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Thomas McClain Obituary
Thomas Boyd McClain, 88, born in Clarksdale, MS; retired Debate Team Coach and Speech Dept. Chair, New Trier H.S.; Asst. Professor and Debate Coach, Northwestern Univ.; died October 6, 2020, at home in Evanston, surrounded by family. After graduating from Bethany Nazarene, serving in the army, and earning his Master's at Redlands Univ., Tom taught at the Univ. of Iowa and then at NU, where his team won the 1966 National Collegiate Debate Title. Named 1967 Collegiate Debate Coach of the year before starting his 24-year stint at New Trier.
Speech and Argumentation were life-long passions. A co-author of eight debate handbooks, Tom served as for the ISHA Speech Advisor (1973-76), Speech Consultant for the IL State Board of Ed. (1976-80), and President of the IL Speech and Theater Assoc. (1981-82). IL HS Debate Coach of the Year, 1978; NU Visiting Scholar 1982-83. Tom reached the outstanding achievement of having a third diamond added to his National Forensics League key in recognition of the New Trier Debate Team's continued excellence. Former President, IL. Federation of Teachers; Co-Chairman, Crisis Committee during the 1980 New Trier Teacher's strike, fought for fair compensation for Illinois teachers throughout his career. Husband of 67 years to Luqytia "Joy" McClain (nee Payne); father of Kyle McClain, Kathy (John) Sheridan, and Joy Bailey; grandfather of Hilary and Abigail Sheridan; brother of Douglas and the late Kenneth; uncle of many. Son of the late Grover Cleveland and Blanche Lucille McClain (nee Hamilton). Private interment, Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Assoc; www.alz.org. Arrangements by Cremation Society of Illinois, 773-281-5058 or www.cremation-society.com.
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Memories and Condolences
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4 Entries
Martin Schnipper
August 27, 2021
Martin Schnipper
August 27, 2021
Martin Schnipper
August 27, 2021
I started in the '74-'75 school year as an assistant speech/debate coach at New Trier East (NTE), continuing for five years in that role before I moved out of the area for family reasons. Tom was the head speech/debate coach during those years. He and I consulted on a daily basis, and we spent many weekends with our students at tournaments.
Tom was the consummate professional, highly respected by all who knew him. He had a wonderful (albeit dry) sense of humor, which I definitely appreciated.
Although I had been a successful high school and college debater, Tom taught me even more. He taught me how to coach, a skill that I continued to use when I spent twenty years coaching speech/debate in Florida after I left NTE.
Tom and his wife Joy were kind to my wife Jan and me, as well as to our young son Lanny. We especially enjoyed the backyard BBQ picnics. Tom and Joy were loving parents, and they beamed with pride when they provided me with updates about Kyle, Kathy, and (after she graduated from NTE) "little" Joy.
After moving to Florida, I'd touch base with Tom and Joy whenever I was in the Chicago area. I'd gotten out of touch the past couple of years and was reaching out to Tom when I saw this obituary. Oh, my. How I wish I'd picked up the phone a year ago!
I have "paid it forward" in terms of coaching, my friend. I consider myself blessed to have known you.
In the first photo, I'm the guy with the mustache, standing right behind Tom in this 1975 NTE "Echoes" yearbook photo of the varsity/JV debate team members. The second photo is of the novice debate team members that year.
Brenton Ver Ploeg
October 12, 2020
I first met Tom when he worked at Iowa, and arrived as a transfer to NU when he arrived as their coach. He was both gracious and gregarious, and made a lifelong impression on me as a model of how to blend wisdom, intelligence and charm.
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