Earl James McLean
McLean, Earl James
8 Oct 1927 - 19 Oct 2014
Earl was in Chicago, Illinois, son of William N. and Bessie (Pondelicek)
McLean; passed away in his home. Earl is survived by his four children
and grandchild. His survivors include Christopher McLean and daughter
Chloe of Washington, DC; Jill Odegaard and husband Davin of Minneapolis,
MN; Thomas McLean of Dunedin, New Zealand; Beth Winkler and husband
Anthony of Ypsilanti, MI; and his sister Frances of Sanibel, FL. Earl
was predeceased by his wife Joan (Wolski) McLean and his brother
William.
Earl worked as an engineer and executive at Western Electric for 36
years. In 1946 and 1947 he served in the US Army. He was trained in the
repair of cryptographic machines and spent much of his service time in
Japan and the Pacific. Graduating from Northwestern University in
Evanston, IL, in 1952 with a degree in industrial engineering, he began
working for Western Electric that same year. Earl married Joan in 1954,
and the family moved as Earl advanced in the company, from Chicago to
Flemington, NJ, to Elmhurst, IL, to Portland, OR, and finally settling
in Omaha in 1970. He worked as a senior executive at the Omaha Works
until his retirement, by which time it was known as AT&T Technologies.
Joan was a pharmacist and owner of The Prescription Center in Omaha from
1985 to 2000. Earl helped out at the pharmacy following his retirement
in 1988, and joined Joan in volunteering at St. Wenceslaus Parish. He
kept active with home repair projects and generously shared his handyman
skills with family and friends. He loved driving, gardening, and
visiting the Omaha Zoo, first with his children, and later with his
grandchild.
Visitation: Friday, Nov 14th at 2 P.M. at the West Center Chapel, with
family receiving friends from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. with vigil at 7 P.M.
Services: Saturday, Nov 15th at 9:30 A.M. at St. Wenceslaus Catholic
Church, 15353 Pacific Street.
Interment: Resurrection Cemetery.
Memorials: Suggested to the Omaha Zoo Foundation, 3701 South 10th
Street, Omaha, NE, 68107 (omahazoofoundation.org).
Earl was an engineer and executive at the plant. He retired in 1988.
Heafey-Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler
78th & West Center
Omaha NE 68124
402-391-3900
www.heafeyheafey.com
