James David McCLain
1941 - 2021
James D. McClain, 80, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died February 1, 2021, at home of natural causes.
Jim, or Frog, as he was known, was born in 1941 in Bradenton, Florida, to David and Frances (Newman) McClain.
He graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1958. As a young man, he found himself responsible for his younger siblings, Mary Jane, Michael, and Patricia, and though he had plans to go to seminary and join the Episcopal priesthood, he stayed to raise them along with his mother.
He took a job with Florida, Power, and Light as a meter reader in the early 1960s. One of his favorite stories is how, during a coffee break with some fellow meter readers, he was seated in a booth next to Ted Williams and other managers who were in Fort Lauderdale for Spring Training. As Jim tells it, Ted and the others at the table loudly told stories of their heydays as the "kids at the next table," just sat in awe of these legends. That 10-minute coffee break lasted well over an hour. Jim rose through the ranks of FP&L, retiring in 1993 as the Head of the Drafting Department.
Jim was also active in local philanthropy. He was a member of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, lodge 1517, serving as the Exalted Ruler in in 1980s. He worked with many of their outreach programs including the Hoop Shoot and raising money for the Children's Therapy Home in central Florida. Almost every Christmas, he would meet with other Elks Club members at Sears Town on Sunrise Boulevard to take underprivileged kids shopping for clothes and toys. Jim was also very devoted to his church, All Saints Episcopal Church. Every week, he was working either as a reader or liturgical minister, and also brought communion to congregants who were homebound. He was a member of the vestry and later served as the church's Verger.
Jim's life wasn't only one of service and devotion. Jim married Marjorie Cartwright in 1974 and had daughter, Laura, in 1976.
Jim and Margie engaged in many social activities at the Elks Club, attended the annual FP&L picnics, and were both involved in many church groups. In addition, they were always by friends and family frequenting local watering holes such as the lounge at Old Florida Seafood, Stumpy's, Whitt's End, and Pampy's where the two met while Margie was a cocktail waitress.
After he retired, Jim enjoyed bartending for a while – usually, an opening shift – where he would spend time with friends over a cup of coffee and telling stories, his favorite pastime.
Jim had a full and happy life. He was given to chuckling when you caught him off-guard with a joke and never far from a smile. He loved golfing, NASCAR, the Florida Gators, and the New York Yankees (to his son-in-law's chagrin). Jim was also a huge fan of Elvis (with whom he shared a birthday), John Wayne, and Richard Petty. In his last years, he enjoyed watching reruns of MASH, The Andy Griffith show, and the Golden Girls with his grandchildren and sneaking nips of Black Velvet when no one was looking. He is survived by his wife, Margie; his daughter, Laura (McClain) Starratt (husband, Rick); grandchildren, Thomas and Katherine; sister, Patricia Warren; nieces, Mary Irvin, Gina Nugent, and McClain Warren; cat, Sylvester; and a huge collection of frog memorabilia which was never purchased and always gifted.
A private family service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Memorial donations may be made All Saints Episcopal Church, 333 Tarpon Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
Published in Sun-Sentinel on Feb. 14, 2021.
1941 - 2021
James D. McClain, 80, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died February 1, 2021, at home of natural causes.
Jim, or Frog, as he was known, was born in 1941 in Bradenton, Florida, to David and Frances (Newman) McClain.
He graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1958. As a young man, he found himself responsible for his younger siblings, Mary Jane, Michael, and Patricia, and though he had plans to go to seminary and join the Episcopal priesthood, he stayed to raise them along with his mother.
He took a job with Florida, Power, and Light as a meter reader in the early 1960s. One of his favorite stories is how, during a coffee break with some fellow meter readers, he was seated in a booth next to Ted Williams and other managers who were in Fort Lauderdale for Spring Training. As Jim tells it, Ted and the others at the table loudly told stories of their heydays as the "kids at the next table," just sat in awe of these legends. That 10-minute coffee break lasted well over an hour. Jim rose through the ranks of FP&L, retiring in 1993 as the Head of the Drafting Department.
