Joyce McClanahan's Obituary
Joyce McClanahan, 93, of Sedalia, passed away on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at her home. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at 12pm at Shiloh Baptist church in Warrensburg, Visitation will be from 11am-12pm Thursday at the church.
Joyce McClanahan was born May 7, 1930, in Damascus, AR to Oscar Flood and Givia Dooley Hood. She was the fifth out of eight children. She grew up in Zion Grove, AR. She was baptized by the late Rev. WTC Alexander. She graduated from High School in Menifee, AR.
After graduation she moved to Kansas City, KS where she met Author Strickland and was united in marriage. To this union seven children were born.
She loved serving the Lord. She made the Lord her first priority. She enjoyed spreading God's word. If you wanted a good conversation, all you had to do was get her talking about the goodness of God and how he had blessed her. She was a faithful member of the Canaan Missionary Baptist Church when she moved to Kansas City, MO, under the leadership of the late Rev R.B. Poe for over twenty years. She later united with the Zion Grove Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. A.L. Johnson. She met and married Rev. Willie Biggin and moved her membership to Mt. Pisgah under the leadership of Rev. Fields. She missed Zion Grove and asked her husband if she could return to Zion Grove. He gave his blessings, and she returned home. After the passing of Rev. Biggins she met Johnnie McClanahan and was married. She moved to Ponca City, OK. She united with St. John Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Raymond Pettis. She taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. She loved to cook and help others. She looked in on the elderly and made sure they had plenty to eat. She cooked for the actors on the set when they were filming the movie Twister in Oklahoma. After the passing of Johnnie McClanahan, she moved back to Kansas City and resided with her daughter. She then united with Gethsemane Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Jehrome Randolph. In 2014 she moved with her daughter to Sedalia, MO. After looking around for a place to worship she found and united with Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Warrensburg, MO under the leadership of Rev. Terrance Moody. She stayed until her death. She loved the Lord and even in her last days she continued to pray, sing and give praises to the Lord.
She leaves to cherish her memory Author Mae Jablonsky (Ed), Deborah Carter, Karen Belmont (Charles), Maurice Strickland, Alford Gordon, thirteen grandchildren, thirty-eight Great grandchildren and seventeen great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her son Lathel Strickland and three daughters Brenda Davis, Marquita Gordon and Maureen Strickland
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