Steve McClung Obituary

Stephen Boyd McClung was born to parents Boyd Fay McClung and Wilma Lou Green McClung on May 1, 1952. And "May Day" was exactly the cry that went up from anyone who tried to bully his younger sisters, Debbie and Carol. He was like that. If you were his people, he had your back. And many folks he met became "his people".

The family grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, in a time and place where neighbors were in and out of each other's houses, and summer evenings were spent playing touch football, volleyball, or croquet in someone's backyard. Building tree houses and secret caves was also part of the fun, and Steve often led these adventures.

After graduating from St Albans High School, Steve attended West Virginia Institute of Technology. There, he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, graduated magna cum laude, and was named to Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. While attending "Tech", as it was fondly called, Steve was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and engaged in quite a few hijinks aided and abetted by his frat brothers. Many of those friendships lasted his whole life.

After graduating WVIT, Steve went to work for Union Carbide at their Institute, WV plant. This was a relationship that lasted all his working life as he followed Carbide through its many name and ownership changes. He fulfilled many roles throughout his career, including engineer, plant manager, and global assets manager. Travel was part of the job, and he spent time in Europe, South America, a brief stint in China, and many areas of the United States. He also served as a member of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance.

While still in St Albans, Steve met and married Connie Sue Stover, his beloved "Rosebud". The couple followed Steve's work, moving several times (and building several houses). They enjoyed skiing, sailing, and since the house on St Simons was so far from the plant, Steve got his private pilot's license and often flew himself and Connie to work. Spending time with family and friends was also an important part of their lives. The couple was also blessed with two children, Michael Stephen and Ashley Lynn. "Mikey" and "Ash" were the light of his life.

Steve's life was defined by his passions. First and foremost was his family. His entire being was dedicated to their care and happiness. In the final decade of his life, when his mother and both sisters were located locally, he enjoyed family camping trips, evenings on the deck talking around the fire, and his Wednesday nights with Michael at the Beer Exchange. This care included his extended family, and he spearheaded a successful effort to ensure the family farm in WV continued to be available to the generations following. While working to ensure the farm's future, he became interested in its past. He and Ashley enjoyed doing genealogical research and finding and visiting some ancestral grave sites. He loved the farm, the memories it held, and its deep association with his father. Many happy hours were spent there, caring for the property (with his newly acquired and doted on tractor), drinking wine and having sing-alongs in the old barn, and sitting on the porch in the evenings, throwing a ball (repeatedly) for his "little brown hound," his dog, Ella. Ella was his baby, his third child, and she accompanied him everywhere. He also loved and meticulously cared for several BMW cars and was active in the local BMW club. Another passion developed after retirement was competitive shooting, and he enjoyed loading his own ammunition and going to the range.

Steve left us too soon. He started that next great journey on December 21, 2025, surrounded by his family and friends. He joins his parents, Wilma and Boyd, and waits for wife Connie, son Mike, daughter Ashley, and sisters Carol and Deb. Also missing him are niece Tori Wiseman, brothers in law Gordon Hogard and Larry Craddock, Ashley's boyfriend Steven Lammers, and dear family friends Jim and Leslie Cochrane and Scott and Deb Dudley, along with several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life will be held on January 10,2026, at the family home at 104 Pee Dee Lane, Piedmont, SC. Visitation will start at 5:00 pm, and a remembrance will start at 7:00 pm. Family and friends please come prepared to share your favorite stories about this remarkable husband, father, brother and friend.

Instead of sending flowers, please make a donation to the Greenville Humane Society or your local animal shelter, your local food pantry, or plant a tree in his honor.