Jim was also active in local philanthropy. He was a member of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, lodge 1517, serving as the Exalted Ruler in in 1980s. He worked with many of their outreach programs including the Hoop Shoot and raising money for the Children's Therapy Home in central Florida. Almost every Christmas, he would meet with other Elks Club members at Sears Town on Sunrise Boulevard to take underprivileged kids shopping for clothes and toys. Jim was also very devoted to his church, All Saints Episcopal Church. Every week, he was working either as a reader or liturgical minister, and also brought communion to congregants who were homebound. He was a member of the vestry and later served as the church's Verger.
Jim's life wasn't only one of service and devotion. Jim married Marjorie Cartwright in 1974 and had daughter, Laura, in 1976.
Jim and Margie engaged in many social activities at the Elks Club, attended the annual FP&L picnics, and were both involved in many church groups. In addition, they were always by friends and family frequenting local watering holes such as the lounge at Old Florida Seafood, Stumpy's, Whitt's End, and Pampy's where the two met while Margie was a cocktail waitress.
After he retired, Jim enjoyed bartending for a while – usually, an opening shift – where he would spend time with friends over a cup of coffee and telling stories, his favorite pastime.
Jim had a full and happy life. He was given to chuckling when you caught him off-guard with a joke and never far from a smile. He loved golfing, NASCAR, the Florida Gators, and the New York Yankees (to his son-in-law's chagrin). Jim was also a huge fan of Elvis (with whom he shared a birthday), John Wayne, and Richard Petty. In his last years, he enjoyed watching reruns of MASH, The Andy Griffith show, and the Golden Girls with his grandchildren and sneaking nips of Black Velvet when no one was looking. He is survived by his wife, Margie; his daughter, Laura (McClain) Starratt (husband, Rick); grandchildren, Thomas and Katherine; sister, Patricia Warren; nieces, Mary Irvin, Gina Nugent, and McClain Warren; cat, Sylvester; and a huge collection of frog memorabilia which was never purchased and always gifted.
A private family service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Memorial donations may be made All Saints Episcopal Church, 333 Tarpon Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
Published in Sun-Sentinel on Feb. 14, 2021.
James David McCLain
1941 - 2021
James D. McClain, 80, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died February 1, 2021, at home of natural causes.
Jim, or Frog, as he was known, was born in 1941 in Bradenton, Florida, to David and Frances (Newman) McClain.
He graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1958. As a young man, he found himself responsible for his younger siblings, Mary Jane, Michael, and Patricia, and though he had plans to go to seminary and join the Episcopal priesthood, he stayed to raise them along with his mother.
He took a job with Florida, Power, and Light as a meter reader in the early 1960s. One of his favorite stories is how, during a coffee break with some fellow meter readers, he was seated in a booth next to Ted Williams and other managers who were in Fort Lauderdale for Spring Training. As Jim tells it, Ted and the others at the table loudly told stories of their heydays as the "kids at the next table," just sat in awe of these legends. That 10-minute coffee break lasted well over an hour. Jim rose through the ranks of FP&L, retiring in 1993 as the Head of the Drafting Department.
Jim was also active in local philanthropy. He was a member of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, lodge 1517, serving as the Exalted Ruler in in 1980s. He worked with many of their outreach programs including the Hoop Shoot and raising money for the Children's Therapy Home in central Florida. Almost every Christmas, he would meet with other Elks Club members at Sears Town on Sunrise Boulevard to take underprivileged kids shopping for clothes and toys. Jim was also very devoted to his church, All Saints Episcopal Church. Every week, he was working either as a reader or liturgical minister, and also brought communion to congregants who were homebound. He was a member of the vestry and later served as the church's Verger.
Jim's life wasn't only one of service and devotion. Jim married Marjorie Cartwright in 1974 and had daughter, Laura, in 1976.
Jim and Margie engaged in many social activities at the Elks Club, attended the annual FP&L picnics, and were both involved in many church groups. In addition, they were always by friends and family frequenting local watering holes such as the lounge at Old Florida Seafood, Stumpy's, Whitt's End, and Pampy's where the two met while Margie was a cocktail waitress.
After he retired, Jim enjoyed bartending for a while – usually, an opening shift – where he would spend time with friends over a cup of coffee and telling stories, his favorite pastime.
