David Stanley McClure

David Stanley McClure
Atlanta, GA, August 30, 1948 - Nicholson, GA, August 1, 2019

David leaves his family and friends grieving with aching hearts after departing too soon. We remember him, first hand or through legend, in the many stages of his life: from the adorable tow-headed tot to the popular student athlete and musician; from his service as an Army Officer in the Korean War to his championship career as motorcycle racer for the Harley Davidson racing team; and his later years as a cattle rancher, car and motorcycle enthusiast and long-time fixture of the Jackson County and Athens communities.

He attended RL Hope Elementary and North Fulton High Schools in Atlanta. He became an excellent horseman during those years, practicing polo with his father, Dr. John N McClure, Jr., founder of the Atlanta Polo Club and fox hunting with the Shakerag Hounds Hunt Club with his family, including his mother Ruth S. McClure and his siblings Niel and Ginny. David went on to study Agriculture at USC before joining the Army and achieving the rank of First Lieutenant while serving in the Artillery division in charge of “Long John” rockets in Korea. Following an honorable discharge from the Army, he and his former wife, Brooks Henderson, settled on a small farm in Ila, GA to raise cattle, horses and Collies while David continued his studies in Agriculture at UGA.

While farming was his vocation, motorsports were always David's passion. After starting a motorcycle shop, Motorcycle Specialists, in Athens, GA, he became involved in racing. He is still highly ranked by the American Motorcyclist Association for all-time-most-wins, with 20 wins accredited. David raced for Ducati, Moto Guzzi and Harley Davidson and enjoyed the friendly rivalry between the US and European camps. He held the Battle of the Twins National Championship 1984 -85, but ended his racing career after a crash at Daytona in 1985.

Following his motorcycle career, David resumed farming and managed the family's "Sandy Creek Farm," a 1300 acre cattle ranch in Nicholson, GA. While tending as many as a thousand head of cattle at a time with all the contingent chores of making hay and rounding up cattle to go to market, he still nurtured his motor-sports passion by collecting, working on and racing (amateur) all manner of vehicles: motorcycles, dirt bikes, vintage cars, racing cars, and even boats. He was able to restore engines, exteriors and interiors to a pristine state, and he took apart and cleaned and reassembled his own cars for pleasure as well as doing this work professionally. He won many amateur road races, including in the last year of his well-lived life.

David is survived by his siblings, John Niel McClure III (Linda) of Cumming, GA and Virginia McClure of Lakemont, GA, his niece and nephew, Elizabeth McClure Kelley of Arlington, VA and John Niel McClure IV of Bradenton, FL, his many great nieces and nephews, and his long time love, Marilyn Rose McNair of Stapleton, GA.

There will be a memorial and reception for friends and family on Saturday, August 10th, 3:30 - 7 PM at Sandy Creek Farm, 1870 Cooper Farm Rd, Nicholson, GA. Guests are invited to bring photos and stories.  Military honors will be accorded at 6PM.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Jackson County 4-H program https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/jackson/4-h-youth-development.html or the Wings for Life spinal cord injury research foundation https://www.wingsforlife.com/us/

Lord and Stephens Funeral Homes, WEST, Athens, GA is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com