Funeral services for Cape County Commission assistant scheduled for Friday

After the death of Cape Girardeau County Commission assistant Robb McClary, co-workers are coping as well as can be expected, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones said Wednesday.

"There's a great deal of sadness in losing a person like Robb," said Jones, who coached McClary when the former commission assistant was a student in high school. "During a visit to his home recently, he said, 'coach, if anything happens to me, will you say something nice about me at my funeral?'

"I told that to my wife Clarice, and she said that would be easy to do. He was such a nice person."

Jones will deliver a tribute to McClary during the funeral, scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at La Croix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. In addition to visitation an hour before the funeral at the church, visitation will also be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson. Burial will follow the funeral at the family cemetery in Festus, Mo.

During the funeral, Cape Girardeau County offices will remain open. Jones said county employees will have the option of taking time off to attend the funeral. If an entire department chooses to close during the funeral, Jones said a sign will be attached to the door informing residents that the office will reopen at 11 a.m. that day.

McClary, who worked for the county since February 2007, had filed for the Republican nomination for county auditor. He was scheduled to appear at a forum today sponsored by the SEMO Pachyderm Club that would have featured the party's two candidates running for the office.

With McClary's death, Pete Frazier is the only candidate for the office. No Democrats entered the race to replace Auditor David Ludwig, who is not running for re-election.

Pachyderm vice president Holly Lintner, who was to coordinate the forum, said the program will now feature former county auditor Weldon Macke, Frazier and Patti Wibbenmeyer, who is running for circuit clerk. Wibbenmeyer's one-time opponent, Jason Holloway, withdrew from the circuit clerk race April 9 for personal reasons.

Lintner said Macke, Frazier and Wibbenmeyer will discuss the duties of both offices. Frazier and Wibbenmeyer will also touch on their backgrounds and qualifications for office.

Today's meeting, which will also mark National Pachyderm Club's Founders Day, will begin at 7 p.m. at Dexter Bar-B-Que in Cape Girardeau.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

243-8600

Pertinent addresses:

1 Barton Square, Jackson, MO

236 S. Broadview St., Cape Girardeau, MO