Obituary of Byron Eugene McClanahan

Byron “Barney” McClanahan passed away at Mason General Hospital on October 19, 2013, in Shelton, WA., from complications following surgery. He was 91 years-old. Barney was born on December 14, 1921 to parents, James B. McClanahan and Leona G. Hartley-McClanahan, in Competition, Missouri. He was the middle son and had a younger brother, Dale, and an older sibling, Clay. Growing up during the depression, Barney and his family had a simple but difficult life and suffered economic hardships. He would tell the story about being a young boy and trapping and killing rabbits to sell them to the postman for a nickel a piece. The family left Missouri to live with relatives in Nebraska and then in Colorado. Finally, his father was able to secure employment at the Phoenix Logging Company and the family relocated to WA and resided in a Logging Camp near the Hamma Hamma. Barney would tell stories about living in the logging camp where they had water but used kerosene for light and heat. Money continued to be scarce. Barney graduated high school in 1940 and went to work in the woods as a “bucker” where he used the old cross-cut “misery whip” saw with his dad. After the start of World War II, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and in 1942 he was sent to North Africa. Barney fought with the 12th Bombardment Division as the top turret gunner, in a B-25 Mitchell, middle-weight bomber and participated in one of the first allied victories at El Alamein. Once, he was shot down in North Africa, and fortunately landed in the friendly hands of British Troops. Barney returned to his Unit and participated in storming the beaches in the invasion of Anzio. He was stationed in central Italy for more than a year when he was transferred to Burma where he spent his remaining time in the military, bombing the Burma Road. He would later talk about the horrors suffered by the majority of American planes flying “the hump”, and he counted himself as one of the lucky ones since only 30% of the troops survived. Barney always thought about others, throughout his life. Early on in the armed services, he discovered if he filled every bit of free space on the bomber with containers of water, by the time the plane reached its maximum elevation, the water would be cold. He took great pride in being able to give his buddies on the ground a cold drink of water when they landed. During the war, Barney contracted malaria which would plague him for several years following deployment. In May 1945, Barney was discharged from the service after exceeding the maximum combat flight hours. In 1945, Barney met the love of his life and wife of 67 years, Betty Jane Attwood – they married one year later. Barney attended school at St. Martin’s College and the University of Washington to study pre-law. In 1952, he graduated from Gonzaga Law School. Barney and Betty, and their two young sons, Byron Jr. and Neil, returned to Shelton in 1953 where Barney opened a law office and joined the Mason County Prosecutor’s Office, beginning his legendary legal career which lasted 25 years. Their youngest son, Joe, joined the family in 1954. In addition to working as the Prosecutor for Mason County, Barney was also the county coroner. Barney gained national notoriety when he prosecuted the gruesome James (Chico) Wilson case after Wilson was charged with the violent rape and murder of an 8 year-old girl. His claim to fame came when he fearlessly requested the Judge add “castration” as a part of the defendant’s punishment. His outrage and indignation that someone could hurt a child affected him deeply for the rest of his life. It was not like Barney to hide his true feelings about people he considered “bullies”; there was a bluntness to his honesty in his refusal to sugar-coat reality and he certainly showed no hesitation in the courtroom on the day of Wilson’s sentencing. As the county Prosecutor, Barney defined his role and responsibility as “tempering justice with mercy.” Barney had many interests: he was an avid reader of history; always kept current on local and national politics and would readily and passionately voice his opinions; liked hunting and spending time outdoors; and enjoyed family outings at Hood Canal and on the Satsop. He taught Sunday School classes as well as law classes. He was an exceptional mentor and tutored a legal associate in his office who passed the bar on the first attempt. He was honored by Gonzaga University and is loved and respected by all who were blessed to know him. His quick wit, intelligence, and dry sense of humor were ever-present. Even when he was quite ill, and we were convinced he was either sleeping or not paying attention to the conversation in the room, he would “chime-in” at the precise moment about anything and everything without missing a beat. Barney is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Betty, his 3 sons, and numerous grandchildren as well as great grandchildren who he referred to as his “little relatives.” The world is truly a better place because of Byron “Barney” McClanahan and he will be missed by his family and all who knew him.