Charles Albert McClellan

Charles Albert “Mac” McClellan: Faithful Husband, Father, Friend, and Servant of God

Charles Albert McClellan, beloved son, husband, brother, father, grandpa, and great grandpa, peacefully returned to heaven on June 22, 2026, at the age of 91. Born February 1, 1935, on his own father’s birthday, to William Albert McClellan and Della Ve Wilson McClellan in Payson, Utah. He was the second child born to William and Della, but his older brother had passed away at 4 ½ months of age. His parents blessed him with a little sister a couple of years later. Charles was known throughout most of his life as “Mac” to all his family and friends.

When Mac was a young child, his father used to use his foot to rock Mac’s crib to try and get him to go to sleep. If the rocking stopped, Mac would proclaim, “Jiggle me.” So his father would have to wake up and start all over.

As Mac got a little older, he became interested in electronics, specifically radios. One time he took apart a radio and was extremely disappointed because he didn’t find any little people inside.

He also electrocuted himself on his ham radio transmitter. He said he saw a bright light and left his body. He looked down at himself on the ground and thought, “My mom is going to be so mad!” He waited in a bright place and when nobody came to meet him, he said he went back into his body. He said that everything hurt like crazy and he had a small burn that took forever to heal.

Mac loved explosives. As a young teen, he made a pipe bomb and decided to test it by blowing up the underground fort he had built. The bomb worked and it blew the top of the fort open. He covered the top with corrugated steel and dirt and rebuilt it so he could continue to use it.

Mac was called to serve a mission to West Germany in 1955. While on his mission, he met a pretty German girl that he took a liking to: Eva Hildegard Goeckeritz. Eva was in the process of moving to the United States and Mac asked his mother to look after her. Mac’s mother would send Eva bus tickets to come visit her in Payson. Mac and Eva corresponded through many letters during his mission and decided to marry when he returned home. Mac and Eva were married December 23, 1957.

In October 1958 they welcomed their first of 9 children, Scott, who was followed over the years by Annette, Steven, Lisa, Kristine, David, Barbara, Mark, and Eric. Mac was a devoted husband and father. He loved to read bedtime stories to his children. He had stories like The Cat in the Hat, Hop on Pop, and Put Me in the Zoo memorized. He was an avid reader and always had a stack of books around him. He especially loved math and he would get excited whenever any of his children asked him to help with their math homework. His eyes would light up as he proceeded to try and teach his children algebra or calculus.

Mac loved to play piano, and he was very talented at playing it. Piano music could be heard in the McClellan home every day – multiple times a day. He especially loved classical music, and he continued to play piano up to his last days on this earth. Eva had gifted him an electronic piano a few years ago that he could play with headphones on and no one else could hear. She may have had an ulterior motive for giving him a “silent” piano.

Mac loved to repair things. He could fix just about anything. Once he fixed their car and had a bunch of leftover parts, but he drove it and it worked fine, so he just threw away the parts.

Mac was a stickler for family prayers and family home evening. All the family had to gather in various stages of dress for morning prayer. Some children were kneeling, some were sitting on the stairs, some barely awake. Eva lamented that they did not look like the Family Home Evening families usually pictured in a circle and neatly dressed, but Mac knew that what was important was just praying together as a family, morning and night.

Mac received a Masters degree in German from BYU and taught German for 21 years at Westmont High School in San Jose, California. Because he was a teacher and had summers off, he used that time to continue his education, and he earned a second degree in Computer Science. He taught Computer Science for 15 years, also at Westmont High School.

Mac was a faithful servant of God and served in many positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He taught many classes, including Seminary. In Mac’s own words he “was asked not to return” to seminary as a teen because he was a troublemaker. But he was an excellent Seminary teacher and loved that calling. He was called as Bishop of the San Jose Dry Creek Ward where he served for 4 years. Following that, he served in the Stake Presidency of the San Jose Stake for 4 years and then was called as the Stake President of the San Jose Stake and served in that position for 9 ½ years. After completing his service as Stake President, Mac and Eva decided to go on a mission. They were called to the Berlin Germany mission and served from 2011 – 2012.

Mac served as a temple worker for 11 years in the Oakland, California Temple - 10 of those years he served as a sealer and was able perform the sealing ordinance for some of his grandchildren and their sweethearts.

Mac was completely devoted to taking care of the love of his life, Eva. He pushed himself through rehab after brain surgery and a hip replacement within the last two years because he just wanted to get back to her to take care of her. He wouldn’t go to bed until he made sure she was safely tucked in. After her passing, less than two months ago, Mac told his children that he knew she was “already at work over there.” His goal was to “get to the end, so he could work with her.”

We find comfort in thoughts of his joyous reunion with his many family members who preceded him in death including two precious grandchildren and especially his reunion with his eternal sweetheart – Eva. We know that they are now working together again.

Mac is survived by his children and their spouses; Scott McClellan (Cathy), Annette Turner (Bobby), Steven McClellan (Loretta), Lisa Meadows, Kristine Gunner (Steve), David McClellan (Marion), Barbara Van Dyke (Russell), Mark McClellan (Kylee), Eric McClellan (Stephanie); 36 treasured grandchildren and 32 much loved great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way.

We are full of gratitude for the Creekside Senior Living staff and caregivers and A+ hospice caregivers and the loving care they provided for our dear father these past two years.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 6, 2026, at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary and Crematory YouTube Channel and on this obituary page. See YouTube video below.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Mac’s memory by reaching out to neighbors and being kinder to others.