James Matthews Mcgrane

James Matthews McGrane, 70, of Seabrook Island, husband of Jeannine Becker McGrane, entered into eternal rest on July 10, 2019.

The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. James Matthews McGrane are invited to attend his Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Thursday, July 18, 2019, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 3871 Betsy Kerrison Pkwy, Johns Island. The family will receive friends Wednesday evening between 6:00 and 8:00 PM at the James A. McAlister Funeral Home, 1620 Savannah Hwy.

Jim was born on December 30, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York, son of the late William Nathaniel and Eileen Matthews McGrane. Jim graduated from Brooklyn Preparatory School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University. Jim climbed to the heights of the corporate world on a communications degree, becoming Chief Information Officer of a Fortune 500 company. After the private sector, he served as deputy CIO of the Internal Revenue Service. Throughout his long career, he was greatly admired and respected for his talent and ethics, and he mentored many colleagues.

Jim was a devoted husband, loving father, and adoring grandfather (aka “Pop Pop”). He explored acting while in school, and was particularly proud to play the role of Iago in Shakespeare’s “Othello,” before deciding to pursue a more practical path. His love of theater, especially musicals, remained throughout his life. He enjoyed going out to the movies -- the more explosions, the better -- and recently delighted in watching Disney movies with his eldest granddaughter, Grace. Jim’s daughters were always more impressed than he was that he was at Woodstock, but he took pleasure in folk music all his life. Jim was a voracious reader, cherry Italian ice enthusiast, and avid consumer of white chocolate mochas with whipped cream from Java Java. He excelled at giving advice and problem-solving, no issue too large or small. He was a tireless champion of his daughters’ success and happiness. As a younger man, he fought the ocean waves and rode every roller coaster. Above all, he loved his family. In his last years of poor health, he said that that love was why he fought so hard to stay with us. During this past year, he walked his youngest daughter down the aisle, celebrated his 70th birthday surrounded by family and friends, marked his 46th wedding anniversary, and fulfilled his dream of taking his granddaughters to Disney World, where he rode two last roller coasters.  We thank God that Jim so deeply touched our lives and that now he can be at peace.

He is survived by his wife Jeannine; his daughter, Victoria McGrane and her husband David Scannell and their daughters, Grace and Eleanor; his daughter, Elizabeth McGrane and her husband Daniel Wityak; his brother, William McGrane; his sister, