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Joseph Stuart "Joe" Clements

1936 - 2015

Joseph Stuart "Joe" Clements obituary, 1936-2015, Huntsville, TX

BORN

1936

DIED

2015

FUNERAL HOME

Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home - Huntsville

1700 Normal Park Dr.

Huntsville, Texas

Joseph Clements Obituary

Joseph Stuart "Joe" Clements
1936-2015
Joe Clements, son of O.J. "Jubilo" Clements and Hazel Peil Clements, was called home by his Lord and Savior on May 4, 2015.
Born July 14, 1936 in Nacogdoches, Texas, Joe Clements spent the majority of his youth in Houston before moving to Huntsville, Texas in junior high where he went on to become a multi-sport star at Huntsville High School and led the Hornets to victory in the 2A state football championship as quarterback in 1953.
Joe Clements later spent two years as the starting quarterback at The University of Texas where he led the Southwest Conference in Passing Completions and Completion Percentage as well as finishing 7th in the nation in those categories in 1956. He also held the Texas Longhorn record for most passes completed in a game for 25 years.
Upon graduation and in storybook fashion, the quarterback married Jill Adrian McMurry, daughter of John William McMurry, Jr. (Swede) and Amy Adrian McMurry on August 8, 1959, the first female head cheerleader in the history of The University of Texas, and began 55 years of life together. He began his professional career in education as history teacher and coach in Houston Independent School District.
Joe Clements' head coaching career spanned 27 years beginning at Robert E. Lee High School in Houston in 1967 where his team won what was known as the city championship in 1971. After three years at King High School in Kingsville, where he was Head Football Coach and Athletic Director, his alma mater called, and he returned to Huntsville in 1975 to begin a highly successful career in his hometown.
Coach Clements compiled a 222-76-6 record, including a 170-44-3 record at Huntsville. His Huntsville years included 51 straight district victories, a 4A record that stood for 16 years. His teams maintained a consistent level of excellence. During those 27 years as a head coach, his teams made the playoffs 18 times. During most of his years as a coach, only one team per district was eligible for playoffs until 1986 when Huntsville was moved up to 5A for the last eight seasons of his career. Despite the move up in classification, Coach Clements' teams made the playoffs in 14 of his 19 years there and never had a losing record.
Throughout those years, his loving wife Jill was the rock of his family, helping to shepherd their children to the highest of their individual potentials even in the face of the demands on a Texas high school football coach and his wife while also introducing thousands of children to the joys of music in Huntsville schools. A fixture on the front row of Hornet football games, Jill Clements was a tireless leader and supporter of school and community spirit during his time as coach there.
Coach Clements' coaching tenure at Huntsville was highlighted by his guidance of the 1980 Hornets to the 4A state championship becoming the first person to lead the same high school team as a quarterback and later head coach to state championships in Texas football history.
Coach Clements' honors have included being selected as one of six coaches by the Houston Chronicle as Coach of the Decade for the 1980's, chosen as 4A Coach of the Year by the Texas Sports Writers Association with the approval of the Texas High School Coaches Association in 1981, and honored as a charter member in the initial class of inductees to the Greater Houston Area Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 1992.
Coach Clements' contributions to the Texas High School Coaches Association and the coaching profession include various lectures around the state of Texas about the Huntsville passing game, (He is often cited along with Sonny Detmer as one of the coaches to bring the modern passing game to Texas in the 80's, and his various lectures helped to change offensive philosophy at many schools during that era), coaching the South All-Stars to a 16-14 victory in the North-South game at the 1983 Texas High School Coaches Association Convention and Coaching School, and helping to bring the Texas version of American football to an international audience after his retirement by taking Texas All-Star teams to Australia for the annual Down Under Bowl which he won each time.
Though Coach Clements has coached many players who went on to have successful college and professional careers in football, it was his impact as a leader and teacher of young men that the Huntsville Independent School District had in mind when they named the Huntsville High School Fieldhouse after him on Joe Clements Day on August 29, 2004. Recognized by the Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellow, he also received the Huntsville-Walker County Chamber of Commerce Mance Park Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, and was an initial inductee into the Huntsville High School Hall of Honor in 2009.
Coach Clements was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas in 2010.
In retirement, Joe Clements' life was dominated by the bond with his daughter "Little" Jill and his careful attention to her particular needs. It was said that you never saw Coach Clements in the community without her, and his obvious love for her invited an entire city's caring and support. Huntsville rallied around her the way they had rallied around his teams. Joe Clements always had a way of bringing the community together, no matter the size of the stage.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jill Clements; daughter, Jill Adrian Clements, and sons Joseph Stuart Clements Jr. (Jay) and wife Ann Prewitt Clements; John Steven Clements (Steve) and wife Emily Taylor Stephens Clements and their children, Adelyn Taylor, Nina Elizabeth, Ethan John, and Zackary Joseph; Chad Scott Clements (Chuck) and wife Sally Needham Clements and their daughter, Charley Elizabeth.
He is survived by his sister, Jane Clements Monday and her husband Dr. Charles W. Monday Jr., and their children Dr. Kimberly Elizabeth Monday and Dr. Lauren Marangell and their twins, Elizabeth Marangell and Jonathan Marangell Monday; Julie Monday Ballard and husband Buddie C. Ballard and their children Sarah Cloys, Benjamin Charles and Samuel Clements Ballard; Jennifer Monday Goldman and husband Adam Goldman and their children Anne Elizabeth, Caroline Jane, and Charles Jacob Goldman.
He is also survived by his brother-in-law, John William McMurry III (Jack), his wife, Irmalea and their children.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Huntsville High School's Paul Bohan Hornet Gymnasium. The family will receive visitors from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home in Huntsville.
In lieu of flowers and other customary remembrances, the family requests donations be made to the Joe Clements Memorial Fund established at the First National Bank of Huntsville, 1300 11th Street, Huntsville, Texas 77340.
Memorial condolences may be made to the family at www.shmfh.com.
Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home - Huntsville, 936-291-7300

