Clarence Wesley, a Humble but Noble Wichita Leader, Passes at 84

Clarence Wesley was an individual who did so much for so many, while expecting so little from so few.  He died peacefully this weekend, at age 84, after several years with alzheimers.  

Here are a few excerpts from the bio presented when he was honored by The Wichita Branch NAACP in 2015 with their Legacy  Award as written by his good friend and long-time neighbor Anita Guidry.    

There are few occasions when the people of Wichita get the opportunity to interact with a true nobleman.  

Clarence Wesley’s father died when he was very young. As a result and the youngest of eight children, he grew up in a single-parent household whose income was $69 a month.  His mother worked and the family never accepted public assistance.  

He laughingly recalls the time in his life when he did “the cardboard- in-the shoe” trick to prolong the useful life of his shoes.  

At age 16, as president of the N.A.A.C. P. Youth Group, mentored by Chester I. Lewis, Homer Floyd, and Ernie Russell, Clarence organized a protest about the inferior textbooks distributed to minority students in Coffeyville  Public Schools.  That resulted in a meeting with Kansas Governor George Docking. The policy was subsequently discontinued. 

In 1974,  he became the first African-American to deliver the keynote address at a Coffeyville Community College commencement. Committed to education, in college as president of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., his chapter was nationally recognized for their academic excellence. 

Armed with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Pittsburgh State and a Master of Arts degree from Wichita State University, his belief in the dignity of others and a deep and abiding desire to help them fulfill their dreams directed his life dedicated to working for the common good.  

His career started in the noble profession of teaching, where he strove to mold young minds.  The Wichita Chamber of Commerce convinced Clarence to redirect his talents by accepting the position with them as Manager of Community Development and Human Resources.  This was a position that made him readily accessible when the need for consultation on business development arose. 

He also hosted a television program “Looking In” for KWCH Channel 12 where the panelists focused on minority issues. 

His influence escalated when he was appointed to the National Advisory Council of the Small Business Administration representing Region 7 (Kansas City, St. Louis, Wichita, Omaha, and Des Moines) where he conducted workshops for people interested in starting their own businesses.  Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter each invited him to the White House to participate in a national “Think Tank” session where he presented a position paper identifying additional means of assistance needed in order to improve the effectiveness of minority business development. 

Clarence has continuously conceived, developed, and implemented activities that create jobs and businesses for minorities. Central Systems Equity Corporation, a company he developed, was responsible for providing $6 million in financing to businesses in Wichita, Kansas alone.”

Her write up also included a long list of awards and recognition Clarence received during his many years of service.  However those who knew him also knew his greatest love was his large and extended family and his wife Peggy and their two daughters Keira and Marquel.    

During his last few years working in the community, Clarence worked closely with the Teenage Area Recreation Program at McAdams Park  (TARP) Reunion planning committee.  In possibly one of his last recognitions from the community, that group of now mature adults, recognized Clarence for his years of supervising TARP programs with a firm, but loving and respectful hand, that helped them grow into the fine group of adults they had become.