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John P. Clement

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death May 3, 2001, of Senior Mechanic John P. Clement after a brief illness. John died of cancer at his home in East Falmouth. He was 56.

John Philip Clement was born April 16, 1945, in Wareham, MA, and was a lifelong resident of Falmouth. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1964 and served as a private in the Army during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1969.

He worked as an automotive technician for several car dealerships, including Granite Chevrolet in Hyannis from 1967 to 1972 and Clauson Chevrolet and Oldsmobile in Falmouth from 1972 to 1976. He also worked as a heavy-duty equipment mechanic for Rebello’s Nursery in East Falmouth from 1976 to December 1982.

John Clement joined the WHOI staff on August 1, 1983, as a mechanic, working with Bobby Weeks and later Bob McCabe. In 1984 he was promoted to Senior Mechanic in the Facilities Department, a position he held at the time of his death. A skilled mechanic, John Clement worked on a variety of projects both in the labs and on the ships, most recently Knorr and Oceanus. He was noted for his ability to analyze how things worked to come up with a solution, to coordinate tasks among colleagues in different groups, and to get the job done. Creative, steady and versatile, John¹s work was highly regarded by colleagues, who considered him a valuable asset not only to the Mechanical Shop but to the Institution.

His hobby was muscle cars, and he was an active member of the Falmouth Classic Car Club.

Surviving are his wife, Patricia A. (Hammond) Clement of East Falmouth; three sons, Michael P. Clement of Falmouth, David A. Clement of Litchfield, N.H., and Scott D. Clement of East Falmouth; three stepchildren, William D. Lambert, Scott D. Lambert and Patricia A. Tenney, all of Falmouth; his father, Alfred Clement of Mashpee; two brothers, Roy Clement and Gene Williams, both of East Falmouth; 10 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was also the husband of the late Janet (Peters) Clement.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, May 11, 2001, at the John Wesley United Methodist Church, 270 Gifford Street, Falmouth. Burial will be private.

Memorial donations may be made to the Memorial Benefit Fund, c/o Citizens Bank, 137 Teaticket Highway, East Falmouth, MA 02536; or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 923 Route 6A, Yarmouthport, MA 02675