Sterling – Lois Wahl McClanathan, 99, passed away suddenly on April 17, 2017, of natural causes at the Retreat at SunRiver in St. George, Utah. She was born in Sterling, on April 11, 1918 — the only child of Russell and Martha Wahl. Lois attended Central School and graduated from Sterling Township High School in 1935. At age 13 she was given the distinguished American Legion School Award for her leadership abilities. She then attended Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa — graduating in 1939 with a degree in Music Education. After a year of teaching Lois was united in Marriage on June 23, 1940 to George McClanathan, her high school sweetheart and graduate of Purdue University. They had two children.
George’s career in broadcast engineering took the family across the country with Lois making homes in Chicago; Phoenix, Arizona; Stamford, Connecticut; and Dallas, Texas. While in Phoenix, Lois, along with a fellow Grinnell graduate, founded the Phoenix Youth Symphony in the mid-1950s — it continues on. She also hosted a day-time television show called “Open House” — targeting stay-at-home moms. It was live television, and the she produced five one-hour shows a week. While living in Dallas she became an accomplished needleworker and rug hooker — dying her own wools, and contributing articles to the national periodical “Rug Hooker News and Views”. Baking was also a favorite pastime for Lois; and, where ever she lived, come Christmas time, her home baked gingerbread boys were the neighborhood hit!
Lois and George returned to Sterling for their retirement years where George died in 1987; and, Lois eventually moved to the active adult community of Sun City Summerlin in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1997. She spent her remaining years living there, and traveling frequently to St. George, Utah. Her life’s story has been preserved in the University of Nevada Las Vegas library under “Women’s Studies”. It serves as a reference on how women empowered themselves during her life-time. In summary, she was a woman who loved her family and friends, was an advocate for the arts, pursued her passions, and was always ready for a good adventure.
Survivors include her daughter Marti (Richard Lee Hafen) , her son Lee (Loralee), 3 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Jean McClanathan, nieces, nephews, and many friends. Services will be graveside at East Jordan Cemetery and are pending. She will be buried next to her beloved husband George.
Condolences may also be sent to pffh.condolences@gmail.com.
