LA Jean McCLAIN

Sylvia LaJean Higgins McClain was called to heaven on March 12, 2018. LaJean was born on May 18, 1929, in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, to parents Clifford Smith Higgins and Elnora Laura Newcomer Higgins. She was honored as belonging to The First Families of the Twin Territories of Oklahoma. As a young girl, the family moved to Oklahoma City where LaJean graduated from Classen High School. After graduation from high school, she went to Stillwater, Oklahoma where she graduated from Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University). She received her degree in Arts & Sciences, majoring in Journalism and Fashion Design. She was Secretary Treasurer of the Student Senate, was a member of Pi Epsilon Alpha, the Methodist (later inter-denominational) sorority and Theta Sigma Phi, established in 1942 at Oklahoma A&M as the national honorary professional organization for women in journalism. She also earned membership into the Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship Honor Society, whose membership is composed of the best and the brightest from all academic disciplines. She was also a member of the Women’s Athletic Association. In addition to these activities, she was in charge of "Career Day” at Oklahoma A&M one year. She was Assistant Editor of the Daily O’Collegian, where she met her future husband. She married Fred Eugene McClain on July 28, 1951. Together they moved to Lubbock, Texas, the land of opportunity in 1952. As members of the Christian faith, they joined the First Christian Church and she later joined Westmont Christian Church. She was a member of the Lubbock Country Club, the Lubbock Women’s Club, the Heritage Book Club, the Great Books Club, the Lubbock Ski Club and active as a Camp Fire Girl’s Leader. As a mother, she actively participated in her children’s many activities, taking them to dance lessons and ball games. After her children were in school, she was secretary to the Chairman of the Geology Department at Texas Tech and also owned a cotton farm. After her retirement from Texas Tech, she was still very active. She was an instructor for the “55 Alive” driver’s education program where she taught adults over the age of 55. She was vivacious and active and was always working on projects. Her hobbies included designing clothing, planting flower gardens, sewing, embroidering, knitting, making decorative pillows, making ceramic pieces, quilting, putting together scrapbooks. Most recently she returned to her love of journalism and started writing stories of adventures with family and friends. An avid sports fan, she loved watching the Southwest Conference/Big 12 in football, basketball, as well as national sports events as March Madness and World-wide Tennis Tournaments. She was still active with her Classen High School Alumni group, attending local functions. She moved with her mother to Lakeway, Texas, in June 1999 to be near her grandchildren. She moved again to Dallas in the spring of 2010, to be near her youngest grandsons. She was an active grandmother supporting her grandchildren in all their school and sports activities. She is pre-deceased by her husband, her parents, a sister Francis Joan Wisler, daughters Christy Lynn and Marti Leigh McClain Hatch, daughter-in-law, Beverly McClain, son-in law, Mike Hatch and nephew Gary Clifton Wisler. She is survived by her daughters Susan Kay and Lara Ann, of Austin, son Mark Alan, of Dallas, six grandchildren and two of their spouses, six great-grandchildren, brother in law, Charles C. Wisler and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be Sunday, March 18, between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. at Resthaven Funeral Home. Services will be at Westmont Christian Church on Monday, March 19, 2018, at 10 a.m. with graveside services following at Resthaven Memorial Park.