Published by Houston Chronicle on May 8, 2015.
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5 Entries

RE Lee - All City Team 1972. Kicked me off the team for my wanting to spend more time with my girlfriend than with the team. Saw him in Conroe Texas one Sunday after church 2 years ago. I thanked him for booting me off the team, his discipline, and his leadership. I am confident he had great parents, and I envy his children. This is Man of God. I am a better man that our paths crossed.

Ben Gervais

May 11, 2015

Condolences to the Clements Family. My God continue to Bless and Keep You.

Barbara Caine

May 10, 2015

I worked with Joe Clements at Robert E. Lee Senior high in Houston. He was a real gentleman. In 1956, Joe was the quarterback at Texas when I was a senior at Texas A&M. The Aggies beat Texas for the very first time in Austin that year. I joked with Joe about that and he always took it well. I could not have worked with a nicer person than Joe. I am so sorry for his loss, and send my condolences to his family.

Joel Harrell

May 8, 2015

Dear Mrs. Clements and family,
It is a sad day indeed. Please accept my sincere condolences. I was a proud senior member of the '71 Robert E. Lee team which Coach Clements lead and molded into a winning team. Over my 3 years at REL and beyond I have had no greater respect for any educator I ever met, except my father. Of all the memories I have of Coach Clements, the one I think of most frequently and with a smile on my face is Coach walking the practice field during drills, deep in thought and bouncing the football off the turf and back into his hand, I never saw him miss. I can still hear his voice from the first time he saw me snap the long ball before a practice 45 years ago. I still have the utmost respect and admiration for that man today.

Tommy Waldmann

May 8, 2015

My family joines me in prayer for the loss of Joe Clements. May God be with you during this difficult time.

Art, Jeannine, Barbara, Timothy. and Brenda Jacoby

May 8, 2015

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May

8

Service

4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home - Huntsville

1700 Normal Park Dr., Huntsville, TX 77340

May

9

Service

3:00 p.m.

Huntsville High School's Paul Bohan Hornet Gymnasium

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Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home - Huntsville

1700 Normal Park Dr., Huntsville, TX 77340

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