Phillip Paterson McClain

1936 - 2020

MCCLAIN, Philip Paterson August 17, 1936 June 25, 2020 Philip Paterson McClain, a longtime resident of Lakeway, Texas, passed away peacefully at home on June 25th at the age of 83, surrounded by his loving family. Phil, son of Marguerite and Earl McClain, was born in Austin, Texas on August 17th, 1936. He grew up in Groveton and later Crockett, Texas. He graduated from Crockett High School in 1954. Phil was a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Class of 1960, and was a lifelong member of the Texas Exes. He loved Texas Longhorn and Lake Travis Cavalier football. After his freshman year at the University of Texas, Phil joined the United States Army and was stationed in Germany, where he played football as part of his service. Phil was honorably discharged in 1957 and returned to Austin to finish college. Phil was married to Carol Dengler, the love of his life, on June 15, 1974. They honeymooned at the Dengler family beach house in Bolivar, Texas with their children. The beach house would become a place of many happy memories for Phil and family. Phil and Carol loved spending time with family and friends along the Texas Coast and in Estes Park, Colorado. Phil was known as "Sug", short for "Sugar". His nickname either came from his sweet disposition or the fact that he always had candy for kids that visited his office many years ago. Phil had multiple successful careers during his life, first as an oil field roughneck in South Texas, right out of high school, then as a banker, an insurance broker, a realtor, and finally as a math and drafting teacher in the Lake Travis School District. He was proud to be a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Freemason and Rotarian. Phil was an avid, lifelong hunter and fisherman. He was as much at home on a duck or quail hunt as he was fishing in the Gulf of Mexico or on a Colorado river. One of his greatest passions was training his Labrador retrievers with his beloved Waterloo Amateur Retriever Club. Phil and Carol traveled to many hunt tests with their dog friends and loved spending time with that close-knit community. We are certain that Sug is training now, with Mocha and his other much-loved dogs that passed before him. Phil is predeceased by his mother and father "Muh" and "Daddy Earl" and his mother and father-in-law "Dell" and "Sambo". He is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Carol; their dogs Bill and Punkin; their children, Stephen and wife Mary of Georgetown; Gordon and wife Rena of Whitehouse; Wade and wife Susan of Lakeway; and Jenny and husband James of Dripping Springs. He is also survived by his sister Earlynne and husband Stephen of Montgomery; brother Tommy and wife Debbie of Crockett; brother-in-law Felton and wife BJ of Matthews, North Carolina; and sister-in-law Harriet Tomlinson of Lakeway. Last but certainly not least, his grandchildren Jackie, Anna, Justin, Sam, Kate, Emily, and Zechariah. He is also survived by numerous cousins and nieces and nephews. Honorary pallbearers are Bob Niepert, Roger Hillhouse, Joseph Syring and Richard Smith. A celebration of Phil's life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers please donate in Phil's memory to: St. Luke's On The Lake Episcopal Church 5600 Ranch Road 620 North, Austin, TX 78732 Or Heart of Texas Lab Rescue, Inc. P.O. Box 81821, Austin, TX 78708-1821