Mayonne J. McClurg

Mayonne Jean McClurg, beloved family matriarch, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great, great grandmother moved to her heavenly home Tuesday, April 28, 2026. She was born April 17,1927 to Melvin and Thelma (Skrede) Thompson. Mayonne was raised on her parent’s dairy farm in Jefferson township, Viroqua near the little community of Bud. She attended grade school at Colonel May, except for a few years when she attended White Pigeon while her parents rented and ran the country store at Bud. As an only child, time spent with cousins built enduring relationships that lasted her entire life. Mayonne graduated from Viroqua High School and immediately went to work as a secretary for Slack, Nelson and Castle and later for the John Kline Insurance agency often helping to write the insurance policies.

She met the love of her life when her good friend Helen (McClurg) Hill set her up on a blind date with Helen’s brother, Eldon Harry McClurg. Eldon and Mayonne were married May 1,1949, and they joined her folks in their farming operations. This marriage was blessed with two children, Eldonna Jean and 14 months later Michael Steven. Mayonne found these years in her marriage busy, raising two little ones, helping with chores on their busy growing dairy farm that diversified, as many farms did in the 50’s and 60’s, by also raising chickens, hogs, beef, and tobacco.

Once she and Eldon were empty nesters, their lives did not slow down. Mayonne found herself supporting Eldon as a Vigortone Feed and Tracy Seed dealer which also allowed them to do some traveling, with trips to Hawaii being among her favorite where she would have a chance to meet and catch up with her cousin Armin Thompson.

Mayonne thought it was important to give back to her community, and she did so by volunteering. For decades she volunteered at Bethel Home, visiting with the patientsas she delivered their mail, she was a member of the Eagles Ladies Auxiliary, and wrote for the Broadcaster Censor’s Pages from the Past. The ladies from the BadAxe church which she grew up in and the Church of Christ which Eldon and her were active members of once they were married, always knew they could count on her for their many mission activities. Her volunteer church involvement, along with feeding a growing family, always filled her home with the warm smells of cookies, cakes and pies being baked with love. She always enjoyed trying new recipes.

But when she wasn’t volunteering, she enjoyed staying active. She was a member of the “Red Hat Club, Eldon and she enjoyed playing cards with the same group of friends for years and she loved to bowl. Starting her bowling career at the four lanes attached to the Viroqua Dairy, she was known as one of the better women bowlers in the area. To be able to equal her high average was always a challenge for her kids and grandkids. All while creating friendships for life with her local and state bowling. She loved watching the Green Bay Packers play and at 98 was still writing down their start times so she wouldn’t miss a game.

But most of all, she loved spending time with her family. Making meals, spoiling them with baked goods, or having all 6 grandkids to play a game of cards or a board game like Monopoly ‘made her day’. Always competitive, letting them win just because she was Grandma wasn’t in the cards.

At the age of 90 still living in her own home, she made the decision to give up driving, sell her car and move into Maplewood Assisted Living, which because of all the stimulus of activities that she loved to be a part of, including always looking for someone to play cards with, added another 9 years to her life.

She leaves to mourn her passing- daughter Eldonna (Bud) Smith, son Michael (Charlene) McClurg; 6 grandchildren: Seth (Lacie) McClurg, Joshua Smith, Jedediah (Elizabeth) Smith, Maren (Cole) Cary, Rena (Andy) Yahn, and Laramie (Heidi) McClurg; 12 great-grandchildren: Ronan and Lochlun Yahn, Declan Smith, Sandon (Abbie), Satchel, Ava, and Axton McClurg, Regan, Corwin, and Eric Cary, Maddox Schaaf, and Evie McClurg; 3 great, great-granddaughters: Oaklynn, Adalynn, and Braelynn McClurg plus Baby Boy McClurg due in June and many, many family and friends

She was preceded in death by her husband Eldon; infant brother Buford Truman; and her parents, Melvin and Thelma Thompson

The family of Mayonne would like to thank the staff of Maplewood Assisted Living and Vernon Manor for their patience and compassion shown their Mom and Grandma during her stay with them.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Viroqua Church of Christ, 825 Nelson Parkway in Viroqua from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will take place at the Viroqua Cemetery at 2:00 p.m.