Gene McLain (Plainview)

EuGene (Gene) Euell McLain stepped into heaven on December 25, 2024, passing of old age mixed with dementia. We are confident that Jesus was there to greet him—with Great Joy—as he begins his next and last chapter of a glorified life of a Believer. 
 
He was born on July 25, 1935, in a shack on the “Nichols Place” in Fox, a small community in Carter County, Oklahoma with a considerable Native American population. He was the oldest of four sons born to hardscrabble Depression-era folk Woodie Albert and Blanche Shrader McLain. His great-grandfather William A. McLain is Choctaw by blood and listed on the Dawes Roll, the list of individuals who were accepted as eligible for tribal membership in the "Five Civilized Tribes": Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Seminoles.
 
Gene graduated from Chillicothe (Texas) High School in 1956, where he met and married beautiful classmate LaNeta Morris on April 19, 1957. He played baseball and ran interference when his brothers picked fights they could not win. 
 
While growing up, his family moved between Oklahoma, Texas, and California. He made his profession of faith in Jesus Christ during a Pentecostal tent revival in Bakersfield, California and was baptized in a nearby irrigation canal. After his baptism, the charismatic female preacher encouraged him to find a church home soon, but to “stay away from the Baptists.” Little did she know that he would, in a most profound way, ignore her admonition!
 
While there are many amusing stories of growing up with three brothers in a rural setting, there were also tough challenges during his youth. His father could be a hard, demanding, and abusive person. His mother was a compliant, dutiful wife, who the boys loved, respected, and protected. Much of what he experienced growing up laid the foundation of his calm, steady personality and made clear what he wanted when he started his own family. 

Business Life

After a short time in Dalhart working at the Ford Dealership, the couple moved to Plainview in 1962 to join LaNeta’s brother Ronald in the cottonseed delinting business. Gene and Neta eventually owned Plainview Acid Delinting, where he was president of the business until they retired and closed the operation in 2007. They continued to warehouse the seed for farmers for another decade. He knew every cotton farmer on the South Plains, and where they farmed. During the busy season, when the plant ran 24/6 (never on Sunday), it was not unusual for the family to eat supper around the main desk in the office. Gene’s reputation for quality work and honesty lead to a large family cottonseed operation in Arizona to truck their seed hundreds of miles to Plainview for Gene to treat. He was gracious to let farmers defer payment and pay the bill when they could. 
Ministry Life When they moved to Plainview, they joined College Heights Baptist Church, and Gene is currently the longest recorded member and deacon. For decades, Gene was the church treasurer, which meant he stayed after Sunday morning church to count the offering. The family arrived at the restaurant as most people were leaving. If the church alarm went off after hours, Gene was often the person called to go inspect, often grabbing Jeff to accompany on the visit. 
He chaired or served on just about every church committee—whether it was the baptism committee or chair of Pastor Search committees (formerly called Pulpit Committee)—and taught Sunday School. He was an ordained Southern Baptist deacon and served as Deacon Chair. 
Family joked that Gene and LaNeta had a waterski ministry. If you were in the youth program at College Heights or knew a McLain kid, at some point you were invited to go waterskiing. If you did not know how to ski, before the trip was over, you had skied around the lake. While Gene drove, Neta would get in the water and quietly coach the student with words of encouragement and confidence. Gene had a master’s touch and knew exactly how to lift a novice skier out of the water.

