Elmo M. Clemente

KINGSTON — Elmo M. Clemente, of Kingston, passed away on March 9, 2018.

Born on May 23, 1922, he grew up in the Heights section of Wilkes-Barre. He was the son of the late Silvio and Angeline Clemente. He graduated from GAR High School Class of 1940, where he excelled in basketball and baseball.

He graduated with an academic and athletic scholarship from Bucknell University Junior College in 1942 where he received a two-year degree in electrical engineering. While at Bucknell Junior College, he received the Fitzgerald Award designating him as the most outstanding athlete of the year. In basketball, he was placed by the vote of the coaches as one of the forwards on the All Star team of the Northeast Pennsylvania Basketball League.

He continued his education at Drexel University. While at Drexel, he decided to leave school to serve our country. He joined the Navy as an apprentice seaman and was discharged as a Lieutenant, serving as an executive officer aboard the LSM 246 during the invasion of Okinawa in the South Pacific. He was awarded the following medals: Navy Occupation Service Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, and Expert Pistol Award. In addition, while in the Navy Reserve, he was recalled to active duty as an officer during the Korean War. He served in active duty in Newport, Rhode Island, during the conflict.

After World War II, he returned to the area and continued his education at Bucknell Junior College (subsequently Wilkes University) where he received a degree in Commerce and Finance in 1948 from Bucknell University.

He subsequently passed the CPA exam in 1956 and co-founded the accounting firm of Snyder & Clemente in 1958. He served as President of the Northeast Chapter of PICPA in 1966. He was elected to Council of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and served on the executive committee. In 1980, he was appointed by Governor Thornburg to the State Board of Accountants. He was reappointed to a second term where he served as chairman of the board.

He was a member of the Board of Directors of Franklin First Savings & Loan, which subsequently merged into M&T Bank. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Mercy Hospital of Wilkes-Barre (Treasurer), St. Stanislaus Medical Care Center (Treasurer), United Health and Hospital Services Inc. (Treasurer), Catholic Social Services of Luzerne County and Scranton Diocese School Board. He was also on the President's Council of College Misericordia and King's College Century Club. He was an honorary member of Wilkes-Barre Council 302, Knights of Columbus and Bishop Hafey Assembly 4th Degree.

He enjoyed golfing at Fox Hill Country Club where he was a member for 55 years, as well as Olde Hickory Golf Club in Fort Myers, Fla., where he was a member for almost 20 years.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Teresa Johns Clemente, and his five sons, Nicholas and his wife, Joanie, Robert, Stephen and his wife, Theresa, James and his wife, Mary Lou, and Thomas and his wife, Shirley. He is also survived by his three grandchildren, Michael, Jeffrey and his wife, Laura, and Carly. He loved his grandchildren and they put a smile on his face. He is also survived by his great-grandson, Luke.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers, Patrick and Nicholas, and sister, Louise.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Ignatius Church at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Family and friends are asked to go directly to the church. Interment with full military honors will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Township. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Hugh B. Hughes & Son Inc. Funeral Home, 1044 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

For more information or to send the family an online condolence, visit the funeral home website at hughbhughes.com.