Don Clugston, age 92, died peacefully on Aug. 30, 2024, at the Linda E. White Hospice in Evansville, IN, due to complications from congestive heart failure and leukemia.
Don was born in McCune, KS at the family’s farmhouse to Arthur and Rosa (nee McCloud) Clugston. He attended school in McCune. It was during those school years that he met, dated and later married Leeta (nee Frame) Clugston, his wife of 64 years. Don was preceded in death by Leeta, his parents, his infant brother Kenneth, and his older brothers Val and Roland.
Survivors include his son Scott of Minneapolis, MN, daughter Dawn (George) Moore of Newburgh, IN, grandson Matt Moore of South Weymouth, MA, granddaughter Mariah Moore of St. Petersburg, FL, sister Betty Krone of Jackson, TN, three first cousins, and eight nieces and nephews.
Don served overseas in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Don’s career after the war was in coal mining. Don joined Pittsburg & Midway Coal Company as a young man and worked his way up the ranks. Don’s work assignments were in West Mineral, KS, Madisonville, KY and Gallup, NM. Don retired as a production manager from Chevron Corporation after 36 years of service. Don and Leeta then moved to Tucson, AZ and later to Henderson, NV. They enjoyed living in the southwestern U.S. for 33 years. Don moved to Newburgh, IN following Leeta’s death.
During their years in Kansas and Kentucky, Don and Leeta were foster parents to 27 children.
As a young man Don avidly played high school sports including football, basketball and baseball for the McCune Eagles. Don’s other interests later included working in his strawberry patches, swimming, reading thousands of murder mysteries and westerns, playing cards, and walking. Don had a magnetic personality, was a good friend to many, and enjoyed visiting with and helping friends and neighbors. Don was a proud veteran and a member of the VFW, American Legion and the United Methodist Church. His greatest joy was time spent with his grandson and granddaughter; he was an immensely proud Papa to Matt, Mariah and their accomplishments.
A graveside remembrance will be held at the McCune, KS Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at 11 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or the McCune Osage Township Library.
