Oscar Clinton Bear

Oscar Clinton "Clint" Bear, age 74, of Madison, Indiana, and the son of Oscar Charles "OB" and Norma Louise (Pulliam) Bear, was born December 22, 1949, in Madison, Indiana. He was the grandson of Oscar C. and Mary A Bear and Herman and Zoe Pulliam.

He was united in matrimony to the former Nancy Perry on June 17, 1972 at the First Christian Church in Madison. This union, of fifty two years, was blessed with two daughters, Christi and Sarah.

Clint graduated in 1967 from Madison Consolidated High School and in 1972, from Purdue University, with a degree in Landscape Architecture. He owned and operated Bear's Landscaping and also built many houses, including two for his family. He was a Rural Mail Carrier for many years. Clint also worked for DNV Healthcare as a Physical Environment Surveyor traveling to a number of hospitals across the country.  He began building guitars and started OC Bear Guitars 22 years ago. He was in the process of building his 145th guitar before his passing. He had built beautiful guitars for musicians around the country and in Europe. He donated many guitars for local festivals and even for the Maui Fire Disaster Relief Fund, raising over $13,000. He was a co-founder of Indiana Fingerstyle Competition and awarded an O.C. Bear guitar to the winner for several years. In 2016, he received an Indiana Artisan Designation from the Indiana Arts Commission. He was honored last year by the Madison Area Arts Alliance with the 2023 Artist of the Year.

He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church where he served as Junior and Senior Warden. He also was a member of the Elks Lodge and EBOR.

He had been a member of Habitat for Humanity in years past and enjoyed contributing his building/construction skills to build the houses.

When he wasn’t working on guitar building, he loved to cook and could make a fantastic gourmet sandwich that was enjoyed by any that were fortunate enough to be around for the plating. He also loved trips to the beach where he fished and basked in the sun.  When it was time to relax, he would grab his current book to enjoy. He was a voracious reader!

Clint Bear passed away November 26, 2024 at his residence in Madison, surrounded by his loving family.

His life will be cherished by his wife, Nancy; his children: Christi Burnett and her husband, Eric, of Madison and Sarah Gordon and her husband, Vince, of Madison; his mother, Louise Bear of Madison; his brothers: John Bear of Madison, Chuck Bear and his wife, Sherry of Dripping Springs, Texas, Ben Bear of Madison, and Dan Bear and his wife, Hilary of Madison; his grandchildren: Zachary Burnett, Brooke Burnett, Zane Gordon, and Maya Gordon. He was fondly known to them as “Da”. Also several nieces, nephews and cousins. His brothers-in-law Stanley Perry and wife Marlene of Edgewater, Florida, J.D. Perry and his wife Donna of Fishers, Indiana, his sisters-in-law Kathy Auxier and her husband Darrell and Ann Motenko and her husband Greg all of Madison.

He was preceded in death by his father, Oscar Charles "OB" Bear, his grandparents and his father and mother in law, Walter Douglas and Mary Carroll Perry. 

Reverend Carl Buffington will conduct memorial services at 2:00 PM Saturday December 7, 2024 at Lytle Welty Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Vail Chapel, on Madison's hilltop. Friends and family may call at the Lytle Welty Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Vail Chapel from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Friday, December 6, 2024, and from 1:00 PM until the time of the service on Saturday. According to Clint's wishes, his body will be cremated, and his ashes will be sprinkled at Springdale Cemetery.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Clint Bear Memorial Fund in hopes of establishing a fund at the Community Foundation of Madison-Jefferson County. Contributions may be made at the Lytle Welty Funeral Home or below.