Richard L. Mcclain

Richard L. McClain, age 84 of Anna, died 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at Manor Grove Care in Kirkwood, Missouri after a 20 month long battle with lymphoma. Richard was born on November 22, 1927 in Water Valley, Ms, the son of Frank and Elizabeth (Smith) McClain. He married Jo Brashears on September 12, 1953. She preceded him in death in 1981.Richard spent his youth in Paducah, Kentucky and graduated from Murray State University with a Master's degree in Secondary Education. He was a WWII military veteran in the United States Army. He moved to Anna in 1951 and began a long teaching career, ending at the Anna-Jonesboro Community High School where he taught business and, in his early years, coached football. He was an avid outdoorsman and nature buff who did his best to visit every national park west of the Mississippi River. Richard was also a train enthusiast who loved the pace of a train as it gave him the opportunity to see the country side at "his speed".Richard is survived by two children, Carol McClain of St. Louis, MO and Keith (Juli) McClain of Murray, KY; two granddaughters, Stephanie Jo and Elizabeth Suzanne McClain, both of Murray, KY; his loyal companion and best friend, Winston, a yorkshire terrier. Private burial services will be held at the Anna Cemetery followed by a family memorial service at the Kentucky Lake at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to stjude.org/donate, with acknowledgments made to Carol McClain at 109 Parkland Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63122. Envelopes will also be available at Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Anna-Jonesboro at P.O. Box 633, Anna, IL 62906.