John David McClain

John David McClain, 81, owner and operator of Shapard Lumber Company and resident of Country Club Lane, died peacefully and surrounded by his family after a brief illness of Multiple Myeloma, Thursday, January 31, 2019 at NHC Maury Regional Transitional Care Center. Funeral services for Mr. McClain will be conducted Tuesday at 12:00 P.M. at First United Methodist Church 222 West 7th street in Columbia, Tennessee. A private burial will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends on Tuesday from 10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. at the church. Oakes and Nichols Funeral Directors are handling these arrangements. Memorials may be made to the David McClain Music Scholarship Fund at First United Methodist Church or the charity of your choice. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Born September 12, 1937 in Gadsden, Alabama, he was the son of the late Thomas Albert McClain and Ruth Menninger McClain of Gadsden, Alabama. David attended Tulane University, where he was a member of the SAE fraternity, and graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelors in mechanical engineering in 1960. He was a project engineer with Union Carbide in Columbia, and then worked with Brown Engineering on the Saturn V project in Huntsville, AL.  In 1964, David and Sydney returned to Columbia for David to join Shapard Lumber Company, where he worked up until his death.  He was an organist for First United Methodist Church for 46 years, retiring in 2015. After his retirement from that position, he also played the organ for Riverside United Methodist Church up until his death. David was an active member of the Kiwanis Club, the Tennessee Building Materials Association, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Guild of Organists. His hobbies included flying, traveling, piano, organ music, yard work, and supporting his beloved University of Alabama football team. David served in the U.S. Military in the Army active duty and the National Guard Reserve. Mr. McClain is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sydney Robinson McClain; daughters, Paige McClain Ramsey (Jay) of Triune, TN and Leigh McClain Huddleston McKee (Jeff) of Murfreesboro, TN; grandchildren, William Henry Huddleston V of Cleveland, OH, Candler Robinson Huddleston and Grace McClain Huddleston, both of Nashville, TN; sister, Katherine McClain Bunn of Castleberry, FL; Nephew Ramsey Glidewell and his children Katherine and Turner all of Winter Park, FL; John L. and Linda McClain of Decatur Alabama, Taylor McClain Meek (Daniel) and their daughter Hadley all of Nashville, TN, Ann McClain  Frachiseur (Dannie) and their son Josh of Birmingham, AL; and additional family by marriage. Pallbearers will include Jimmy Andrews, Rev. Allen Black, Richy Brown, Dick Harris, Mack Holt, Ed Lancaster and Bill Smith. Honorary pallbearers are Tim Owens (Smurf), Johnny Andrews, Eric Cox, Terrance Blakesleay, David Wise, Charlie Honeycutt, Dave Rawlings, Dr. Paul Perryman, Joe Kelley, and members of the Bruce Strother Sunday School Class.