James Edward McClanahan, age 97, died Wednesday, December 13 at noon. He was the second son born to Carlysle and Dorothy McClanahan on November 29, 1926 in Muscotah, Atchinson County, Kansas.

In his teens, the family moved to Mulvane, KS. He and his older brother, Lyle, and younger sister, Maxine (Phillip Ferguson) all attended Mulvane schools. When World War II broke out, he joined the Merchant Marines, now the Coast Guard and served in the Asiatic Pacific theatre, 1944-1946. After the war he returned to Wichita, KS where he met the love of his life, Shirley Harris. They married in 1950. Celebrating their 60th anniversary August 27, 2010. From the skills he learned aboard ship, he gained a job with Kansas Gas and Electric Company starting as boiler room maintenance. After 35 years with the company, he retired as Control Room Operator at Ripley Plant. In retirement, he stepped up as a Diaster Volunteer for the American Red Cross after the Andover, KS Tornado. He served as a property damage assessor. He and wife Shirley, worked many Kansas floods, fires and hailstorms throughout the 1980's and 90's. They also worked the St. Louis Flood, Hurrican Andrew in Florida and the Oklahoma City Bombing.

Preceded in death by his younger sister, Lana and his wife, Shirley, he is survived by his daughters, Barbara Yoder of Burleson, Texas and Marcia McClanahan of Wichita, KS; sister, Maxine (Phil Ferguson); niece, Kathy (Dave Fonda); nephew, James McClanahan (Robin); niece, Lisa (Jeff Kubik); niece, Patsy (Rusty Johnson) and many great nephews and nieces.