James Otey McClellan

James Otey McClellan James Otey McClellan, 84, of Hilton Head Island passed away peacefully on November15, 2016. Jim was born March 24, 1932 in New York City. Jim graduated from The Choate School in Wallingford CT, and in 1954 he received his BA in International Relations from Yale University, where he was a resident of Jonathan Edwards College. In 1955 and 1956, Jim served in the U.S. Army as a First Lieutenant with the 593rd Field Artillery Battalion in Germany. Jim lived in Buffalo and Rye NY, Westport CT and Winter Park FL before moving to Hilton Head Island in 1984. He worked as a Sales Executive for Continental Can, and a Loan Officer at Citi Bank in New York City. Upon moving to Hilton Head in 1982, he joined the Sea Pines Real Estate Company where he worked as a broker for over 30 years. Jim was a member of the South Beach Racquet Club and the Spanish Wells Club in Hilton Head. He was a free and accepted Mason, and a long standing member of The Holland Lodge No 8 in New York City, from 1968 until his death. Jim never met a stranger. He had a way of making those he met feel like he had waited all day just to be with them; that everything they said had value and anything they had done was worthy of his admiration. Those fortunate to have known him will never forget his beautiful smile, caring and humble nature, and genuine warmth. His charm was on full display when on a visit to Cuba as a teenager, Jim knocked on Ernest Hemingway's door unannounced and was invited to lunch by the famous curmudgeon. Jim was a passionate and graceful athlete. He played tennis and squash for both Choate and Yale and enjoyed national rankings in both sports. In his later years, he loved nothing better than, with a twinkle in his eye, spinning his lefty backhand serve across the net surprising his often younger opponents with an ace. Jim loved to sail. He spent many summers in his youth honing his skills at the Lloyd's Neck Yacht Club in Long Island. When he moved to Hilton Head, he showed that he had not lost his touch racing in the Calibogue Sound with Lew Gunn and the Haig Point crew. Jim ended many of his days on Hilton Head by carrying his tattered towel to the beach to enjoy an ocean swim and the setting sun. Jim loved horse races, especially the races for the Triple Crown. He organized a large family pool every spring for each race and would regale anyone who called on the attributes of each contender. He never acted more surprised than the year the winner was a family dog who had clearly not had the benefit of his advice. For Jim, who rarely won his own pool, the opportunity to connect with all of his children and grandchildren was a gift he treasured. Jim is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Barwise Geary (Betsy) of 34 years. He is also survived by his six children from his first marriage to Elizabeth Cameron Braislin, their spouses, and grandchildren and by Betsy's five children and their spouses and grandchildren. He was beloved by all. The McClellans: William Traylor (Mary - Will and Danny), James Braislin (Yumi Esaka - Haley and Maddox), Maxwell Couper (Atlantic - Campbell), The Reverend, Alice Braislin Trowbridge (Jeb - Annabelle, Lilly and Kate), The Reverend Gordon Stevenson (Krista - Griff and Georgia) and Lucy Stevenson (Joe Beaird - Ellie and Henry). The Gearys: Anne Joseph (Charlie - Sarah, Jack, Caroline and Maggie), Susan Clark (Kevin - Amelia and Natalie), Liza Geary (Jonathan Lichtmacher - Jeremy, Paul, Adam, and Hank), Peter Geary (Ryan and Charlotte), and Robert Geary (William and Theodore). Jim is also survived by his sister, Lucy Barrett (Johnny) of Greenwich CT, his brother Gerald Couper McClellan, sisters'-in-law, Judy McClellan of Madison NJ, Patricia Barwise of Bluffton SC, nine nieces and nephews and his cousins, Mary Reynolds Morrison (Howard) of Savannah GA, Herbert Reynolds (Liz) of Woodside, NY, Trea Thiesen Tucker (Tommy) of Beaufort SC and her mother Eleanor Thiesen, Atlanta, GA Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Frances Pardee (Couper) Traylor and Francis Otey McClellan, his sister, Frances Traylor, his brother, George Winston and his brother-in-law, Richard David Barwise. There is a star in the heavens named for Jim. To all who knew and loved our Jimbo; as we learn to navigate through troubled seas without him, don't forget to look to the stars and let Jim's simple and steadfast faith in the goodness of humankind be your compass. Jim is a descendent of John Couper, the first owner of Cannon's Point on St. Simons Island, Georgia. John Couper was a founding member of Christ Church on St. Simons Island and donated the land for the St. Simon's Lighthouse in 1804. Cannon's Point was recently bought by The St. Simon's Land Trust. Cannon's Point Preserve is now a publicly accessible 608-acre property on the island that is a national model for preservation, conservation, education and nature-centered recreation. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made, in memory of Jim, to The St. Simons Land Trust for the benefit of Cannon's Point. St. Simons Land Trust PO Box 24615 St. Simons Island, GA 31522 (912) 638-9109 http://www.sslt.org/cannons_point.php All are welcome to celebrate Jim's life, Monday, December 26th at his home at 15 Spotted Sandpiper in Sea Pines from 1 to 6 pm. Keith Funeral home is in charge of arrangements.