Arthur Jack “Art” MacLean, 78, of Blue Springs, MO, died Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Timothy Lutheran Church in Blue Springs. Inurnment will follow at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Alma. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Timothy Lutheran Church. Memorials are suggested to Timothy Lutheran Church or Saint Paul Lutheran High School (for the benefit of the Wes MacLean Scholarship Fund) in care of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home. An online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com
Art was born on October 24, 1947, in Milwaukee, WI, and was the son of the late Jack D. MacLean and Elinor Spiering MacLean. In 1966, he graduated from East Central High School in Tulsa, OK, studied for two years at St. John’s College in Winfield, KS, and in 1970, earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia Teachers College in Seward, NE. In 1981, Art earned his master’s degree in education from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, MO.
Art was devoted to education his entire life. From earning his degrees in education, he had a desire to see young people grow in knowledge. His teaching career spanned over 30 years. He began teaching at Trinity Lutheran School in Alma in 1970 and remained there until 1978. From 1978-1987 he taught in the Norborne Public School District and then from 1987 until his retirement in 2003, he taught in the Marshall Public School District. In addition to his teaching duties, Art will be remembered as an avid volleyball coach at St. Paul Lutheran High School, as well as Marshall and Higginsville. Following his retirement from teaching, and keeping with that lifelong devotion to education, Art became a recruiter for Saint Paul Lutheran High School from 2003 until 2009.
His life was not only dedicated to education, but also to his family. He was the proud father of two sons, Brian and Wes. On November 29, 2021, he married Lynn Porter and she survives of the home.
As a person who instilled so much and had a love for young people, Art knew that the calling he had on his life was given to him by God. His faith was a mainstay in his life and gave him the ability to instill a positive impact on the lives of so many others by showing them the love of Christ. Art was a lifelong Lutheran and was a current member at Timothy Lutheran Church in Blue Springs where he had been active in the men’s group.
He was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was active in many things pertaining to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Art even raised, and raced, honing pigeons for many years.
Art’s survivors include his wife, Lynn Porter-MacLean, of the home; one son, Brian MacLean (Erin) of Cole Camp; daughter-in-law, Sara MacLean of Oak Grove; three grandchildren: Maya, Jacen and Jack; eight step grandchildren: Jessica, Hayley, Seth, Cody, Madelyn, Emma, Sophia and Tim; a step great-grandson, Kobe; one brother, Jerry MacLean (Vici) of Lone Jack; as well as other extended family and friends.
In addition to his parents, Jack and Elinor; he was preceded in death by one son, Robert Wesley MacLean; a stepson, Kurt Porter; and a step granddaughter, Emily Kay Hartman.
Source: KMZU, The Farm