Jim had a full and happy life. He was given to chuckling when you caught him off-guard with a joke and never far from a smile. He loved golfing, NASCAR, the Florida Gators, and the New York Yankees (to his son-in-law's chagrin). Jim was also a huge fan of Elvis (with whom he shared a birthday), John Wayne, and Richard Petty. In his last years, he enjoyed watching reruns of MASH, The Andy Griffith show, and the Golden Girls with his grandchildren and sneaking nips of Black Velvet when no one was looking. He is survived by his wife, Margie; his daughter, Laura (McClain) Starratt (husband, Rick); grandchildren, Thomas and Katherine; sister, Patricia Warren; nieces, Mary Irvin, Gina Nugent, and McClain Warren; cat, Sylvester; and a huge collection of frog memorabilia which was never purchased and always gifted.
A private family service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Memorial donations may be made All Saints Episcopal Church, 333 Tarpon Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
Published in Sun-Sentinel on Feb. 14, 2021.
1941 - 2021
James D. McClain, 80, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died February 1, 2021, at home of natural causes.
Jim, or Frog, as he was known, was born in 1941 in Bradenton, Florida, to David and Frances (Newman) McClain.
He graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1958. As a young man, he found himself responsible for his younger siblings, Mary Jane, Michael, and Patricia, and though he had plans to go to seminary and join the Episcopal priesthood, he stayed to raise them along with his mother.
He took a job with Florida, Power, and Light as a meter reader in the early 1960s. One of his favorite stories is how, during a coffee break with some fellow meter readers, he was seated in a booth next to Ted Williams and other managers who were in Fort Lauderdale for Spring Training. As Jim tells it, Ted and the others at the table loudly told stories of their heydays as the "kids at the next table," just sat in awe of these legends. That 10-minute coffee break lasted well over an hour. Jim rose through the ranks of FP&L, retiring in 1993 as the Head of the Drafting Department.
Jim was also active in local philanthropy. He was a member of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, lodge 1517, serving as the Exalted Ruler in in 1980s. He worked with many of their outreach programs including the Hoop Shoot and raising money for the Children's Therapy Home in central Florida. Almost every Christmas, he would meet with other Elks Club members at Sears Town on Sunrise Boulevard to take underprivileged kids shopping for clothes and toys. Jim was also very devoted to his church, All Saints Episcopal Church. Every week, he was working either as a reader or liturgical minister, and also brought communion to congregants who were homebound. He was a member of the vestry and later served as the church's Verger.
Jim's life wasn't only one of service and devotion. Jim married Marjorie Cartwright in 1974 and had daughter, Laura, in 1976.
Jim and Margie engaged in many social activities at the Elks Club, attended the annual FP&L picnics, and were both involved in many church groups. In addition, they were always by friends and family frequenting local watering holes such as the lounge at Old Florida Seafood, Stumpy's, Whitt's End, and Pampy's where the two met while Margie was a cocktail waitress.
After he retired, Jim enjoyed bartending for a while – usually, an opening shift – where he would spend time with friends over a cup of coffee and telling stories, his favorite pastime.
Jim had a full and happy life. He was given to chuckling when you caught him off-guard with a joke and never far from a smile. He loved golfing, NASCAR, the Florida Gators, and the New York Yankees (to his son-in-law's chagrin). Jim was also a huge fan of Elvis (with whom he shared a birthday), John Wayne, and Richard Petty. In his last years, he enjoyed watching reruns of MASH, The Andy Griffith show, and the Golden Girls with his grandchildren and sneaking nips of Black Velvet when no one was looking. He is survived by his wife, Margie; his daughter, Laura (McClain) Starratt (husband, Rick); grandchildren, Thomas and Katherine; sister, Patricia Warren; nieces, Mary Irvin, Gina Nugent, and McClain Warren; cat, Sylvester; and a huge collection of frog memorabilia which was never purchased and always gifted.
A private family service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Memorial donations may be made All Saints Episcopal Church, 333 Tarpon Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
Published in Sun-Sentinel on Feb. 14, 2021.
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