Coeur d'Alene Press - The Daily Bee Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho <> James D. McMains, 85 Our Dad, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and father-in-law, James D. McMains, better known to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as "Bopo," went home to be with Jesus on Nov. 22, 2004. He was ushered into this world on Nov. 28, 1918, to Bryan W. and Ida Jennie (Vail) McMains in Fort Scott, Kan., where he lived most of his childhood years. He left home just before graduating from high school to "go west" to work in the pea harvest outside of Pendleton, Ore. He sent money back home to help support his family but never went back to school, a decision he always regretted. Dad had several different types of jobs, including driving ambulance and selling shoes at Karl's Shoes and J.C. Penney. He was proud of the fact the "he could wait on 10 people at the same time." He and our mother moved 69 times during the course of their life together. After moving to Coeur d'Alene in 1988, he went to work as a crossing guard for Winton School at the Lincoln and LaCrosse intersection, as well as driving cab for the Sunset Taxi Co. Fridays were always special for the kids at his crosswalk as he handed out candy if they "had been good during the week." Of course, all of them had been good. He also prided himself on his driving record and truly loved to drive. He knew all of the back ways to get people around town faster and had no problem telling people which way to go. Music was Dad's true love. He sang on a radio program in Pittsburg, Kan., when younger, using the name Jimmy Dugan. Many choirs were blessed with his beautiful tenor voice. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he sang with a group called the Shastones from Redding, Calif. Till the day he died, he carried a picture in his wallet of the Shastones and Bing Crosby singing together. Last year, Dad was "interviewed" by the mother of one of his great-grandsons and he told her that the things that have given his life meaning have been family, friends and music. He also said that the thing that had changed in his life was the presence of God. He belonged to the local chapter of Full Gospel Businessmen as well as Friends of the Coeur d'Alene Public Library. He loved playing games with the family like Aggravation and International Rummy and LOVED cookies (like father, like daughter). Dad was preceded in death by his parents, Ida Jennie and Bryan Winton McMains, wife Della, son Bryan Jackson McMains, son-in-law Glenn Laam and great-grandchildren Kimberly and Johnathan Laam. Surviving family are sons John McMains of Coeur d'Alene, James M. McMains, Billings, Mont.; daughter Patricia Cormier and son-in-law Jim Cormier, Post Falls; brothers Bryan McMains, Lodi, Calif., and Richard McMains, Las Vegas; 12 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 5 step-grandchildren; and 16 step-great-grandchildren. Dad we miss you already. See you in heaven. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Nov. 26 at Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d'Alene Chapel. Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Nov. 27 at First Assembly of God Church, 2200 Seventh Street, Coeur d'Alene. Burial will be at Forest Cemetery following a reception at the church. Please visit James' memorial and sign the online guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com. ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************