Clyde Ernest Edington
Born January 13, 1932 in Lansing, MichiganDeparted September 3, 2024 in Rockledge, Florida
Clyde Ernest Edington, 92, of Potterville, Michigan, died peacefully on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Clyde was born on January 13, 1932 in Lansing, Michigan, the son of Walter J. and Vernie E. Edington.
Immediately following his graduation from Potterville High School in 1950, he married his high school sweetheart, Jane E. Phillips and enlisted in the United States Navy where he served for 23 years; serving in both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts until retiring in 1973 as a Senior Chief aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Forrestal. Clyde loved serving in the Navy but ultimately retired in order to provide a more stable home life for his family.
For decades following his retirement from the Navy, Clyde always insisted that his listing in the local phone book include the letters “ADCS” which stood for his military designation as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate Senior Chief Petty Officer. He did this in order to aid any former shipmates attempting to contact him. This ultimately led to a number of mistaken phone calls to our home asking what kind of business ADCS was conducting. Despite the slight confusion he did not want to miss the chance of reuniting with someone he had previously served alongside.
Following his retirement from the Navy, Clyde returned to his home town of Potterville, Michigan and became a police officer with the Eaton County Sheriff’s office where he served for 27 years until his second retirement in 2000. He also served as the President of the Potterville School Board until 1982. He coached and umpired many little league baseball and pee wee football teams. Most memorably, he threw his son out of a baseball game for questioning his third strike call. When not engaged in formal responsibilities, he enjoyed nothing more than fishing and hunting with his son Wayne.
In 1991, Clyde lost Jane, his wife of forty years to cancer. He later married Carol, his second wife, who was with him at the time of his death.
After retiring from law enforcement in 2000, Clyde and Carol relocated to Myrtle Beach South Carolina, to provide a spot for friends and firmly to visit during the winter months in Michigan. While in South Carolina Clyde became very active with senior league softball and competed around the United States in the Senior Olympics Softball League. This, along with playing golf four to five days a week provided him with an extremely close group of friends whose comradery he cherished deeply. They later moved to their final residence in Melbourne, Florida in 2017.
Clyde is survived by his second wife Carol, his daughter Sharon (Thomas); his son Wayne (Alice) Edington as well as two grandchildren William and Allen Shields. Clyde was preceded in death by his first wife Jane; his parents Walter and Vernie and his sister Joyce Smith.
In accordance with his wishes, Clyde will be interred on a yet to be determined date at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia in order to rest beside the 134 shipmates and friends who lost their lives in the horrific fire onboard the USS Forrestal on July 29, 1967 while operating on Yankee Station off of the coast of Vietnam. A life altering event that never left Clyde’s heart, it did serve to magnify his devotion to those lucky enough to have him in their lives.
Clyde’s life was an embodiment of humble service to family, friends, community and country. He fought the good fight, he finished the race, he kept the faith and he considered himself a Sailor to the End.