Vic McClung, 59, died Thursday, March 10, 2011.
A memorial service will be held Sunday at 3:30pm at the Winfield High School auditorium. Directly following the service the family invites friends to join them in the cafeteria for a pork burger feed in Vic’s honor.
Memorials have been established with the following organizations: Grace United Methodist Church, USD 465 Foundation, Cowley County 4-H Foundation, The ALS Association. Donations can be made at the memorial or through the family.
Vic was born September 30, 1951 to Irvin and Gracie McClung. He was a life-long resident of Winfield, KS. Vic attended Tannehill School, a one-room school house, for elementary school. He graduated from Winfield High School with the class of 1969, Cowley Community College in 1971, and Emporia State University where he was a part of the Acacia Fraternity in 1973. ESU is where he met his wife Jan, also from Winfield. They married May 18, 1974.
Vic was a life-long Kansas farmer. He grew up on a family farm where they raised laying hens and cattle, and grew wheat, milo, alfalfa, and hay. He and his brother Jim began their own farming operation in 1970 called McClung Brothers. After Vic finished college, McClung Brothers continued the tradition of being stewards of the land and have farmed in Southern Kansas for over 35 years. Vic’s dedication to farming was evident in the many organizations he belonged to. He was on the executive board of Kellogg Co-op and continued as Kellogg became Valley Co-op. USDA’s Farm Service Agency counted him as a valuable member of the county committee for 23 years. He was a member of Southern Kansas Pork Producers and was active in helping get the buying station established after Ark City Packing Company closed. He was a board member of the Federal Land Bank, who was instrumental in helping farmers purchase land. Vic belonged to Southern Kansas Cotton Growers, the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, and the Cowley County Extension PDC for Ag and Economics. While his four daughters were active in Cowley County 4-H, Vic was also a long-time Community Leader, and County Photography Leader.
Vic’s father, Irvin began selling Dekalb seed in 1953. McClung Brothers were happy to take over the family seed business in 1996 and continue their work with Monsanto seed after they bought Dekalb. Vic and Jim also grow and sell Kansas certified wheat seed with which Vic won Grand Champion prize at the Cowley County Fair’s 2010 Wheat Show with his last wheat harvest.
Vic was a very active member in his community. When he was a young man, he belonged to Jaycee’s. Vic lived in Beaver Township all his life and was a board member for the township for 24 years. Grace United Methodist Church housed his church family where he served on many committees and was the New Beginnings Sunday School Class Leader. He spent the last 9 and a half years as an advocate for students on the Board of Education for Winfield Public Schools, where he served as president for two terms.
Vic was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease in September 2009. He lost his courageous battle with the disease on March 10, 2011. He decided to donate his body to KU medical center for research in hopes to develop treatment and someday a cure for ALS.
Vic was preceded in death by his parents Irvin and Gracie McClung. He is survived by his wife of over 36 years, Jan McClung; daughters, Shannon, Erin, Ashley, and Allison; sons-in-laws, Daniel Goldak and David Hughes; grandson Cameron Goldak; brother Jim McClung and wife Mary; sister Jo Ann Parsons; mother-in-law Margaret Widler; nephews Travis McClung and Brad Strawn; nieces Kerrie Bryant, Jill Daughhetee, Tracy Eberhardt; and many great nieces and nephews.
