Shari LaRue McClendon

Shari LaRue Fulmer McClendon left her incredible life on this earth in Oklahoma City on Friday, November 7, 2014. She was born in Oklahoma City on April 1, 1952, and graduated from Northwest Classen High School in 1969. She then attended Wake Forest University and went on to graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma. On August 7, 1976, Shari married James (Jimmy) McClendon Jr. at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. The marriage was blessed with three miracle children. Shari later discovered that her health condition should have been fatal each time she gave birth. Shari was an excellent scuba diver, water skier and snow skier. Her other many talents included glass work, sewing, embroidery and serving her church in Catholic Daughters of America and the Altar Society. She served her community as president of the Okmulgee Service League, chairman of the Follies and founding board member of Marion Academy. Shari worked as a registered nurse with both Okmulgee Rehabilitation and the Department of Human Services. She was involved in the family funeral home business and owned and operated Martin Monument Company for eleven years. In 1993, Shari was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension that was caused by a heart defect that she had since birth. At the time Pulmonary Hypertension was relatively unknown. Doctors told Shari that she had fourteen months to live at most. Clearly, they underestimated her. She was cared for by wonderful doctors, nurses, hospitals and an incredible palliative care team. The fourteen month prediction did not take into account her extraordinary determination to see her children graduate from high school and college, marry incredible spouses and have grandchildren. Shari was preceded in death by her parents, Donald Fulmer and Janie Martin Fulmer Parmley, brother Marty Fulmer, grandparents Roy and Ethel Martin, George and Eunice Fulmer and aunt Joyce Arrington. Survivors include her loving husband Jim McClendon, daughter Brooke and husband Jake Burks of Oklahoma City, daughter Marcy and husband Trey Butler of Manhattan, Kansas, son James E. McClendon III (Trey) and wife Jessica of Denver, Colorado, granddaughter Suttyn Brooke Butler of Manhattan, Kansas, dad Jerry Parmley of Houston, Texas, uncle Bob Arrington of Sulphur, Oklahoma, aunt Jane and uncle Joe B. Mauldin of Nashville, Tennessee, cousins Gina Starr and Jill Centala and a host of very special people that she called friends. Visitation will be on Wednesday, November 12, from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home. Her family will be available at the funeral home from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Okmulgee. Rev. Joshua E. Litwack, Celebrant. Interment will follow in the Okmulgee Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Dr. Randy Hess, Terry Moore, Nevyle Cable, Burl Butler, Jr., Bill Barksdale, Gene Lewellen, Fred Harlan, and Fred Burks. Honorary Pallbearers will be Jason Winters, Donna Prior, Larry Biddle, Jeff Rogers and Gerald Thompson. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the following: • Pulmonary Hypertension Association: 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 1000 Silver Spring, MD 20910 • St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church: P.O. Box 698 Okmulgee, OK 74447 Arrangements are under the direction of the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Okmulgee. Memories, condolences, photos and videos may be shared with the family on Shari’s Tribute Page of our website at www.mcclendon-winters.com

Shari LaRue McClendon

April 1, 1952 - November 7, 2014