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Clair Eldon McKinnis

Birth
Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska, USA
Death
2 Mar 2020 (aged 89)
Blair, Washington County, Nebraska, USA
Burial
Blair, Washington County, Nebraska, USA Add to Map
Plot
Block 117, Lot 40, Space 6
Memorial ID
View Source
Clair Eldon McKinnis, 88

January 5, 1931 ~ March 2, 2020

Clair was born January 5, 1931 to Clarence and Ruth (Marr) McKinnis.

After graduation he married his high school sweetheart, Gwen Sass. They were blessed with four children and 65 years together.

A skilled mason, Clair worked for Korshoj Construction until striking out on his own and forming McKinnis Construction.

He was a model of what it means to live a life of service to others, most obviously shown by his active role in the Blair Fire and Rescue Squad. He joined the fire department in 1954 and was active more than 60 years. Clair was a charter member of Blair Rescue Squad, which formed in 1964. Following his actions during a fire at a Blair home, he was awarded the Knights of Aksarben’s Heroism Award in 1978.

Clair’s faith was very important to him, both he and Gwen were active and devoted members of County Bible Church.

Through the years, he was a steadfast attendee of countless Little League games, birthday parties and family outings. Later in life, you could often find Clair working hard on a puzzle or gathered around a game table with his closest friends. Quick to pick up on the small, funny aspects of life, his sense of humor was always on display during a hand of Euchre or game of dominoes.

Clair McKinnis of Blair, NE, passed away March 2, 2020.

Clair was preceded in death by his parents; sister Lorraine; wife Gwen; son Danny and daughter Lori.

Left to honor his memory are his sister Hazel Adams, brother Leroy McKinnis, sisters-in-law Lucille Ryan and Wanda Sass; daughter Lana (Pat) Thompson, son Dave (Kathy) McKinnis, son-in-law Tim Svendgard; eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, March 7 at Country Bible Church. Visitation will be held Friday, March 6 with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 PM at Campbell Aman Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Country Bible Church, Blair Fire Department or the Blair Rescue Squad.

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home in service to the family.

Funeral Leaflet

In Loving Memory of Clair Eldon McKinnis
Born January 5, 1931 Tekamah, Nebraska ~ Entered Into Rest March 2, 2020 Blair, Nebraska

Funeral Services 10:30 AM Saturday, March 7, 2020 Country Bible Church, Blair, Nebraska. Officiating: Pastor Chuck Larsen. Vocalist: Christie Smith. Musical Selections: “Amazing Grace”, “My Tribute”

Pallbearers: Brady Svendgard, Travis Svendgard, Brock Thompson, Kiley Krocak, Jamie Cueva, Jeremy McKinnis, Bobby McKinnis, Bryan McKinnis

Graveside Service: Blair Cemetery, Blair, Nebraska

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska; tribute below on Facebook (FB)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

loved him he was so good to me and was a believer in Jesus Christ RIP my friend--Bill Briggs, FB
Clair Eldon McKinnis, 88

January 5, 1931 ~ March 2, 2020

Clair was born January 5, 1931 to Clarence and Ruth (Marr) McKinnis.

After graduation he married his high school sweetheart, Gwen Sass. They were blessed with four children and 65 years together.

A skilled mason, Clair worked for Korshoj Construction until striking out on his own and forming McKinnis Construction.

He was a model of what it means to live a life of service to others, most obviously shown by his active role in the Blair Fire and Rescue Squad. He joined the fire department in 1954 and was active more than 60 years. Clair was a charter member of Blair Rescue Squad, which formed in 1964. Following his actions during a fire at a Blair home, he was awarded the Knights of Aksarben’s Heroism Award in 1978.

Clair’s faith was very important to him, both he and Gwen were active and devoted members of County Bible Church.

Through the years, he was a steadfast attendee of countless Little League games, birthday parties and family outings. Later in life, you could often find Clair working hard on a puzzle or gathered around a game table with his closest friends. Quick to pick up on the small, funny aspects of life, his sense of humor was always on display during a hand of Euchre or game of dominoes.

Clair McKinnis of Blair, NE, passed away March 2, 2020.

Clair was preceded in death by his parents; sister Lorraine; wife Gwen; son Danny and daughter Lori.

Left to honor his memory are his sister Hazel Adams, brother Leroy McKinnis, sisters-in-law Lucille Ryan and Wanda Sass; daughter Lana (Pat) Thompson, son Dave (Kathy) McKinnis, son-in-law Tim Svendgard; eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, March 7 at Country Bible Church. Visitation will be held Friday, March 6 with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 PM at Campbell Aman Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Country Bible Church, Blair Fire Department or the Blair Rescue Squad.

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home in service to the family.

Funeral Leaflet

In Loving Memory of Clair Eldon McKinnis
Born January 5, 1931 Tekamah, Nebraska ~ Entered Into Rest March 2, 2020 Blair, Nebraska

Funeral Services 10:30 AM Saturday, March 7, 2020 Country Bible Church, Blair, Nebraska. Officiating: Pastor Chuck Larsen. Vocalist: Christie Smith. Musical Selections: “Amazing Grace”, “My Tribute”

Pallbearers: Brady Svendgard, Travis Svendgard, Brock Thompson, Kiley Krocak, Jamie Cueva, Jeremy McKinnis, Bobby McKinnis, Bryan McKinnis

Graveside Service: Blair Cemetery, Blair, Nebraska

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska; tribute below on Facebook (FB)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

loved him he was so good to me and was a believer in Jesus Christ RIP my friend--Bill Briggs, FB


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