray and Edna Maurine (Palmer) Haymond in Kansas City, Kansas. The family moved to Balboa Panama in the Panama Canal Zone in 1911 and then to Flint in 1918. LaVerne and her older sister Mildred began performing on the Vaudeville circuit dancing on stage in Detroit, Chicago, New York and many other stops along the way. They became known as “The Haymond Sisters” in an act with the Ziegfeld Follies for about six years. LaVerne was united in marriage to Ervin (Mac) McClellan of Flint in 1933. They moved to Saginaw in 1936 and raised their children. In 1950 she started a ceramics business and also worked in her husband’s business, MAC Distributing. She was a member of the Saginaw Country Club, the Pioneer Club, Eastern Star and Second Presbyterian Church. She retired to Florida in 1983 and was a member of the Boca Club in Boca Raton, Florida. In 2007 LaVerne moved back to Saginaw to be with her children.Surviving are her daughter and son, Rebecca (Todge) Peckham of Saginaw and Jim (Helen) McClellan of Saginaw; five grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; 18 great-great grandchildren; daughter-in-law Sue McClellan of Indianapolis; and many nieces and nephews and their families. She was predeceased by her husband Ervin; son Tom McClellan; grandson Jeff McClellan; great-great grandson Brady Dancer; and three sisters, Pauline, Mildred, and Betty.A memorial service will take place 11AM Thursday December 22, 2011 at Oakwood Mausoleum. Arrangements entrusted to Reitz Herzberg Funeral Home. To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of LaVerne McClellan, please visit our Tribute Store.