November 17th, 1918-February 3rd, 2017
Verna McClain was a businesswoman and philanthropist whose contributions to South Phoenix are still being recognized.
Verna McClain was born at home on November 17th, 1918 in Catfish, Pennsylvania, but she never had a birth certificate. Her family struggled financially. Her father was a coal miner who moved the family around and by six years old, Verna had lived in seven different places.
Verna’s father died before she was ten, and he left behind a 27-year-old widow to raise four small children. Verna found refuge at school, walking four miles a day to and from a one-room rural school house with a potbelly stove. She earned good grades, and made the honor roll most years.
Verna was seventeen and thriving when her mother became very ill. Verna dropped out of school to support her family. She worked overnights full-time and earned 35 cents an hour, which still wasn’t enough. Ever the survivor and entrepreneur, Verna opened her own laundry, ironing, and housecleaning business. These experiences gave Verna an appreciation for the education she missed out on, the hard work that got her through, and the importance of home.
Later in life, Verna married Frank McClain. Frank and Verna moved to South Phoenix from Ohio in 1969 hoping that the dry, warm climate would help Frank, who was in poor health. They managed the Mountain Vista apartment complex on Roeser Road together for a few years until Frank passed away.
Insert Audio Clip: 7:17. Moving to Arizona; 9:04 Getting involved in South Mountain
Even though she had lost her husband, Verna was never lonely. She made South Phoenix her home, joining and forming several organizations, and launching events that became local traditions. Among her favorites were the Pioneer Pancake Breakfast, the Pioneer Luncheon, the South Mountain Festival Parade, and Ms. South Phoenix, traditions that started as early as 1974 and continued for decades.
Insert Audio Clip: 11:50 Fall Festival, 1973
Verna loved South Phoenix, and she saw potential for the community that, at the time, was relatively rural and poor. Verna believed that all students in South Phoenix deserved a chance to go to college. But, the closest campuses in the 1970s were Phoenix College and Arizona State University – both almost impossible to get to because the roads weren’t what they are today. So Verna helped start a grassroots campaign to bring a college to South Phoenix. She spoke before city council, attended governing board meetings, and – even though she didn’t drive – made it to the decisive board meeting in Casa Grande when South Mountain Community College was officially founded in 1979. And you better believe she was sitting in the front row when President Raul Cardenas broke ground at South Mountain Community College on 24th Street and Vineyard Road.
Insert Audio Clip: 19:50 South Mountain Community College
Verna lived proudly in South Phoenix until she died in 2017. That year, South Mountain Community College honored Verna’s legacy and her contributions to the community with a scholarship in her name. Verna, who had to drop out of school at 17, never wanted other students to be forced out of school if they faced hardships like she did. So, the Verna McClain Student Emergency Fund exists for students facing an extraordinary crisis, like she did when her mother died.
Verna McClain never made a lot of money. But she made a major impact. Your contribution can do the same. Consider making a donation today by visiting www.southmountaincc.edu/VM-Donate.
| Narrator | Verna McClain |
| Birthdate | November 17th, 1918 |
| Place of Origin | Catfish, Pennsylvania |
| Place of Residence | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Years Active | 1969-2017 |
| Occupation | Community servant, businesswoman, publisher |
| Recording Date | February 24, 2007 |
| Location | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Recording Duration | 45:47 |
| Interview Conducted By | Community Researcher Marty Gibson audio file donated by Gibson and retained by the South Phoenix Oral History Project. |
| Original Story Written By | Margaret Turner (student of the Storytelling Institute, original story archived with the South Phoenix Oral History Project.) |
| Story Adapted By | Faculty Researcher Summer Cherland, PhD & Student Researcher Augustin Lopez Rodelo |
Metadata table
South Phoenix Oral History Project 