Marian Eleanor McClendon

Marian McClendon Obituary Marian Eleanor McClendon, nicknamed BeBe, was born to Dock Edward McClendon and Hattye Vienna Ravizee McClendon on April 16, 1955. Marian was the youngest of their three children. Born, bred and raised at Antioch Baptist Church, Marian was a true daughter of Antioch. She began her Christian journey in Antioch’s Cradle Roll Department and continued her journey until her homegoing. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior under the pastorate of Rev. Emmanuel S. Branch. She often reflected on the great religious training and preparation for life she received at Antioch. Biological sisters Mrs. Rosa Benton and Mrs. Charlotte Perry were her favorite Sunday School teachers. She was spiritually moved by the great music she heard each Sunday from Antioch’s talented musicians and several choirs, each singing a different genre. As an adult, Marian joined the Concordia Bible Class, the class her mother had been a member of for over forty years. Concordia merged with the Beehive Bible Class and is now known as the Beehive-Concordia Bible Class. She was also a member of Sojourner Truth Missionary Circle. She was an avid reader who read the Bible from cover to cover several times and could be considered a Bible scholar. Marian was a quiet unassuming person who was kind and gentle, an astute writer and deep thinker. Her mother referred to her as her “quiet genius.” A product of the Cleveland Public Schools, Marian attended Columbia Elementary School, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Junior High School and Collinwood High School where she was a Major Work student. During the summer of 2023, she celebrated the 50th anniversary of her graduation from Collinwood with her classmates. Named after Marian Anderson, the first African American to debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera Company, and Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Marian’s entire life was centered around music. Marian even got to meet her namesake, Marian Anderson, at a concert at Cleveland Public Auditorium in downtown Cleveland… and they embraced. Her voice was her instrument of choice. At Columbia Elementary School, Marian excelled academically and musically where she sang in Ella Mae Sharp’s Glee Club. At Franklin Delano Roosevelt Junior High School, Marian participated in the choir under the direction of Tillie Taylor Colter. Little did she know that one day Ms. Colter would become her sorority sister. At Collinwood, her choir director was Mr. George Stone. Music was an integral part of the McClendon home that included a piano and Hammond organ. The family listened to the Texaco Opera station every Saturday. Marian and Edwina took music theory and piano lessons at the Cleveland Music School Settlement. Hattye McClendon, a vocal music major at Knoxville College, wanted both of her daughters to be musicians. Marian chose to follow that path. After graduating from Collinwood High School in 1973, Marian attended Baldwin Wallace College where she majored in history, political science and psychology, graduating in the Class of 1977. While at Baldwin Wallace, Marian served as News Editor for The Exponent, the student newspaper, and Editor of Black Perspectives. She was a member of the Psi Chi Honor Society, the Black Student Alliance, and President A.B. Bond’s Mission Commission. She sang with the College gospel choir as well as the Baldwin Wallace Choir under the direction of Mrs. Joyce Rowbotham Koch. Upon graduation, she continued to take voice lessons from Mrs. Koch at the Koch School of Music in Rocky River, Ohio. She attended her College Alumni Weekend one last time in 2023 as well as the Obie Bender Awards Ceremony in April 2023. While continuing her music studies at Cuyahoga Community College, Marian became one of the pioneers of the Tri-C Jazz Fest as the first female vocalist at the Festival. She also loved singing music originally sung by Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and her favorite artist, Billie Holiday. In the nineties, Marian was honored to perform in a leading role in the musical, Big River, directed by Dr. Leslie Adams, which was performed at John Carroll University. Several years after graduating from Baldwin Wallace College, Marian also attended Central State University to retrain and become certified in early childhood education. She worked at the United Labor Agency, the Cuyahoga County Welfare Department, and the Cleveland Public Schools. In 2004, Marian was initiated into Alpha Kappa Sorority® Alpha Omega Chapter. She served on the Salute to Excellence Committee and sang in the AKA Ensemble. She also served as a vocalist for Sorority rituals. Marian always said, “Edwina and I are sisters in LOVE, BLOOD and SORORITY!” She proudly represented Alpha Kapa Alpha Sorority as part of the Divine Nine in the Greater Cleveland Panhellenic Choir. She also sang with many other choirs and groups throughout the community including the H&H Chorale under the leadership of Mrs. Patricia Mosley, was the vocalist with the Central State Jazz Band, and sang with the Melodeers (Local 279-R), the retired Cleveland teachers’ ensemble. Musical talent is shared by many of Marian’s relatives. One of the high points of her life was when she and Edwina ran into Dr. William Henry Caldwell, the well-known and respected former head of Music and Fine Arts at Central State University while dining at Ho Wah Chinese Restaurant in Beachwood, Ohio. Under the direction of Dr. Caldwell, the choir won a Grammy Award. For many years, the Central State Choir sang with the Cleveland Orchestra under Dr. Caldwell’s direction until his retirement. Currently, Dr. Caldwell trains and directs local choristers for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Chorus & Cleveland Orchestra Concert at Severance Hall. While discussing their shared Alabama connections at the restaurant and learning that the McClendons were part of the Ravizee family, Dr. Caldwell exclaimed, “I AM A RAVIZEE!!!” What a joy it was to know that they were cousins. Singer Della Reese, who starred in the television show, “Touched by an Angel,” is also a cousin on the Ravizee side of their family. Marian loved to shop until she dropped, play bid whist and dance. She likened her dancing skills to those of Janet Jackson and was a bid whist player to be reckoned with. Marian and Edwina enjoyed traveling with their mother every other year to New York City, Philadelphia, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania to shop. Marian’s final trip was to Hartsville, Ohio with the Antioch Silver Leaf Club last October. Marian had a stroke in 2018 that resulted in treatment at three different nursing homes: Sunrise in Maple Heights, Ohio; Concord Skilled Care and Rehabilitation Facility in Concord, Ohio; and Candlewood in East Cleveland, Ohio. Marian was then cared for by her sister at her home for almost a year until she was able to return home at St. Luke’s Manor in Cleveland. Marian was called to her heavenly home on December 17, 2023 at 2:34 p.m. at St. Luke’s Manor. Her father, mother and brother preceded her in death. Ironically and coincidentally, Marian died at the age of 68, the same age as her brother Delano who died in 2017. Left to cherish her memory is her devoted sister, Edwina McClendon, as well as her cousins, AKA Sorority sisters, Antioch Church family members and her many friends. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marian Eleanor McClendon, please visit our floral store. Read More

Marian Eleanor McClendon

April 16, 1955 - December 17, 2023