James George McNellis

Born in 1934 to Richard and Helen McNellis, Jim graduated Cretin High School in his birthplace of St. Paul, Minnesota. After graduating, he studied with the Christian Brothers in Glenco, Missouri. Before leaving for the seminary, however, he had met Gloria Prachar, who would be his future wife. He left the Order of St. Francis de LaSalle to join the U.S. Army in the Korean conflict era. Jim came to jump school at Fort Bragg, now Fort Liberty, NC. He sent Gloria his earnings to save, and they wed after Jim was honorably discharged from the service. After marrying, they moved to Milwaukee, where Jim attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering and earned a BSEE.

Jim worked for IBM for more than 30 years. True to its nickname, “I’ve Been Moved,” Jim worked in New York, Alabama, Maryland, and Virginia with extended tours elsewhere, including California, Ohio, and Saudi Arabia.

Along the way, he studied graduate-level technical and management subjects at Syracuse University (then CCNY), the University of Alabama, and George Washington University. He earned an award for being an outstanding manager at IBM. Most gratifying to him, and reflective of his managerial skills, was the achievement of having six managers reporting to him also receive that award.

In retirement, Jim and Gloria moved from Potomac, Maryland, to a home on the Trent River in North Carolina. After a lengthy search of East Coast properties for one that met their strict criteria, they chose the community of Riverbend.

Jim brought the same intensity to retirement that he had applied to his work with IBM. One could often find him playing tennis at the Harbour Town Racquet Club. He also crewed on others’ sail boats and was very active in local community activities. He spent five years serving as a Guardian ad Litem in NC Judicial District 3B. Jim chaired the town’s Water and Sewer Advisory Board as it successfully planned and negotiated with the Illinois-based owner to buy, operate, and significantly expand the system. He volunteered with the Craven Literacy Council and taught English as a Second Language at Craven Community College. Jim also participated in 480 broadcasts for the Radio Reading Service of North Carolina. He read and operated the control board and helped troubleshoot problems—sometimes during the same two-hour Sunday afternoon program. Ever the dedicated professional, his last broadcast was the day before he and Gloria executed documents to move into Searstone Continuing Care Retirement Community in Cary, NC.

When Gloria's illness prompted her move to skilled nursing, Jim was a daily presence at Searstone’s Brittany Place. Gloria passed away just four months short of their 62nd wedding anniversary. Committed to enhancing the quality of life of Brittany Place residents, Jim started and facilitated a weekly men’s meeting for Brittany Place residents even after Gloria passed—until the Pandemic.

Jim and Gloria had five children. Jim is survived by his daughters, Ann (Carl) Elmore, Barbara (Peter) Sinopoli, and Linda Caldwell, as well as grandchildren, Christy (David) Allison, Jack Sinopoli, and Jasen McNellis, and great grandchildren, Winnie, Bryce, and Madisen. Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Gloria, and children, Susan Nichol Patterson and Matthew McNellis. He is survived by his brother Mike (Jennifer) and preceded in death by his brothers Jerry (Phyllis) and Tom (Roberta).

A celebration of life will take place at the Searstone Continuing Care Retirement Community Ballroom in Cary, North Carolina on February 2, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.

Jim’s pragmatism persists beyond his life. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his honor to: *The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org - *Craven Literacy Council at https://www.cravenliteracy.org/ - *Consider volunteering as a North Carolina Guardian ad Litem, https://www.nccourts.gov/assets/documents/publications/GAL_FactSheet_2020-21.pdf

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