Ivan Lee McBride

Ivan Lee McBride Ivan Lee McBride, 77, formerly of Chatham, Ill., died at home on March 14, 2008 in Lacey, Wash. Mr. McBride was born April, 8, 1930 in Hudson, Iowa, the son of William E. and Alta McBride. The youngest of six children, he grew up during the Great Depression in Iowa and graduated from high school in Dike, Iowa. In 1951, he graduated from Iowa State College with a bachelor’s degree in education and a minor in agriculture. After graduation, he briefly taught agriculture in Clarinda, Iowa before joining the U.S Army. He completed counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Md., and was assigned as a special agent to the 115th Counter Intelligence Corps at the Presidio in San Francisco, Calif. He was discharged as a corporal in 1954. During his service, he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. In 1954, he married Harriett Elizabeth “Betty” Graham, who later gave birth to a son, Steve. Betty preceded him in death in 1960. For several years, Mr. McBride worked at Doane Agricultural Service in Illinois as a land appraiser and farm manager. He married Barbara Jane Campbell on Sept. 23, 1961 in Earlville, Ill. They later had two children, Jim and Beth Ann. From 1962 to 1966, Mr. McBride worked as an appraiser on missile sites and reservoirs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After a year as right-of-way officer with the Federal Highway Administration, he joined the state of Illinois Division of Water Resources in Springfield in 1967 and retired from the state of Illinois in 1993. He also operated a small tree farm in Chatham. After he retired, Mr. McBride, a gardening aficionado, also enjoyed writing and authored a series of short stories, including “The Mockingbird Miracle” and “Every Kid Needs A Crik,” as well as numerous poems, including “Penny and Me,” a tribute to the family dog. Survivors include: his wife, Barbara, of Lacey, Wash.; two sons, Steve McBride of Austin, Texas; and Jim McBride of Amarillo, Texas; a daughter, Beth Pendowski of Olympia; Wash., a sister, Beth Hall of Centralia, Wash.: four grandchildren, Stefanie McBride, Sean McBride, Nicholas Pendowski and Ben Pendowski; and numerous nieces and nephews. To us, Dad was many things: a devoted father and husband, a good steward of both land and nature. Our fondest memories of him center on working with trees and gardening. He was close to the land, an attribute passed on to him by Grandpa Bill and Grandma Alta and the tough times their family endured during the Great Depression. He instilled in each of us a strong work ethic, a trait that will follow us throughout our lives. We remember-sometimes with a chuckle-the seemingly endless rows of strawberries we picked, the bushels of sweet corn we harvested and the hundreds of trees we planted, which now stand tall in the Illinois soil for others to enjoy. They are a fitting tribute to the man he was and the legacy he leaves behind. He truly enjoyed nature, wild animals, dogs and birds. He could be a tough guy, but his softness most often emerged in the respect he held for animals and people in need. Birds were one of his greatest passions. He spent countless hours feeding them in the winter’s cold, learning their habits and favorite foods. He was a man of high intellect and strong convictions. In lieu of flowers, any legacy donations can be made to national or local chapters of the National Audubon Society. To leave a condolence, please click on View Guestbook below.