Clyde Clifton McMeans

Clyde Clifton McMeans was born April 30, 1915, in Karnes City, Texas to Clarence Dixon McMeans and Elvarena McCain McMeans and was preceded in death by his brother Lee Dixon McMeans. His parents, brothers and sisters survived Clyde but are now all deceased. They are Clarence and Elvarena McMeans, Ella Mae Schroeder (Edwin), Oda Cleveland McMeans (Betty & Bonnie), Rosa Marie Davis (Charles), Eddie Belle Carter (Carson & Eddy), Clarence Ray McMeans, Jr. (Jean), James Edward McMeans (Charlotte), Elvarena Powell (Clarence). Also, deceased are his nephews, Dick Schroeder, Dale Davis, Jimmy McMeans, Travis Duncan, Haskell Powell, and Harvey Powell. His deceased nieces are Melba Ruth Jauer and Carol Jean Urbanovsky.

Clyde attended school in Karnes County and San Marcos before his family moved to south Texas in 1926. He attended school in Agua Dulce from 1928-1931 and graduated from Banquete High School in 1935 and had the key note presentation at his graduation. He was a member of the Banquete Methodist Church. Clyde worked as a clerk at the Banquete grocery store and later worked in Corpus Christi building the Naval Air Station, and enlisted in the United States Navy on October 1, 1940, and planned to make it his career. Upon entering the Navy he was trained to operate a fleet machine gun aboard a naval ship.

Seaman First Class Clyde Clifton McMeans was serving aboard the USS California when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Clyde was killed in action along with approximately 102 sailors and marines assigned to the USS California and his remains were not identified immediately. His remains were removed from the ship in the weeks following the attack in early 1942, buried in a cemetery in Hawaii, later disinterred, and positively identified in November, 2025, by DNA from his siblings, Oda, Eddie Belle and Edward. He received the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal with fleet clasp, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Campaign Star, World War II Victory Medal, and Honorable Service Lapel Pin (Rupture Duck).

We rest assured that he is with our Lord and Savior and left to honor his sacrifice are his nephews, Kenny Davis, Wesley McMeans (Patsy), Bobby McMeans (Sharon), Bruce McMeans and Sonny Powell (Janet) and nieces, Kathy Herrmann (Donald Wayne), Debbie Menefee (Dexter), Cindy Poole (Bill), Elizabeth Scott, Elise Murray, Gloria Campbell (Bob), Ruth Wills, Patsy Gasper (Glenn), Brenda Dawes (Steve) and Linda Lynch. He is also survived by cousins, Helen Raulz, Billy Jack McCain (Ann), Tommie Sawyer (Theresa) and Jack Sawyer (Brenda). He is also survived by his great nephews, Scott Schroeder, Daryl Schroeder, Jon Herrmann, Scot Herrmann, Joe Herrmann, Colin Menefee, Allen Poole, Troy Northcutt, Glen Wills, Eric Gasper, Jovain Christopher McMeans, Richie Keith, Graham Lynch, Cody McMeans, Bryan McMeans, Billy Reeves, Austin McMeans, Josh Salinas, Wade Powell and great nieces, Karen Edwards, Deanna Snyder, Melissa Pinkerton, Denise Urbanovsky, Rhonda Urbanovsky, Alison Maas, Morgan Jeffers, Katie Summers, Deborah Taylor, Sharon Goodson, Tiffany Davis, Tricia Burks, Tammy Moore, Crystal Raines, Juliana Sasaki, Lauren Keith, Jessica Keith, Lori Lynch, Autumn McMeans, Karen Robles and second cousins, Jill Marek, Joe Raulz, Karen Black, Cameron McCain, Wade Sawyer, and Kelley Sawyer.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 A.M. Friday, May 1, 2026 at River Hills Baptist Church with Pastor Roland Contreras officiating. Graveside services with full military honors will be conducted at 1 P.M. Friday, May 1, 2026 at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery.

Pallbearers are: Kenny Davis, Bobby McMeans, Bruce McMeans, Wesley McMeans, Jack Sawyer, Eric Gasper, Jon Herrmann, Scot Herrmann, Joe Herrmann, Bryan McMeans, Colin Menefee, Troy Northcutt, Allen Poole, Billy Reeves, Daryl Schroeder and Scott Schroeder.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Wounded Warrior Project https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org, PO Box 758541 Topeka, Kansas 66675-8541 or to Tower of Tunnels https://t2t.org/ , 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306.