MIDDLESBORO — Clair Hadley Hunley, age 89, passed away Tuesday morning, November 3, 2009 at the Baptist Regional Hospital in Corbin, KY.

The husband of Flora Yoakum Hunley, he was born to Charles and Lucy Atkins Hunley on June 10, 1920. He grew up in the Hignite/Capitoe area of Middlesboro. Just like his brothers, he proudly joined the United States Army and served his country in World War II. He toured in France, Germany, Italy, and North Africa. While in the service, he accepted Christ as his personal Savior. He came home from the war in 1945 and married in 1946.

He was employed for over 45 years at the Middlesboro Tanning Company, where he was a foreman. Even after an accident at work in 1977 that caused him to lose his left hand, he never stopped working. He was a hard working man, and a man of his word. He loved his job and the men he worked with.

He took pride in his work, politics, and his community. He worked with numerous political candidates. He enjoyed watching church services on Sunday morning including Binghamtown Baptist Church and the First Baptist Church. He also took quite an interest in the Garmeada Missionary Baptist Church, and watching their new church being built. He loved spending time with his family.

He loved the Kroger employees, and the Middlesboro Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility where his wife was a resident. He also loved working in his yard, and he loved his neighbors.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved son, William H. (Bill) Hunley; brothers; Charles and Norman Hunley; sisters, Alta Stooksbury and Selda Garrett; mother and father-in-law, Louisa and Ditt Yoakum; brothers-in-law, Lowell Stooksbury, Rev. Oscar Garrett, Chester L. Yoakum, and Troy F. Yoakum; sisters-in-law; Olive Hunley and Alma Yoakum; nephews, Terry Yoakum and Lawrence “Reb” Lipscomb; and one niece, Ann Yoakum.

Left to mourn his passing are his beloved wife, Flora Yoakum Hunley; daughters, Linda (Eric) Stevenson of Carson City, Nev., and Patricia (Steve) Huddleston of Middlesboro, Selda (Dave) Sowders of Middlesboro, Alta (Rick) Emmett of Knoxville, Tenn.; son, David Clair Hunley of Plant City, Fla.; daughter-in-law, Emma Lee Bayless Hunley of Middlesboro; sisters-in-law; Mrs. Norman (Emma Lee) Hunley of Harrogate, Tenn., Mrs. Chester (Charlotte) Yoakum of Tampa, Fla.; grandchildre, Lisa Welch Edlin, Doris Evans, Scott Huddleston, William (Bill) Hunley Jr., Mark Huddleston, Jody Hunley, Natalie Emmett, Hayley Emmett, and Tim and Jake Sowders; nine great-grandchildren, and many, many friends, and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral services will be held at 8 p.m.Thursday, November 5, at the Shumate Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. M. Danny Robbins and Stephen Garrett officiating. Music will be provided by Albernita Cummings.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, November 6, at Green Hills Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers will be his six grandsons. Honorary pallbearers are Everett “Mammaw” Gulley, Albey Brock, Vickie Mills, Dayla Saylor, Jim Bowling Jr., Don Cody, David Berry, Ed Rhodes, Fred Phelps, Steve Fox, Lonnie Maiden, Rev. Mark Prater, Walt Overbay, and members of the Garmeada Missionary Baptist Church.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, November 5, at the Shumate Funeral Home Chapel.

Shumate Funeral Home is entrusted with all arrangements. Guestbook at www.shumatefuneralhome.com