Clegg Milton Furr

Clegg Milton Furr, son of the late Bruce Cyrus Furr and Jennie Crayton Furr, was born January 4, 1924, in Oakboro, NC and passed away peacefully on February 28, 2017, at the age of 93. He will be remembered for devotion to his family, God, country and community. A man of great kindness, intelligence, honesty, and abiding integrity, he will live forever in the hearts of his family. Clegg was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Melvin Garren Furr, Earl Paul Furr, and Aleene Noel Furr Smith; and his infant son, Paul Cyrus Furr. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Jane Bullock Furr; his three children: Clegg Donald “Don” Furr (Kathy) of Costa Mesa, CA; Jane Elizabeth “Beth” Furr, of Durham, NC; and Alice Furr Carnes (Glenn) of Powder Springs, GA; his grandchildren, Nicole Michelle Furr Schreiner (Ryan) of Birmingham, AL; Dylan Nathaniel Furr of Costa Mesa, CA; Meredith Lynne Carnes Johnson (Nick) of Lancaster, SC; Lauren Michelle Carnes of Powder Springs, GA; and one great-grandchild, Jolene Frey Johnson of Lancaster, SC. Clegg grew up in Oakboro, NC and often told stories about playing cowboy with his beloved black and white pony, Dot. Always the entrepreneur, while in grammar school, he had 100 chicken hens and sold the eggs for spending money; had 80 rabbit boxes and would ride his pony Dot around before daylight, checking the traps with a flash light and then dress the four or five rabbits each day and sell them for 10 to 15 cents each before going to school. He also delivered newspapers. He used the money raised for the upkeep of the Little League Oakboro Baseball team, buying the equipment as well as the gasoline to go to the games nearby, and even paid a salary to some of the more talented boys to entice them to play. He was always an excellent student, especially in mathematics and chemistry. He graduated from the eleventh grade at Oakboro High School, the highest grade level there at the time, and then the twelfth grade at Albemarle High School. He enrolled at NC State University in the fall of 1941 to pursue ceramic engineering. One year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he volunteered for the US Army on December 7, 1942, and was called for active duty in the spring of 1943. He was sent by the military for specialized training at Washington and Lee University and to Virginia Military Institute where he finished as a Cadet Captain, ranked third in his class in advanced electrical engineering. He served for three years in the US Army in Brussels, Belgium and Frankfurt, Germany, with the Second Military Railway Headquarters as clerk secretary and later Staff Sergeant to Adjutant Colonel James W. Conway and General Burpee. He often recounted stories of meeting General Patton and other military leaders. For his military service, he received the Meritorious Unit Award, EAME Service Medal with two bronze stars (Rhineland, Germany campaign), American Theater Service Medal, Medal of Good Conduct, and WW II Victory Medal. Clegg re-entered NC State University in the fall of 1946, graduating in June 1948 with a degree in ceramic engineering and a member of the National Honor Society of Keramos. He worked for 40 years at Kendrick Brick Tile, Monroe, NC, which later merged with Boren Clay Products. He learned the brick manufacturing business from the ground up, finally retiring as plant manager on February 1, 1989. Clegg married the love of his life, Jane, on August 18, 1956. He often said he was blessed with a wonderful family and a long, happy marriage. His hobbies were history, especially the Revolutionary and Civil War; playing tennis and bridge in his younger years; making grandfather clocks of walnut for each of his three children; traveling all over the world and all 50 US states; and genealogy. He researched and authored The Carolina Furr Family History, published in 2010. He also wrote a history of brick making in NC for the NC Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill, and contributed to the Encyclopedia of North Carolina. He was a dedicated supporter of his son Don’s involvement in the Boy Scouts of America, serving as Assistant Boy Scout Manager of Monroe Troop 76, and past District Camping Chairman of the Central NC Council. For his contributions to scouting, he was honored with induction in the Order of the Arrow and received a plaque recognizing his leadership. He was also a dedicated, active member of the Monroe Lions Club for about 60 years, renowned for his amazing ability to sell brooms. Clegg completed the Executive Training Program in Modern Business with honors from the Alexander Hamilton Institute Program, and graduated from the Dale Carnegie public speaking course. He was also a past licensed NC Real Estate Broker. He represented the Boren Clay Products Company at the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, was a member of the Mecklenburg/Union County United Way Program, past member of the Albemarle NC American Legion Unit and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Clegg was a faithful member of First Presbyterian Church, Monroe, NC, where he was a Deacon, Elder, Superintendent of the Sabbath School, Elementary School Chairman, teacher of the Youth Senior Class, and member of the Sanctuary Building Committee. The family will receive friends at First Presbyterian Church, Monroe, NC in Room 200 on Saturday, March 4, 2017, from 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm prior to a 2:30 pm memorial service at the Church. Burial with military honors will follow at Lakeland Memorial Park, Lancaster Avenue, Monroe, NC. Special thanks to Drs. Michael R. O’Neill, Steven Haigler, William Lester, Gregory Brouse, and Steve Patty, for their caring medical services. Flowers are welcomed. Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 302 East Windsor Street, Monroe, NC 28112, or the charity of the donor’s choice. “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your master’s happiness.” (Matt. 25:21).