John Cain

1936 - 2017

John Paul Cain
1936-2017
John Paul Cain, age 81 died March 20, 2017 in Hendrick Hospice of Abilene, Texas, after a brief battle with cancer. He and his wife, Carol, moved to Sweetwater, his hometown, in 2003, after living in Houston, Texas for 42 years. John Paul was born January 14, 1936 to Julius Paul Cain and Juancy Hopper in Hamlin Texas. His family moved from Hamlin to Sweetwater, TX in 1937. John Paul graduated from Newman High School-Sweetwater in 1954, where he played on the school's first golf team, winning 3AAA District Golf Championship in 1954. He was also a cheerleader, played in the band and was on the tennis team. In 1960, he earned a BA in Finance from Texas Tech Technological College, Lubbock, TX. While attending Texas Tech on a four-year golf scholarship, his team won the last two Border Conference Championships in 1955 and 1956. In 1958 the team finished eighth in the NCAA Championship and fifth in 1959. JP played a key role in Tech winning its first Southwest Conference Title, in any sport, in 1959 by capturing the SWC Championship in golf. He lettered all four years at Tech. He served for a short time on the Rawl's Golf Course Staff, Texas Tech University, and as a Texas Tech Red Raider fund raiser. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. John Paul served in the United States Army Reserve after college graduation. John Paul received his broker certification in 1962 from New York Institute of Finance, New York City, NY and spent 39 years in financial service as a broker, registered principal, co-owner and director. He began with E.F Hutton in their New York, Dallas, Lubbock and Houston offices. In 1963, he became associated with Schneider, Burnett and Hickman in Houston. He was a co-founder and Registered Principal of First of Texas, Inc, a Texas based member of the New York Stock Exchange, founded in November of 1965. First of Texas, Inc. was acquired by Rauscher Pierce in 1978, where he remained until 1981, when Rauscher was acquired by Travelers Insurance. In 1981, he joined Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenerette before joining Smith Barney in 1985. John Paul began a second career at the age of 53, when he qualified for the Sr. PGA Tour in November 1988. During the twelve years as a professional golfer, JP won three tournaments; the Greater Grand Rapids in 1989, the Red Stripe Jamaican Open in 1991, and the Ameritec in 1994. He served as a member of the PGA Tour Advisory Board as a Player Representative. He retired from the tour in 1999. In 2013, John Paul starting a third career, by joining the work force at Walmart in Sweetwater. John Paul and his family were members of St. Luke's United Methodist Church while living in Houston and First United Methodist Church in Sweetwater. He was a member of the Houston Golf Association, Ducks Unlimited, and BraeBurn Country Club, Houston. He was volunteer at the National WASP WWII Museum, Avenger Field, Sweetwater, TX. As an amateur golfer, John Paul served on the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association Board. He was Texas Amateur Champion in 1961 and Houston City Champion. John Paul and partner Walter Fondren won Houston's Golf Crest Four Ball, five consecutive years, 1963-1967. Pairing with Abilene native Stan Benion, they won the Champion's Cup Invitational in 1967,1968, garnering invitations to the Bing Crosby ProAm. He was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame in 1984, the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. Margaret Carol Cameron and John Paul were married on January 4, 1962 in the First United Methodist Church of Sweetwater. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters; Margaret Kellie Cain Longwell and Julia Elizabeth Cain both of Houston, and grand-daughters Margaret "Meg" Cain Longwell of Chicago, IL, and Molly Elizabeth Longwell of Houston. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, April 1, 2017, at First United Methodist Church. The Reverend Richard "Dick" Amos and Reverend Ryan Strebeck will officiate directed by McCoy Funeral Home in Sweetwater. In lieu of flowers, the family requests Memorials be sent to the National WASP WWII Museum, PO Box 456, Sweetwater, TX 79556; First United Methodist Church, 309 Cedar, Sweetwater, TX 79556 or Hendrick Hospice, 1651 Pine, Abilene, TX 79601. Online condolences may be expressed at www.mccoyfh.com.