David W. McClure

Dr. McClure was a very nice man, but a very, VERY difficult professor. Yowzaa. His way of teaching PChem was like nothing I ever saw at other schools. He was friends with my dentist, who spoke very highly of him as a squash player. He was definitely a "fixture" of the PSU chem department. Sorry to hear of his passing. I'm an organic chemist...physical chemistry was never my favorite subject. But as McClure said in class, "Pchem is just rite of passage for most people. Most of you won't go...

Dear Cheryl & Family My Most Humble Condolences!! While viewing an old OPB program last night on "Climbing Mt. Hood", a picture of David (or Dr. McClure, as I always addressed him) popped up in regards to the 1986 Mt. Hood rescue. Curious, I Googled David and found his Obit and discovered I had missed his 'Celebration of Life' by 5 days. My sincere apologizes for not being able to share some joyful and appreciative antidotes. As my Boss and mentor, David opened doors for me and expanded...

Thanks to everyone who has posted their memories of David. It is so heart warming to hear your remembrance of my husband.

Dr. McClure was my graduate advisor. We also worked together on updating the P-Chem lab by introducing computers (time share via OSU). He would come over quite often to Dr. Gard's lab (next door) and visit. He was one of my favorite professors! Tom Brandt

I met David when I started fifth grade on a little island in the southernmost part of the Territory of Alaska. That was at the White Cliff School in Ketchikan. Both of our houses were next door to the Tongass National Forest, so we had ample opportunity to spend many hours hiking and beachcombing. David and I attended many classes together and graduated from KAYHI in 1954. He went on to continue his schooling at WSU, while I went to the University of Washington to study fisheries science....

I remember Dr McClure's many amusing sayings in my course of Thermodynamics at PSU. He made a difficult course more fun. Sorry to hear of his passing.

I am a former student. In 1969 Dr. McClure took on chemistry's ultimate challenge, trying to teach thermodynamics to that Gerlach kid. I am sure that his recent passing created a ripple in spacetime. How else can one explain the unexpected recent occurrence of memories from 1969 and thermodynamics. I thought it would be a good idea to look up Dave on my next trip to Oregon and tell him that he really did succeed as a teacher. With regret that will never happen. We did meet a few times...

I had Dr. McClure for p-chem, my senior year at PSU, in 1971. He was an excellent educator, presenting a rigorous course of instruction, while holding the interest of his students.