James David St. Clair

Funeral service will be held at 1:30 pm Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at Memorial Funeral Chapel in College Station. Interment will follow at College Station Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 – 6 pm Monday, February 19 at the funeral home.

James was born December 30, 1945 in Houston to proud parents Jesse Odis and Cordia (McKelroy) St. Clair. He graduated from Galena Park High School in 1964. While in high school, he played football and lettered in track and field, shotput and discus.

After graduation, he was employed for 23 years at Hydril Co. as a machinist in Houston. On June 10, 1966, James and Cheryl were married at Jacinto City Church of Christ, where they and their families were members. After two years of marriage, they welcomed their first child Darrell in June of 1968. They welcomed their second child Rachel in February 1977. During those years, James served as a deacon at both the Jacinto City and the Royalwood church of Christ. He enjoyed teaching bible classes and working with the benevolent programs at those congregations.

James and his family moved to Sunny Glen Children’s Home in 1986, where he and his wife Cheryl, became house parents for the next two years. He had many responsibilities including overseeing and managing the food distribution for the children and staff.

James and his family moved to College Station in 1988. He was employed at O.I. Analytical Corporation where he was the only machinist for the R&D department. While there, he helped modify and build the TOCA analyzer system that was on the International Space Station for NASA. He retired after 23 years of service at the O.I. Analytical Corporation.

Since his retirement, James and Cheryl enjoyed spending time with their family. They welcomed their son Darrell’s wife Donna and grandsons Cade and Ben in June 2019.

James enjoyed playing card games and watching game shows. In his younger years, he was an avid fisherman and enjoyed hunting and camping. He was very skilled in auto mechanics, which he learned from his father. He enjoyed racing his 1957 Chevy and his 1965 Barracuda at the Quarter Mile Raceway in Dickinson, Texas. Despite the sports injuries he suffered during high school, he always worked extremely hard to provide for his wife and children. His family will miss him dearly.

James is preceded in death by his parents and his father and mother in-law, Dean and Louise Chronister, brother, Gene St. Clair; sister, Judy Allen; sisters-in-law, Lisa St. Clair and Karol Chronister; daughter-in-law, Tammy St. Clair and a grandson, Raymond St. Clair.

He is survived by his wife of 57 ½ years, Cheryl St. Clair; son and daughter-in-law, Darrell Reese and Donna St. Clair; grandchildren Ben and Cade Mynatt, daughter Rachel Estelle Ladwig; brothers, John St. Clair and Paul St. Clair; brother-in-law, Craig Chronister, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Johnnie George; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.