Mick McClain

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Wednesday, 08 April 2015 13:18

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Marion “Mick” Lee McClain, whose family arrived in Sitka in 1946, died March 18 in the North Idaho Hospice in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He was 74.

He was born Oct. 6, 1940, to Wilma Violet (Sautbine) and Cecil Clair McClain in Akeley, Minn.

During World War II, Cecil worked on the ALCAN Highway. He happened to go fishing in Sitka one day with some buddies, and sent a telegram to Wilma: “Sell the farm. Bring the boys and I will meet you in Edmonton, Canada.”

Wilma brought four very energetic boys across Canada by train, and finished the rest of the trip by train and ferry to arrive in Sitka in 1946.

Cecil worked for Columbia Lumber Co. at first, and for a couple of years he worked for the company in Fairbanks before returning to Sitka. In 1956, the McClains bought Russell’s Store for Men, which specializes in men’s work clothing and sport gear.

Mick worked in the family business with his parents, and later with two of his brothers for about 35 years, managing and doing the buying for the store.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1960 to 1964. A brave man, he fought chronic clinical depression all his life.

Mick started commercial fishing when he was about 10 with two of his brothers. They fished before going to school and took their catches to a local restaurant. Their earnings went to their parents with an allowance given to the boys. Mick and his brothers once caught a 300-pound halibut with homemade gear tied to a tree on the beach. They had to tow the fish into town in their 12-foot skiff – the fish was bigger than the boat. 

Mick loved to fish and enjoyed hunting trips every year. When he met June (Edwards) Watson here in 1981 and married her on July 24, 1983, she became his commercial and sport fishing partner. They lived a wonderful life, the kind of life most people dream about.

Mick was “my best friend and husband, the nicest, kindest person I ever knew,” June said. “That guy with the quiet little smile and very dry sense of humor is sitting on my shoulder with that smile.”

In Sitka, Mick was active in the Elks Lodge, Sportsman’s Association, and American Legion Post 13, among other groups.

The couple moved to Portland in 1996, then to Idaho in 1998.

Mick was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, David.

Mick loved his “kids” from two previous marriages, Heather McClain, now of Hawaii, and David McClain, of Seattle; and his beautiful granddaughter, Ravenna Skye McClain.

He is also survived by three brothers: Alan and wife Pam of Bellingham, Wash., Ron and wife Harriet of Sitka, and Kerry and wife Julie of Texas; and his nieces and a nephew.

Friends and family of June and Mick are invited to a potluck lrish wake/celebration of life at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at the Ponderosa Springs Golf Course Clubhouse, 1291 N. Galena Dr., Coeur d’Alene. Bring your Mick and June stories.

Donations in Mick’s memory may be made to Hospice of North Idaho or to a Clinical Depression Research charity of your choice.

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