Richard D. McRae

1921 - 2016

Richard D. McRae

Jackson

Richard Duncan McRae, 95, died peacefully at home on September 2, 2016, surrounded by family and friends. He will be remembered as a retail giant but, more importantly, for his kindness, generosity, and character.

Richard McRae was born in his family home in Jackson, Mississippi, on Valentine's Day 1921 to Rowena Green McRae and Samuel Proctor McRae. The McRaes, Greens, and Proctors were pioneer Mississippi families that emigrated from the Carolinas during the mid-19th century. His father, reared on a farm in rural Rankin County, established the S.P. McRae Company on Capitol Street in 1902.

Richard McRae's early life was not easy. He lost his mother to tuberculosis when he was eight years old. He also suffered from osteomyelitis, a painful bone disease necessitating many childhood surgeries and wheelchair confinement. After being educated in the Jackson public school system, Richard graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon and became a devoted Ole Miss football fan. Though his childhood illness disqualified him for military service, Richard volunteered for The American Red Cross, serving as a field officer in the European Theater in World War II.

After returning from war service, Richard met a beautiful young lady who wished him "Happy Birthday" at a Valentine's Day party. Just four months later, on June 25, 1946, he married the former Selby Watkins at Galloway Memorial Methodist Church, where they were both devoted lifelong members.

Richard and his brother, Samuel P. McRae, Jr., took over the reins of their father's business after the war. The brothers recognized early the coming postwar growth of Jackson and expanded their business, first in the downtown location and later in Jackson's suburban shopping centers of Meadowbrook Mart and Westland Plaza. Time has proven the wisdom of this move; however, it was not clear in the mid-1950s that suburban shopping would catch on. The brothers expanded their business over the objections of their father. The McRae brothers were also one of the earliest retailers of televisions in Jackson. In the early 1960s, Sam decided to pursue other endeavors and Richard McRae purchased his interest in the business.

During the ensuing decades of the 1960's until the 1990's, Richard McRae oversaw the expansion of McRae's throughout Mississippi. He also opened stores in Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana and purchased the Pizitz department store chain in Alabama in 1988, an acquisition that dramatically expanded the business. Working closely over three decades with his sons Richard Jr. and Vaughan, Richard McRae was an innovator and managed his company as though it were a larger business. Some of the innovations in retailing that Richard McRae championed were the early use of credit cards, computerized cash registers, liberal return policies, toll-free ordering, in-house video training facilities, and free gift wrap. He also built a state-of-the art distribution facility in Jackson.

Richard McRae never lost sight of his commitment to run his business like he lived his life -- by the Golden Rule. Richard was beloved by his associates and customers alike. He never failed to give credit for the success of McRae's to the many talented and loyal associates of the company. He made ownership of the company available to key executives and created a profit-sharing plan for all eligible associates. At the time the company was sold in 1996, McRae's Department Stores had become one of the largest independent department store chains in America.

Richard McRae was very involved in the business, cultural, and social life of Jackson. Over his lifetime, he served as a member of the Board of Directors of Deposit Guaranty Corp., Deposit Guaranty National Bank, Mississippi Power and Light Company, and The Standard Life Insurance Company. He served as a director and President of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce and was a former director of The National Retail Merchants Association and the Mississippi Retail Merchants Association which named him its first Retailer of the Year in 1966. Due to his contributions to the commercial life of Mississippi, he was inducted into the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame in 1992.

Richard McRae took seriously his responsibility to his community. At Galloway Church, he was a member of the Administrative Board and Board of Trustees. He and Selby, who enjoyed its traditions of beautiful music and inspiring preaching, gave the church the organ for the sanctuary. Richard and Selby were active in the Ben Fatheree Sunday School Class.

Richard was a longtime trustee of Millsaps College and was honored by the College with an honorary degree in 1991. At Millsaps, he established the ongoing Selby and Richard McRae Scholarship program and endowed a professorship in management in the school of business. He was a former President of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Association. Among the many other boards on which he served were the Mississippi Methodist Children's Home, Mississippi Children's Home Society and the Metropolitan Jackson Boys and Girls Clubs. He was a former member of the Exchange Club.

In 1965, Richard McRae established what is now known as the Selby and Richard McRae Foundation. Through their generosity and stewardship, this foundation has supported over the ensuing years scores of arts, educational, and social service organizations of central Mississippi. When he heard about people in need, Richard often gave personally, and many were beneficiaries of his quiet generosity.

Richard McRae had a lifelong love of the outdoors and lived for over 35 years on the farm where his mother was reared in rural Hinds County. He was a horseman, tree farmer, and cattleman. He was an avid participant in the sport of four-in-hand carriage driving and served as President of the Carriage Association of America. His other interests included Rolls Royce and Bentley automobiles. He was a lover of big band, country, and gospel music. He also enjoyed traveling and spending the summers at the home he and Selby shared in the mountains of North Carolina.

Richard McRae was a great family man and set a loving example for his children and their families. Supreme sadness struck Richard McRae's life in July 2007 with the sudden and unexpected loss of Selby Watkins McRae, his wife of 61 years. Theirs was the closest of marriages and her loss was devastating to him. He was also predeceased by an infant son, his brother Sam McRae, and his sister Rowena McRae McClinton.

Richard McRae was beloved by his family for whom he set an example of sterling character, wisdom, fortitude, and accomplishment. He is survived by his three children and their spouses: Richard Duncan McRae, Jr. and Carolyn McRae of Jackson; Susan Selby McRae Shanor and her husband Charles Shanor of Atlanta and Asheville, North Carolina; and Vaughan Watkins McRae and Nora Frances McRae of Jackson.

He is also survived by nine grandchildren who affectionately called him PawPaw: Richard Duncan McRae III and his wife Adrianne of Nashville; David McInnis McRae and his wife Katherine of Jackson; Amanda Ward Shanor and her wife Emily Chapuis of Washington, D.C.; Richard McRae Shanor of Pittsburgh; Leigh Watkins Shanor of Boston; Douglas Vaughan McRae and his wife Sarah of Washington, D.C.; Selby Ruth McRae Graepel and her husband Kevin of Nashville; Alexander Watkins McRae and his wife Christina of Jackson; and Cameron Stone McRae of St. Louis.

Richard's great grandchildren are: Kaylee Irene McRae, Richard Duncan McRae IV, Adrien Gabriel Shanor, Madeleine Grace McRae, Henry David McRae, and William McInnis McRae.

The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to Richard McRae's longtime executive assistant Renee Holm and those who cared for him in his last years including Linda Adams, Lorene Johnson, and Debria Smith.

Funeral services will be 11:00am Tuesday September 6, 2016 at Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church, preceded by visitation from 9-11 am. Burial will be in Lakewood Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church, PO Box 1092, Jackson, Mississippi 39215 or Millsaps College, 1701 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39202, or to the donor's favorite charity.