Arlena Durr McNair was born on November 5, 1926 to the late Hugh Durr and Kate McInnis Durr in Mount Olive, Mississippi of Covington County. She accepted Christ at nine years of age on the second Sunday of August 1936 under the late Rev. Dewey Barnes of Point Pleasant Baptist Church and was baptized on the fourth Sunday in August 1936 at Bob Popes Creek. She met and fell in love with her former babysitter Clifton McNair Jr. and they eloped and were married July 13, 1942.

Her new husband worked two weeks to buy his new wife a pair of shoes by cutting wood for $3.50, from MacAlphens shoe store of Mount Olive.

While living in Vancouver, Washington she worked as a nanny while her husband was station at Portland army Air Force Base. While living in Portland she worked at the Oregon Ship building yard where they built 30 ships in thirty days during World War II. While her husband was away serving his county, she stayed in Spokane, Washington and lived with Mr.  & Mrs.  John  Mapps. She and her husband boarded a train and came to Erie, PA on May 11, 1945. She got her first job at the Old Lawrence Hotel with her sister Annie as an elevator operator. She worked at GE in building 18 a an inspector (she was the first black female inspector), she also held a position at Murphy's Department store downtown as a cashier, and Wolf's department store as a cashier. Stromberg's and Carson's as a riveter, and as a cleaner for the Neidermeyers.

She and her husband, united with Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. Delta A, Terry, Sr. in 1945. Her and her husband was taken to Shiloh by late minister of music Charles Harris. She and her husband bought their first house in September of 1945.

She started teaching Sunday school in 1950in the primary boy's class and eventually ended teaching the women's bible class. She was on the Trustee wives board and was also president of the trustee wives for three years, progressive club, senior missionary society, senior choir, kitchen committee, and was instrumental in bringing the day care program to Erie, with the late Sarah Wright, Mary Jane Roy and several others, a former board member of the Shiloh day care center, pastor aid committee, member of the Baptist training union, chairman church anniversary for many years, She and Deacon McNair also served as church custodians for many years. She also worked as a Group Aid at the JFK day care, St. Martins, Holy Trinity, St. Mary's East Adult Day Care, Shiloh Day Care, and the Presbyterian Lodge.

She loved to cook and was bombarded with request for her Collard Greens, three layer coconut cakes, German chocolate cake and her signature Chicken and dumplings.  She loved to do gardening where she had the biggest collards this side of the Mason Dixie line, and turnip roots the size of basketball without Miracle Grow or enhancers used today. Mother Annie Smith said that Arlena, had a green thumb and everything she touched just grew crazy.

She was preceded in death by her late husband of 49 years, and her sisters and brothers – Javis, Alice, Gertrude, Jack, Willie, Annie, Zachariah, Shelly, Lydell, Travis, Louis Frank, George Peabody.

She leaves behind her only son Bishop Clifton (Richarda),(Bishop Stanley (Carla) Smith), one grandson Clifton IV, and five great grandchildren, Ceona, Isaiah, Clifton V, Mariana and Myking, and her nephew Wardell, and Sharon Cheathman; a host of nephews, nieces, family members and close friends.  We would like to thank all the staff and employees of LECOM Presque Isle Nursing facility.

Friends may visit with the family at Shiloh Baptist Church, 901 5 ^th St, on Thursday, June 2, 2002, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, where a home going celebration will immediately follow. Professional services are entrusted to Pitts Funeral Home, 2926 Pine Ave, Erie, PA 16504