Remembering Nate McClain (1973 - 1997)Nate McClain attended the wedding of two SMSU college friends in Louisiana, Missouri on September 6, 1997. After midnight, some friends wanted to go swimming in the Mississippi river next to the hotel. Nate, a certified lifeguard, was the first to dive into the Mississippi river off a nearby bridge and he never surfaced. Authorities later found his body downstream. Nathan Allen McClain died tragically at the age of 24 on September 7, 1997. A few days after his passing, an Anheuser-Busch licensed screenprint company called to offer him a job as Head Art Director in Lebanon, MO which would have launched his Professional art career.
 Granite City High School, Class of 1991 25th Anniversary memorial Share your Story below (Email & Website NOT required) or Return to Biography
6 Comments
Matt J
9/10/2016 03:27:24 pm
Wow... I don't even know how I found this, But I am glad I did. I didn't know Nate as long as most of his friends, But I am glad I knew him as long as I did. Rob introduced Nate to me as a fellow artist. Both attending art school we had alot in common. Whenver I was in town visiting Rob I would always stop in to say Hi look over his portfolio and shoot the bull... One day we hung out all afternoon talking about different techniques and styles of art. We got a little hungry so we went on down to IMO's where my wife Nicole worked. She hooked us both up with 2 of the best French Dips ever. Nate was going to take over my position as head art director at an Anheuser-Busch licensed screenprint-embroidery company in Lebanon, MO. I can only imagine the friends we would have grown into. Miss ya buddy.
Pat R
9/10/2016 03:27:53 pm
I really could go on and on about how many good times and laughs I have shared with Nathan. We could talk about the float trips, the concerts, the Tangerine nights when I was home from college. My favorite was Nathan and Trevor deciding they are coming to visit me in Chicago and by the way I HAD NO IDEA they were coming. They showed up at my apartment and here I am packing to go to FLorida for spring break the next morning. Needless to say I invited Trevor and Nate to go, however he decided he would rather stay in Chicago. So I said you can stay here I will be gone for the next week. One thing for sure my apartment never looked the same and my roomate did not live with me the next year LOL. I do not need to tell you the details, but we all knew Nate and I expected nothing less. So you know it reminded of Beirut and a plumber had to be called in to fix the bathroom. I hope everyone is well and this site is truly a great honor to be involved in
Lisa J
9/10/2016 03:28:16 pm
9/6/97 – Our wedding night. As my family cleaned up the reception room, I was taking a final spin on the dance floor. My last dance of the evening was with Nate. We danced to “Turn on Your Love Light” by the Grateful Dead. I loved to be spun around as much as he loved flinging me around. My “something borrowed” was my Grandma Andersons garnet ring. As we danced, Nate, who always seemed to be moist, accidentally pulled the ring off and it went flying. The lights were already on since it was well past last call and people were cleaning up so it was easily found. But that was my last memory. That, and his snazzy shark-skin suit and wing tips he wore that night. He was looking Dyno-Mite! We will never forget you Nate. We miss you....
Kris B
9/10/2016 03:28:39 pm
The last time I saw Nathan was on Friday Sept. 5th. I had just left my "farewell" happy hour which commemorated my nearly 3 years at Deutsche Financial Services (I left of my own accord) and went to visit Nate at the Tangerine. He was working that night as a bus boy and we barely had time to celebrate my leaving the old job and starting a new job. Nate was soo busy and he was leaving the next morning for a wedding that the last words he said to me were "I'll call you when I get back and we can have a beer to celebrate your new job and your birthday." In addition to the job change, that weekend was also my birthday weekend - I was turning 25 on Sept. 7. The night of Saturday Sept. 6, I went out to celebrate with a mutual friend Garrick McFarland and we had a blast! Garrick ended up crashing at the Art Loft and I went back to my apartment. The next morning around 8am or so (hard to remember exact time), my Mom called me to tell me the news that Nathan had died. I was totally speechless and devastated. Instantly I called Garrick at the Art Lofts since people would probably be calling there to get information. I then showered, rushed to the Art Lofts, and waited till Dave Edwards returned with the details. I managed to barely make it to my parents house for my birthday party and quickly returned to the Art Lofts. The next day (Monday), I started my new job and just could not focus at all. I explained the situation to my boss and he graciously gave me the week off. The rest is kind of a blur...I remember TONS of friends crashing at the Art Loft and many stories and tears. It's not everyday that a 25 year old loses a friend of 20 years. Nate was more like a brother than a friend and I will always have great memories and hope this website leaves a legacy for Nate for years to come.
Spencer LaGarce
7/27/2017 04:26:10 pm
So hard to believe it's coming up on the 20 year anniversary of this miserable tragedy. It seems like a lifetime ago and it also seems like yesterday. Keep your close people close. Leave a Reply. |
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