Honoring Chief Clair Pyle
Longtime law enforcement leader and U.S. Army veteran Clair Pyle died surrounded by family. He was remembered for mentoring Parkesburg Chief Brian Sheller, his weekly Thursday visits to the Parkesburg Police Department, and his lasting friendships there.
Clair Pyle, born June 23, 1929, served in the U.S. Army and enjoyed a long career in law enforcement that included serving as Chief of Police in Honey Brook Borough. He mentored a young Brian Sheller, who later became Parkesburg Borough Chief for more than 30 years, and for the past 15 years Pyle and his daughter Linda were regular Thursday-morning fixtures at the Parkesburg Police Department. Officers recalled his close friendship with staff members such as administrative secretary Ann Smoker, and noted that despite the 1988 death of his son, Patrolman Douglas Pyle—whose name appears on the Officer Down Memorial Wall—Clair continued to spend time with the department; he passed away surrounded by family.