Paul Donald McCloud Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Dear Family and Friends, You are getting a late / early Christmas letter from the McClouds. Don and I decided last year that we would wait until he passed and use this opportunity to share his obituary with the people we love most. In his own words, here is what he wanted you to know... Don was born May 28, 1924, in Ogden, Utah to John Paul McCloud and Leah Peck McCloud at Dee Hospital. Goodly parents! Educated in Ogden City Schools. Graduated May 28, 1942, from OHS, a beautiful, new building. Enlisted the following week in the Army Air Corps. Sworn in August 12, 1942. Called to training school Feb. 15, 1943, in California. During the waiting period attended Weber College, auditing classes in Physics, Weather, etc. Graduated Luke Field, Phoenix, Az., as a fighter pilot: Dec 5, 1943. Class 43K. Cited for gunnery record - among top ten in class. Served at CAAF, Chico, CA. (327th Fighter Sqdn, 4th Air Force for one year as a fighter flight leader. Flew five of the Air Corps fighters of the period. Served in India and China - 449- Fighter Sadn. 51* Group, 14- Air Force "The Forgotten Sqdn" mostly in Mengtze, Yunnan Province, China, where I was a Flight Leader. Flew only four missions in P38 Lightnings in combat area. Let a flight of four to escort an American Colonel to accept Surrender of Japanese in Hanoi. Rank: Captain. Home and discharged May 1946. A great adventure! Graduated 1948 from Weber College w/ Assoc. Degree. Started Don's Sweet Shoppe in American Fork in Oct that year and operated it for nine years - great employees and customers! Met wife Delores there. Married Delores Harris in August 1956 - a great happening in my life! Joined the LDS Church in 1958 and our marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple that year. We have four wonderful children: Kristi (Frodsham), Brooke, Kerry, and Courtney (McClouds). Four more great happenings! Blessed too by our in- laws and seven very special grandchildren. I'm proud of and love each member of our extended families and we have many great friends. Started Mt. States Laundry Equip. in 1958 for 35 years. Utah Coin-op Service in 1960 - sold after 15 years. Started Apartment Laundry Service in 1980 - still operating and owned by son, Kerry. Started Kerrybrook Appliance in 1980. It continues with different owners. Started Relms, Inc., with others in 1982 and it continues with friend owner, Tom Halliday. Retired in 1993 - moved to St. George. Spent summers in Island Park, Idaho. We have the best of worlds with families and friends. I'm blessed and so very grateful! God has been Good! At the age of 98, Don took off the morning of July 27th, 2022, in his favorite plane. How do we know this? Because God knew how much he loved the P-38 and we're sure he was blessed with this special escort to heaven. We will miss his gentle kindness, his fierce patriotism, and his common sense. Keep your fingers crossed that he had a smooth landing. It's been a while since he flew this thing! A graveside service will be held in Ashton, Idaho on August 13, 2022.

Paul Donald McCloud

May 28, 1924 - July 27, 2022