Obituary of Larry Clymer

Larry W. Clymer, 70, of Powers Ct., Niles, Michigan, passed away suddenly at his home, of natural causes, on Monday, June 16th, 2008. He was born in Niles on February 6, 1938 to the late Greydon and Edith (Wheeler) Clymer. On April 24, 1958 Larry married Eleanor Meldrum at a ceremony in Niles. Larry graduated Niles High School in 1957. He served in the National Guard for eight years while establishing a career at Tyler Refrigeration, retiring after thirty years of service. Larry served Niles as the city's mayor for fourteen years. After leaving office as mayor, Larry decided to go back to work and was employed for several years at Gene Wesner Chevrolet in Buchanan and was previously employed as a radio personality for WGTO, where he hosted Clymer's Corner, a daily talk show. He was also past Chairman of the Niles Board of Public Works, past member of the Niles Area Planning Commission, past City Chairman of the Niles United Way, chaired the Juvenile Justice Task Force, the Lakeshore Coordinating Council, the Niles Area Transportation Committee and the Berrien County Administration Committee, where he was the board liaison to the Berrien County Health Board. He served as chair of the Berrien County Disaster Team, the Southwestern Michigan Commission, President of the Southwest Michigan Football Clinic, where he also coached, a board member of the Niles FOP Little League Baseball and chaired the Berrien County Sewer Appeals Committee. Larry was instrumental in the implementation of the Niles Disaster Plan, the Downtown Development Authority, and helped establish the industrial park. He also assisted in the planning of the Four Flags Plaza senior citizen apartments and the Niles Riverfront Park. Larry was the chairman of the community relations committee of the Boy Scouts of America, A Kentucky Colonel, a member of American Legion Post 26, member of the St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge #4 and was 32nd Degree Mason and a Shriner. Larry was currently a Berrien County Commissioner representing the 13th District for fourteen years and was serving on the Four Winds Casino revenue board. He will also be remembered for the two songs he had written "Tear Down the Berlin Wall" and "Glory to the Red, White and Blue". Larry also had a love for hunting, fishing, reading and oil painting. Most will remember Larry filling in for Santa for many years, bringing smiles to young and old alike. He is survived by his wife of fifty years, Eleanor Clymer of Niles, two sons Larry "Jim" (Patti) Clymer of Niles, Jeffrey D. (Laura) Clymer of Valparaiso, Indiana, four grandchildren, a brother Greydon Clark "Dennis Clymer" of Henderson, Nevada and a sister Cheryl (Jack) York of South Bend, Indiana.