Jerry McClanahan, the late Bunny Neff inducted into Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame

Longtime Route 66 artist and researcher Jerry McClanahan of Chandler, Oklahoma, was inducted Saturday into the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton.

The other inductee was the late Jeannette “Bunny” Neff of Sayre, Oklahoma, who advocated for Route 66 in the western part of the state for many years.

Two people — one alive and one deceased — are inducted into the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame every two years. The association has recognized such individuals in since 1994.

Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also leads the state’s tourism department, presided over the ceremony, according to a report from the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. Clinton Mayor David Berrong, Oklahoma Historical Society director Trait Thompson and state Sen. Darcy Jech also attended.

Longtime roadie Shellee Graham posted photos on Facebook from the ceremony:

More about McClanahan from a new release by the association:

Jerry has been traveling Route 66 for his entire life, first capturing it with his camera, then interpreting it with his brush, and finally translating it with his maps.

His gallery in Chandler has become a must-stop destination for travelers to see his art and get their “EZ-66 Guide” signed. The “EZ-66 Guide for Travelers” is considered by all roadies as the best turn-by-turn guidebook for traveling Historic Route 66. The “EZ Guide” was first published in 2005 and is currently on its fifth edition. Jerry’s hard work to create and update his guide makes traveling the historic alignments of Route 66 accessible to the public and has become an indispensable part of any roadie’s journey.

More about Neff:

Bunny Neff was a longtime civic servant in Beckham County, near the Texas border. Bunny moved to Sayre in 1962 with her husband Raymond and was a part of the original US 66 Highway Association, a national organization founded by the Father of Route 66, Cyrus Avery, back in the road’s earliest days. She wanted Western Oklahoma to get a fair shake and worked hard to make sure it was not forgotten. She also helped establish the Short Grass County Museum, served as President of the Chamber of Commerce, and supported multiple other organizations dedicated to economic development and community service. Even though US 66 was formally de-certified in 1985, she didn’t let that dampen her spirits. She helped found the Oklahoma Route 66 Association in 1989 and served on the Board, carrying forward that legacy until she passed away in 2010.

After the ceremony, a new photo exhibit, “Discovering Route 66,” by Oklahoma route 66 Association President Rhys Martin, was unveiled at the museum. The collection features photography that charts Martin’s path from world traveler to Oklahoma explorer to Route 66 advocate. The museum plans to host the exhibit until 2026, which is Route 66’s centennial.

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