John W. Clingan

John Ward Clingan, 80, of Parsons, passed away at 3:25 a.m., Saturday, January 26, 2018 at Parsons Presbyterian Manor.

He was born on February 21, 1938 in Alluwe, Oklahoma, the middle son of three, to Paul and Violet (Jarrett) Clingan.  John attended Nowata High School, graduating in 1956.

The following August, he married his high school sweetheart, Judith (Judy) Anne Albin.  In March of 1957, the first of their two daughters, Kim, was born.  John attended Independence Community College where he played football.  In 1959 on Labor Day weekend, their daughter Lisa was born.

The 1960s were a busy time for career and family.  John attended classes at Tulsa University while pursuing a career in banking at First National Bank of Tulsa.  Building his career in banking precipitated a move to Enid and then on to Nowata to First National Bank where his father-in-law, H.H. "Bud" Albin was a shareholder and director.  While at First National, John attended and completed the Graduate School of Banking at University of Wisconsin-Madison.  In those years, John was community service oriented and served as the president of Lion's Club, Jaycees, PTA, and the Methodist Men.

In June 1970, John's wife, Judy, passed away unexpectedly, leaving John with two young adolescent daughters.  In 1972, John married Betty Carrington of Nowata and gained a step-son Jeff.  When he and Betty separated in 1974, John and his daughters moved to Tulsa where John took a job at F & M Bank and then later a position at Citizen's Security Bank in Bixby, where he achieved the position of Vice-President.

In 1976, John married Nowata native, Lynn Jackson.  When the marriage ended and John left the bank, he took an accountant position at Class Limited, a workshop for the developmentally disabled.  While living in Columbus, Kansas, he met and married Karen (Lord) Lundblad.  This union brought two more step-children, Mark and Kiersten.  Karen and her son, Mark, were killed by a drunk driver in a tragic a car accident in the summer of 1984.

In the early 1990s, John worked at Walmart in Pittsburg, Kansas where he met Elizabeth Weaver.   When John retired from the cash office at Walmart, he and Elizabeth lived together in her home in Liberal, Missouri, until John's health precipitated a move to Parsons, KS.  Here they could be close to Elizabeth's family.  John and Elizabeth were together for 29 years, most recently living in Parsons at Woodridge Estates until a hospitalization in December.

Although John fought an exhausting battle for his health to the end, he kept his sense of humor, good nature, and strong resolve to live.  Sustained by his purpose to take care of Elizabeth, John did not submit to his failing health until Elizabeth was settled safely into Parsons Presbyterian Manor assisted living.  Only then did he answer the call to join our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is survived by one brother, Jerry Clingan of Topeka, KS; his sister-in-law, Gwen Clingan, of Nowata, OK; his partner Elizabeth Weaver, of Parsons, KS; daughter Kim Fletcher (Mike) of Cody, WY; Elizabeth's daughter, Lori Shaw (Josh) of Parsons, KS; grandsons, Benjamin Fletcher (Tori), Nathan Fletcher (Melissa), and Eric Hanson; Elizabeth's grandsons, Zack and Brogan Shaw; granddaughter Amanda (Hanson) Rodriguez (Aurelio), four nieces, three great-grandchildren, five great-nieces, and three great-nephews.

John was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Wendell Clingan, and his wife Judy; daughter, Lisa (Clingan) Hanson; and nephew, Jarrett Clingan.

Following cremation, memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 2, 2019 at the Parsons Presbyterian Manor chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the National Parkinson Foundation.  These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com .