Laurie Beth McClelland

Laurie Beth Hendren McClelland, 64, died December 25, 2020, at her home in White Plains Maryland. She was born March 29, 1956 in Hays, Kansas to Gaila (Heidel) and R. Orland Hendren. Laurie was the youngest of five children. Dennis 73 of Emporia Kansas, Christy Hendren, who died at birth, Jeff Hendren, 68, of Mulvane Kansas and Bruce Hendren 67, of Emporia Kansas. She inherited her grandmother Hendren’s red hair. At the age of 4, she came to faith in Christ Jesus as her Savior. That faith was to characterize the rest of her life. The family moved from Plainville Kansas to Emporia Kansas in 1965 while she was in elementary school. Laurie graduated from Emporia High School in 1974, and from Emporia State University in 1978. She married Charles McClelland 65, of the home on May 13, 1978. After graduating from college, she worked as a Special Education Teacher at Leavenworth Junior High School, until her first child was born. They had two children Rebecca Beavers, 38, of Washington D.C. and Andrew McClelland, 36, of Las Vegas Nevada. After the birth of Rebecca, the family moved to Springfield Missouri, where Andrew was born. Then they moved to Topeka Kansas. In 1987, they moved to Alma Kansas where her husband pastored a small Baptist Church. First in Alma and then Mill Creek Baptist Church in the neighboring town of McFarland. Laurie completed her master’s degree from Emporia State University in 1996 and began working as the Counselor for the High School in Onega Kansas. While on her way to work she was injured in a traffic accident on August 20, 1998. That accident severed her spinal cord and resulted in her confinement to a wheelchair. She continued working as a counselor until 2014 when Laurie retired. She and her husband moved to Maryland to be closer to their grandchildren. She was able to enjoy her grandchildren clear to the end of her life. Laurie was preceded in death by her sister Christy and her parents. She is survived by her husband, three brothers, two children and four grandchildren, Isaac 7, Ravin 6, Lucy 6, and Jacob 3. A service and interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Waldorf, 10045 Bunker Hill Road, Waldorf, MD 20603.

Laurie Beth McClelland

March 29, 1956 - December 25, 2020