VIRGINIA MCCLELLAND
1927-2017
Virginia (Jinni) Cowan McClelland died Tuesday, January 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas at the age of 89. She was born in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada on June 5, 1927. She is predeceased by her beloved husband of 60 years, Bramlette, and survived by her five children Darcy, Tom, Terry, Jeff, and Martha, as well as seven grandchildren Scott, Brooke, Tommy, Matthew, Kelsey, Heather, and Joseph.
In 1945, Jinni moved from Canada to Buffalo, NY to attend nursing school, graduating with honors and becoming a Registered Nurse in 1948. Early the following year, she met the love of her life, Bram McClelland, while attending Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and they married that same year. In the following years, Jinni raised five amazing children, which was a considerable challenge with a husband who founded his own international civil engineering company and often traveled.
After learning that her toddler son Jeff had lost his hearing, Jinni became passionate about the importance of teaching spoken vs. sign language. She was involved with the Houston Center for Hearing and Speech Auxiliary for more than 23 years, serving in various capacities, including Historian, Vice President, and multiple terms as President.
She and Bram were also founding members of the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church, and remained active with the church throughout their lives. She loved traveling the world with Bram, and was active in the Tynewood Garden Club and the Tynewood International Traveling Society (the TITS).
Jinni loved crossword puzzles and playing Bridge, listening to Beethoven piano concertos, performing duets with Bram, singing with friends and family, and was renowned for keeping the tempo lively with her imaginary conductor’s staff. She was grace and elegance, yet also the life of the party. She loved brightly colored clothes, eclectic home décor, and toetapping jazz and swing, but she also had a deep reverence for classical music, the opera, theology, history, literature and, in particular, the art of words. With a keen mind and wit, she was the perfect intellectual companion to her husband, and the perfect mentor, educator, and tender nurturer to her children.
Jinni was loved and admired by all who knew her, including all of her kids’ friends. She had an easy and positive disposition that made guests feel welcome, and she always had a smile and the right words for comforting or advising. She had a tremendous impact on all who knew her. We will miss her dearly and remember her always.
The family will be holding private services. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to The Center for Hearing and Speech (http://www. centerhearingandspeech.org/) or to the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church (http:// emersonhouston.org/).