Warren “Mac” McClure: A Life of Enterprise, Family, and Philanthropy

Warren “Mac” McClure was born in Clairton, Pennsylvania, in 1919, the youngest of three children. His mother passed when he was two, and his father moved the family to Athens, Ohio, so Mac and his sisters could attend public schools and Ohio University. From his youth, Mac was a “man with a plan,” running McClure Electro-Art Decorating, a small business providing sound and lighting for local events. He intended to be a commercial artist, but family guidance led him to Ohio University and then to a master’s in business at Northwestern University, where he balanced work-study jobs and academics. With World War II looming, Mac enlisted in the Navy on Navy Day 1941, later serving as a bomb disposal officer in the Pacific. After the war, he worked in Chicago and Grand Forks, North Dakota, in advertising and business management.

In 1952, an ad Mac placed in Editor and Publisher magazine led to interviews with David Howe and eventually his hire at The Burlington Free Press. Lois was living with her parents in Vermont with her two young daughters following the end of her first marriage. Mac was drawn to the state’s natural beauty punctuated by Lake Champlain. The couple became acquainted and, both taking the lessons learned from their previous marriages, married in December 1954. They settled in South Burlington, where their son was born in 1956. Mac’s Midwestern flair, ambition and energy complemented Lois’s organizational skill and Vermont sensibility, creating a partnership deeply involved in the community.

Civic Engagement, Philanthropy, and Mentorship

Mac became active in civic life, participating in the Chamber of Commerce, becoming a board member of Howard Bank and the Shelburne Museum, and a visiting professor at Champlain College. Their first dedicated acts of philanthropy followed the death of their daughter Judy, making memorial gifts to building the new All Saints Episcopal church in South Burlington, Judy’s school library, and the children’s hospital. They devoted time and talent to community organizations, learning the principle that “the more you give, the more you receive.”

Through the 1960s and early 1970s, Mac helped grow the Free Press into a thriving business, and the group of owners acquired another newspaper – the Public Opinion in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. When majority ownership was sold to Gannett Co. in 1971, Mac expanded his philanthropic impact and served as Gannett’s Vice President of Marketing. He later left to mentor teams nationally through McClure Marketing Motivation, using his “Energems” to encourage others to succeed professionally and give back to their communities.

Hands-On Philanthropy and Legacy

Their giving was channeled through what Mac called “hands-on philanthropy,” giving over $16 million between 1970 and 1995, often through appreciated securities and challenge grants that inspired others to participate. They established the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation in 1994, becoming the first Supporting Organization of the Vermont Community Foundation in 1995, to perpetuate their vision of giving with warm hands. Mac passed away in 2004, leaving a legacy of civic leadership, mentorship, and the philosophy that “we are merely stewards of what we have…those of us who can give, should.”

Legacy and Lessons

Mac’s health declined in the late 1990s, and Lois cared for him at Wake Robin in Vermont until his passing in 2004. Throughout their lives, they emphasized stewardship and giving: “no one ‘really owns’ anything; we are merely stewards.” Lois continues to honor Mac, including supporting half-price admission at the Shelburne Museum. Their story reflects a life devoted to enterprise, family, mentorship, and philanthropy, illustrating how time, talent, and treasure can enrich communities and inspire others. Lois remembered his boundless optimism that drove real outcomes: “Anything Mac ever thought or dreamed was possible. He was never depressed or discouraged by obstacles. Anything could be done — and was.”