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McCullough, Claude Delmar 1922-2008

MCCULLOUGH, GRIMSLEY, GEE, GRISWOLD

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 10/29/2017 at 15:04:04

The Montezuma (IA) Republican
Feb. 16, 2008

CLAUDE MCCULLOUGH, 85

Claude McCullough, 85, of Montezuma, passed away Wednesday Jan. 30, 2008 at his home. His body has been cremated.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) at 5161 E. Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN 47302.

Claude Delmar McCullough, son of Wilbur and Madeline Grimsley McCullough, was born May 16, 1922, in Ottumwa. Claude and his sisters went to live with their grandparents on the farm when Claude was nine years old. They were raised by their grandparents until their grandparents' deaths. Claude was a 1939 graduate of Catholic Central High School in Ottumwa. In 1943 he entered the United States Army Signal Corps and was attached to the U.S. Air Corps where he served in Italy during World War II. After the war, Claude resumed farming near Ottumwa in 1947. In 1971, he moved to Montezuma and went to work for Sig Manufacturing Co. designing model airplanes and related products. Even after Claude retired from Sig in 1987, he continued to design and build model airplanes at home to compete in the regional and national contests.

Claude loved to make and fly model airplanes. He began competing regularly with all types of model airplanes in 1935. He was the co-founder of Ottumwa Hornets Model Airplane Club in the 1930s. In 1941, he entered his first Academy of Model Aeronautics National Championships. In 1957, Claude was elected AMA President. After his term was over, he continued to serve the national organization as Chairman of the Rules Committee until the present time. In fact, Claude continuously held an AMA governing office longer than any AMA member in history. Claude won many awards at AMA Nationals and other contests including best civilian scale, best scratch-built model, best biplane, first in radio-controlled precision scale and best overall scale model. He was a member of the U.S. Team that competed in the 1970 World Model Airplane Championships held in England. Claude published numerous technical articles and photographs in national modeling magazines such as Model Airplane News, Air Trails, Radio Control Modeler and American Aircraft Models. He had numerous designs kitted by Sig Manufacturing over the years. Clade was elected to the AMA Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Society of Antique Modeler's Hall of Fame in 1991.

His memory is honored by a sister, Barbara Gee of Ottumwa, and many nieces and nephews.

Claude was preceded in death by a sister, Carolyn Griswold.


 

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