Clarence R. Mckeel

All who knew Clarence McKeel would agree that life was better simply because he was here. From the moment he was born, life was not easy for him, but Clarence was a fighter who didnt let trying circumstances get the best of him. When Clarence loved someone, he did so with his whole heart and in his book, there was nothing better than family. With his deep southern roots, Clarence was an Elvis fan through and through whose extensive collection of memorabilia from The King was one of his most treasured possessions. In his own special way, Clarence greatly impacted the lives of all those placed in his path and will be deeply missed by many. With the end of WWII in 1945, America was moving forward at an unprecedented rate as a nation at peace. The first prefab houses were appearing in neighborhoods in order to solve housing shortages that were appearing from coast to coast. Although these houses were not of the highest quality, they did enable young couples to purchase a home in which to raise their family as the baby boom was underway. It was within this vibrant time that there was great cause for celebration in the family of Clarence Richard and Juanita (Jensen) McKeel since it was on April 28, 1948, that they welcomed the birth of their son, Clarence Richard. Clarence was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as the first of six children in his family. His parents had quite a scare right from the time he was born as he was born with Rh incompatibility in relation to his mother, which had only been a diagnosed condition for less than 10 years at that time. Known as a blue baby because of his condition, Clarence was given transfusions and not expected to live but a few hours. Although his condition became worse over time, Clarence proved his diagnosis incorrect and continued to live for many years. His father was a butcher who wrote country songs and also played back-up for Elvis for a time while his mother was a homemaker. Clarence lived with his family until 1954 when he was placed in Lapeer State Home. He then moved around to different foster homes and other facilities for the disabled and mentally challenged over the years. Since June of 2008, Clarence had been living at De Boer Nursing Home, which later became Lakewood Nursing Home in Muskegon. The family lost contact with Clarence for 49 years after his parents divorced, and his mother moved to Detroit and later remarried. Contact was renewed in 2004 and Clarence couldnt have been happier. He was absolutely delighted to travel to Tennessee to visit with his family for two days. This family reunion took place first at the Lookout Valley Cracker Barrel where he dined with his sisters and brothers, Bobbie, Richard, Chris, David, and Herbert. At that time, Clarence turned to his sister, Chris, and told her that he loved her and then he turned to his other sister, Bobbie, and told her the very same thing. He had a great time going various places in Tennessee and taking many pictures to chronicle his adventures. As an Elvis fan, Clarence was thrilled to visit Graceland, but he was deeply saddened to learn on this same trip that his father had died. His family took him to visit his fathers grave at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga as he was a WWII veteran. With a great desire to have Clarence nearby, the family entertained the possibility of moving him to a facility in Tennessee, but due to Clarences medical condition and financial constraints, this was not able to become a reality. Clarence continued to stay in touch with his family, however, sending cards, notes, and pictures to them. There were so many things that Clarence enjoyed throughout his life. He loved watching Elvis movies and collecting Elvis memorabilia as well. Clarence enjoyed watching action themed movies and television shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger. He also enjoyed watching sports, especially wrestling. Halloween was his favorite time of year since he loved dressing up and handing out candy to the kids who came by. Clarence liked looking at old cars and going to car shows. In countless ways, Clarence brought so much joy to those around him. Although his hearing was poor, the staff at the nursing home was able to communicate with him well, and they fully appreciated him for who he was. His co-guardians, Linda Fay Carter and Karen Williams from MOKA, were of great assistance to him and they, along with the entire staff at Lakewood, loved him dearly. Clarence had a great sense of humor and when he was in a good mood, he was known to initiate teasing and joking around with those who were caring for him. Clarence McKeel was one of lifes greatest teachers who taught us to value family as a priceless treasure. He was loving and good natured, someone who liked to bring laughter to those around him. Clarence loved unconditionally and without demanding anything in return. A true gift to his family, friends, and caregivers, he will be dearly missed, warmly remembered, and laid to rest with his father in Tennessee. Clarence McKeel died on November 21, 2010. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Homes - Muskegon, MI with visitation 1 hour prior. His brothers and sisters will have a graveside service for him in Tennessee at a later date. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or photo or sign the online guestbook.