Family Life

Thanks to the generosity of Gene and the planning skills of Neta, the McLains enjoyed epic vacations—Hawaii, Yellowstone, Smoky Mountains, and multiple trips to California and New Mexico. One year, after Gene realized that he was not turning 40, but only 39, he purchased a ski boat and said, “Let’s go to Hawaii.” The kids learned how cool their Dad was when, while lounging on the sands of Waikiki, Gene shouted to a person he knew walking down the beach. How did he know a random guy in Hawaii? Not random, but a cotton farmer from one county over. 
Vacations included BIG family reunions at a lake, where once again Gene proved his skill as an adept boat captain. Gene was an accomplished domino player and always up for a game, happy to partner with a seven-year old nephew or niece or a loud-mouthed brother-in-law. At family reunions, while others were visiting, Gene was usually working in the background to make sure the wave runners and boats had gas, the RVs were organized, or the wasps were removed from the community showers. He made sure others were comfortable, and gave special attention to his mother or mother-in-law, Oleta. 
Gene and Neta had cattle, but for a very practical reason. When a college tuition bill arrived, Gene could check the price of beef, take a few heifers to the local sale, and generate cash to pay that college bill. Or, after taking one of those animals to the butcher, he and Mom would stock someone’s freezer with steak and hamburger. 
He would buy his medicine from the vet but treat the cows himself. His two sons learned to castrate calves and give injections through tough cowhide. On one occasion, Gene nearly had his thumb taken off by an unhappy bull in the cow chute. He saved his finger but it ached for the rest of his life. 
Gene introduced new generations of McLains to the plant, bringing his five granddaughters and their children out to meet the cows, fix a sprinkler on the center-pivot irrigation system, sled with cardboard down a mountain of cottonseed, or learn to drive on the dirt backroads. His calm demeanor and quiet sense of humor came in handy when twelve-year-old Hannah accidentally got the Yukon stuck in mud during her first driving lesson. Whether he was building a treehouse or fixing a car, Gene always found ways to support his granddaughters. 
 
Rarely did anyone see Gene mad or upset. LaNeta once shared that if “Gene was mad or dealing with an important decision, he’d go for a walk. When he got back, the issue was resolved.”
 
Leadership and Service

Gene was not one to seek the limelight but did not shy from leadership opportunities if presented. 
 
He was President of the American Cottonseed Delinting Association, at one time the largest cottonseed delinting organization in the U.S. The family enjoyed conference trips to San Diego, Mexico City, and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. 
 Even though he only had a high school diploma, his business acumen and church service were recognized, and he served four terms as a Trustee of Wayland Baptist University (1981-1989) on the Development Affairs Committee, Advancement Committee, Executive Committee, and as Trustee Secretary from 1987-1989.
 
Life of Faith

Gene was a man of practical and accepting Christian faith, leaving behind an epic legacy as a devoted father, husband, and follower of Christ. He was very much about the work of his faith, tending to his Deacon Flock, visiting hospital (often taking along one of his kids), praying with the homebound, giving cash to people struggling financially, and serving as church treasurer for decades. His prayers were simple, but profound. He never shied from expressing his faith, and we know a number of people who say they are Believers because of him. He had the privilege of sharing his faith with his parents and seeing them baptized. When a young couple had their wallet and purse stolen during their wedding ceremony, Gene slipped them cash so they could go ahead with their honeymoon. His children have found handwritten “loan” documents marked PAID. As age slowed him down and the pandemic disrupted lives, he grieved that he could not visit in person members under his care. Gene was one of the last true churchmen, who lived an action-oriented faith.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, LaNeta Morris McLain, parents and brothers Caril Andrew, Larry Earl, and Waylan Alvin McLain. He is survived by sons Jeffery, Kevin (Lana), and daughter LaGena (Paul) Horak. LaNeta’s sisters Kitty (Richard) Umstot and Cecelia Morris. Granddaughters Kaci, Kelli, Hannah, Mary, and Julia. Great grands Kelsea, Slade, Drue, Heath, Caden, and Jaxon. Great-great granddaughter Kambree. And many, many nieces and nephews who were precious to him.
The family is grateful to the staff at Prairie House for the care during the last two years and to Traditions Hospice for their advice and guidance during the last few weeks.
Finally, the family is grateful for all the expressions of love. Hearing stories of Gene’s kindness, faithfulness, integrity, and influence has been comforting and affirming. He was a man of honor and he will be missed.

Visitation:
Thursday, January 2, 2025
5:00 – 7:00 pm
Kornerstone Funeral Home
3605 SW 3rd Street, Plainview
 
Church Service
Friday, January 3, 2025
10:00 am
College Heights Baptist Church
802 Quincy Street, Plainview
Burial to follow at Chillicothe, Texas Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Gene and LaNeta McLain Scholarship at Wayland Baptist University, 1900 W. 7th Street, CMB 1295, Plainview, TX 79072, or make a secure donation on-line at give.wbu.edu. Select Gene and LaNeta McLain in the "I want to support" dropdown menu.