Maurice Vance Clegg
Maurice V Clegg, 88, passed away Friday, October 1, 2021 in Highland UT from congestive heart failure with his beloved wife and children by his side. Maurice was born December 6, 1932 near Grace ID in the home where he grew up with loving parents, Joseph Clegg and Alice Schmeehr Clegg, and five brothers and sisters. He learned at a young age to care for chickens, milk cows, haul hay and herd cattle. He was an excellent student and was valedictorian of both his Junior High and High School graduating classes.
One day at church Maurice noticed a recently returned WW II US Army veteran with lots of ribbons on his uniform. Thus, was born his desire to have a career in the military. After graduating from Grace High School, he enrolled at the University of Idaho and signed up for the Air Force ROTC program. While at U of I he served his senior year as the LDS Student Leader. On July 23, 1954 he married his sweetheart, Marilyn Simmons, also from Grace, in the Logan LDS Temple.
In 1955 Maurice was commissioned upon graduation as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force. His flight training began in Bainbridge, GA, and was completed in Enid, Oklahoma where he received his C-124 wings. He was then assigned to Travis AFB, California to “fly the line” from Travis to Hawaii to Wake Island to Japan. After three years he applied to AFIT for additional schooling and was given the opportunity to attend the University of Utah to get a Master’s degree in Mathematics. He was then assigned to teach math at the US Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, CO. After five years teaching at the Academy, he was given an assignment to serve in Viet Nam for a year. Here he flew a rescue plane called the Caribou or C7A. While in Viet Nam he earned three Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross for completing a daring rescue mission. He was then reassigned to teach math at the Academy for four more years. During this tour he was given the opportunity to serve as the bishop of the LDS Academy Ward. Maurice’s final military assignment was at the Pentagon where he served honorably until his retirement from the Air Force in 1977.
Maurice was then offered a job with a company called TRW where he assisted in the development of the current Air Traffic Control System. He and his family lived in Fairfax and Oakton VA for a total of 31 years serving in many church callings including serving as a counselor in two bishoprics, twelve years on the High Council of Oakton Stake and a two-year service mission to an Asian Branch. A call to serve as the housing couple at the BYU Jerusalem Center had to be cancelled after 9/11 occurred. He and his wife served as ordinance workers for eight years in the Washington DC temple before accepting a call to serve as missionaries for the LDS Church in the Tonga Nukualofa Mission. Upon their return from Tonga in 2005, they moved to American Fork UT.
Maurice is survived by his wife Marilyn of 67 years, their six children, Michelle (Kim) Peterson Orem UT, Michael Clegg Draper UT, Rahn Clegg Annandale VA, Kristen (Rick) Shrader Sandy UT, Cory (Suzanne) Clegg Leesburg VA, David (Amber) Clegg Santa Clara UT, 24 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. His parents and siblings, Joe Louis Clegg, Gwen Toone, Norma Taylor, Karen Hubbard and Keith Clegg have all preceded him in death.
A funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, Oct 7th, at 11:00 am with a viewing from 9:30 – 10:30 am to be held at the American Fork 19 Ward Chapel, 1305 N 100 E in American Fork UT. A graveside service will be held in Grace ID on Friday, Oct 8th at 12:00 noon at the Grace Cemetery where the burial will take place.
Funeral arrangements have been prepared by Warenski Funeral Home in American Fork UT.