During his tenure as superintendent, and later as a deputy superintendent for a large school district in the far western suburbs, Jerry Dean McClain had an uncanny ability to predict the future.
“After Jerry retired, and until just recently, school administrators were calling him with questions about the district,” said his wife of 45 years, Marie. “The district is still using statistics on growth projection he compiled back in the late 1980s and they’re building schools on land that he purchased more than 20 years ago.”
Mr. McClain, 72, of Oswego and previously of Aurora, a former superintendent of Wheatland Township Elementary School District 40-C, now part of Indian Prairie School District 204 in Aurora and Naperville, died of congestive heart failure Monday, Dec. 19, in Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora.
Born in Aurora, Mr. McClain lived there for part of his childhood before moving with his family to nearby Montgomery. He served briefly in the Navy during the Korean War, before receiving a bachelor’s degree in education from Aurora College. In 1968, he received a master’s degree in educational administration from Northern Illinois University and was a member of Phi Delta Kappa fraternity.
In 1965, Mr. McClain began his teaching career at Haskins Elementary School in Sandwich. He later became superintendent of Wheatland Township School District 40-C in Will County, where he remained until the early 1970s, when it merged with school districts in DuPage County and became known as Indian Prairie School District 204. He served as the deputy superintendent of that district until his retirement in 1988.
“Jerry was a pioneer in our school district and his foresight will benefit generations to come,” said Clifford Crone, superintendent of District 204 from 1975 to 1986. “For years he was our point man, helping to predict the area’s population growth. He also helped identify and purchase many land sites for the district that have turned out to be very good investments”
Among his other duties, Mr. McClain each year enjoyed taking new faculty members on a tour of the far-reaching school district, which then included many rural areas.
“He wanted the teachers to really know the district and see exactly where their students come from,” said Crone.
A resident of Oswego for the last 33 years, Mr. McClain was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, where he was an elder and deacon and taught Sunday school for several years. He was also chairman of the church’s building committee and spearheaded the construction of its recreation building.
For many years, Mr. McClain was also on the development board of Merchants National Bank and the Copley Foundation board, both in Aurora. He was also chairman of the board of trustees of the YWCA in Aurora. An avid cook and woodworker, Mr. McClain was also a knowledgeable train enthusiast.
“He put his whole heart into everything he did, whether he was building cradles for his grandchildren or baking the most delicious pies,” said his wife
In addition to his wife, Mr. McClain is survived by two sons, Scott and Mark; two brothers, Larry and Michael; three granddaughters; and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, 325 E. Downer Pl., Aurora.
