Government » Enid Walk of Fame » 2011-2020
Larry McClure was born in 1927 in Carrier, Oklahoma, and lived his entire life in Enid until he died in 2010. He attended Enid public schools and graduated from Enid High School in 1946.
Larry was a long-time Enid builder and developer. He started his own construction company in 1956, and was the owner of the McClure Construction Company. In addition to building some of Enid’s finest homes, his major contribution to Enid was the development of large areas of both east and northwest Enid. Larry conceived, planned, and developed many of Enid’s most beautiful residential neighborhoods. Much of Enid’s current appearance and livability is due to the thought and care with which he developed these neighborhoods. His first development was the Woodlands, starting in 1964. Individually and with his partners, he proceeded to develop the Willow West, Heritage Hills, Waterford Court, and Willow Lake subdivisions in northwest Enid. He and his partners developed Brookside Heights on the east side of Enid. Larry also built and developed with his partners the only fully-landscaped shopping center in Enid, the Heritage Hills shopping center and office complexes. In all his developments, Larry planted hundreds of trees, which have now grown along lovely tree-lined streets.
Larry also made substantial contributions, both monetarily and through service to the Enid community. He was active in a variety of Enid organizations. He was a fifty-year member of the Enid, state, and national Homebuilders Associations. He was a fifty-year member of the noon AMBUCS. He served on the boards of:
Larry was a charter member of the Sons and Daughters of the Cherokee Strip Pioneers, as his great-grandfather made the Cherokee Strip Run. Larry was active in the development of the Humphrey Heritage Village at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center. He helped locate and move the 1893 Enid Land Office to the Humphrey Heritage Village and did the construction work to restore it. He also arranged for acquiring and moving the Turkey Creek School to the Humphrey Heritage Village. Finally, Larry and his wife commissioned, funded, and donated the Homesteaders statue by local sculptor Harry Holden that stands outside the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center.
Larry was a member of the Committee of 100 of the Chamber of Commerce. He was named an honorary commander at Vance Air Force Base to recognize his support for Vance.
Larry was instrumental in establishing the Habitat for Humanity in Enid. Besides financial contributions, Larry donated lots for homes and contributed his own time and labor in building many habitat homes. He believed strongly in helping low-income families to improve their lives in Enid. Larry helped establish the original Enid daycare center at Garriott and 4th Street and served on the board of that center, and later on the board of Booker T. Washington Day Care School.
Larry donated the Carpentry Workshop at Leonardo’s Discovery Center and contributed tools for use of the workshop. He and other volunteers built the workshop, and he supplied all of the materials. Larry also personally helped in the construction of the Adventure Quest across from Leonardo’s.
Larry was a supporter of tennis and facilities for tennis in Enid. He helped develop the tennis courts at Crosslin Park and paid for and donated one of the tennis courts to the city of Enid. He also built the outdoor tennis courts at the Oakwood Country Club.
Larry was active in his church and served on the building committee for St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church. He built the St. Gregory Church and later remodeled it.
