Obituary for Clair C. Wetherill

Services for Clair C. Wetherill will be at 11:30 A.M. Thursday, October 15, at the Clark Shields Funeral Home in Forest by the Rev. David Creekmore. Interment will follow at Hueston Cemetery with Military Honors conducted by McVitty VFW Post 1182, Lehman Zimmerman American Legion Post 259, and Kenton Amvets Post 1994. Friends may call Thursday from 10:30A.M. until the time of service.

Clair passed away peacefully at Mennonite Memorial Home in Bluffton on Friday, October 9, 2026, just 18 days shy of his 100th birthday.

He was born on October 27, 1926 to the late Evert and Mary (Boehm) Wetherill. He married Dorothy Colene Jolliff on May 9, 1948. She preceded him in death on January 24, 2017.

Clair is survived by his sons, Gary (Lois) Wetherill of Bluffton, Russell (Connie) Wetherill of Dunkirk, and Robert (Beth) Wetherill of Forest. He is also survived by seven grandsons, Andy Wetherill of Goshen, Ind., Jonah (Deborah) Wetherill of Villa Park, Ill., Cory (Kristie) Wetherill of Findlay, Casey (Lisa) Wetherill of Dunkirk, Scott (Cara) Wetherill of Kenton, Matt (Caity) Wetherill of Waynoka, Kansas, and Ben (Morgan) Wetherill of Dunkirk. Great grandchildren include Esther, Aaron, Claire, Lincoln, Owen (Mackenzie Peterson), Landon (Alyssa Heldman), Ava, Jensen, Caroline, Alice, Hallie, Hadley, and Eleanor Wetherill. Kahne Wetherill is Clair’s great, great grandson.

Clair was preceded in death by two sisters and one brother.

Clair served in the army during WWII, spending most of that time in Germany. He belonged to the VFW McVitty Memorial Post 1182 where he was a member of the VFW Honor Guard. He was the oldest member of the Post and enjoyed representing the Post in the annual Tree Town Parades. This past summer, he proudly watched from the sidelines, but still managed to stand and salute as the flag passed.

Clair worked many jobs during his life. He farmed, managed the Forest Laundromat and Forest car wash, repaired appliances, fired coal furnaces, operated boiler systems, performed janitorial duties at various schools, including the Forest School, worked in maintenance for a nursing home, and carried out various handyman duties at the Forest Jackson Library. He was a member of the Williamstown First Brethren Church where he selflessly shared his work experience and talent to maintain the building.

Clair enjoyed pitching horseshoes, camping, traveling, and spending time in his workshop where he could fix almost anything his kids and grandkids broke. He enjoyed homemade ice cream…making it and eating it, and he loved Colene’s pies. He was always tinkering with things and trying to figure out how everything worked. He was fascinated with the internet, smart phones, and technology. He never quit learning.

Clair remained close to his family and close to his faith.

Memorial contributions may be made to Williamstown First Brethren Church, Bridge Hospice, or Forest Jackson Public Library in care of Clark Shields Funeral Home, 301 S. Patterson St., Forest, Ohio 45843.

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