Obituary of James A. Bain

Bain James A. Of Pittsburgh, formerly of Erie on Tuesday, September 13, 2016; age 80. Beloved husband of Sheila A. Bain; cherished father of Leslie Hawthorne and James A. Bain; grandfather of Christopher and Julie Hawthorne and Madeline and Eleanor Bain; brother of the late Ann Dempster, Catherine Wichelhaus, and Margaret Bain-Matthews; also survived by many nieces and nephews. James was born in Roselle Park, New Jersey to Margaret (Wands) Bain and James A. Bain; the youngest of four children. He graduated from Lehigh University with degrees in Mechanical Engineering (BS ’57, MS ’59) and spent most of his career with General Electric, where he served, among other things, as an award-winning teacher of advanced coursework to younger engineers. He was a long-time member of Elmwood Avenue Presbyterian Church, where he sang in the choir, taught Sunday school for 28 years and served in various leadership roles. In his later years, he enjoyed being a member of the Erie Philharmonic Chorus. His participation with the “Phil” eventually led to a performance at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City. Jim loved informal athletics and enjoyed pickup basketball, soccer and running for much of his adult life. Additionally, he enriched the lives of at least a dozen cats and dogs over the years, attending to their needs and enjoying their company immensely. He had a love of photography and of the outdoors. In his earlier years he enjoyed motorcycle rides and family camping trips among the wild horses of Assateague Island. Jim was known for his wit, his loyalty and his sharp mind, and he will be sorely missed by so many who knew him. A funeral service will be held Friday, September 23rd at Elmwood Avenue Presbyterian Church, 2816 Elmwood Ave, Erie, PA 16508. Visitation will be 2-4 PM at the church with a service to follow at 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, loved ones are encouraged to donate to a charity of their choice. Friends and family are invited to a celebration honoring Jim’s life after the service. Arrangements by McCabe Bros., Inc. www.mccabebrothers.com