- Date Of Death: December 1, 2016
- State: North Carolina
Coach as he was called by many, resigned his position in life to accept a position on the Staff of the Greatest Coach, his Lord and Savior, on Thursday, December 1, 2016.
Coach was born on his Dad’s birthdate, January 20, 1928 at home in Carson Valley, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Francis M. Claar and Clara Claar, both deceased. Art graduated from Bellwood-Antis High School with eleven years perfect attendance. He played football, basketball, and ran track. He participated in the StateTrack meet his Junior and Senior years. He received a full football scholarship to Catawba College where he graduated after 4 years. While he was there he received the following honors; All conference three years, All conference first team his Junior and Senior years, Associated Press Little All-American Honorable Mention as a junior and senior, Holgate Sporting News first team All-American as a Senior, first team Small College All Southern, Aycock Athletic medal for Best Senior Athlete, All Time Catawba Team, played first two Tangerine bowls, and named to the Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame.
He attended Appalachian State College where he received his Masters of Education Degree with a concentration in High School Administration in 1957. He received his certification as a Driver Education Instructor at North Carolina State University in 1958 and then his Masters Degree in Drivers Education from North Carolina A&T University in 1970.
Art began his coaching career in Wilmington, NC at Winter Park Elementary School and Chestnut Street Junior High. He came to E.M. Holt in 1953 as an assistant Coach, spent the next 8 years as head coach at Haw River High School, where he was ranked in the Top 10 Class A Schools for 5 years, North State Conference Football Coach of the year in 1958, North State Conference Girls Basketball Coach of the year in 1960. He spent 4 years at Eastern Alamance High School as Athletic Director and football coach, became Physical Education Supervisor for grades 1 through 6 for Burlington City Schools, Director of the Federal Education Program, ESEA Title 1 for Alamance County Schools 1967-1970. He was Assistant Coach for Jerome Evans at Walter Williams High School, Head Coach of Cummings High School for two years before becoming owner and operator of Claar Lighting Fixtures Company which he operated for 13 years. While there he was an assistant coach for Coach Jerry Tolley at Elon College working with receivers, then on to Southern Alamance as an Assistant Coach for 2 years before becoming an Assistant Principal for 5 years.
Art married Emma Lou Fisher and had one daughter, Lynn Qualls(Harvey) and one son, Kim Claar(Terri). Later in life he met and married Maxine Abercrombie Lindley who had three sons, Harvey, Mark(Sandy) and James(Angie). He is also survived by seven grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by four siblings; Audrey, Marjorie, Virgil and Joyce.
After retiring from teaching, he was active in the Altamahaw-Ossippee Civitan Club and was President for two years when it was chosen as one of the State’s Outstanding Clubs, Sertoma Club, Burlington Cotillion Club, Burlington Exchange Club, and Burlington Home Builders’ Association. Art participated in the State Senoir Games for 16 years playing badminton and was State Champion in each classification. He played singles, doubles, and mixed doubles with his wife Maxine. In his leisure time he was occupied by his love for fishing and gardening. He enjoyed showing and sharing his dinner plate sized tomatoes.
He was a member of the First Reformed Church of Christ and was a member of the Church Consistory and sang in the Church Choir. After his marriage to Maxine he joined First Baptist Church of Burlington where he served as a Deacon.
First Baptist Church of Burlington
Saturday December 3rd, 2016
12:00pm
400 S. Broad Street
Burlington, NC 27215
First Baptist Church of Burlington
Saturday December 3rd, 2016
10:30pm – 11:30pm
400 S. Broad Street
Burlington, NC 27215
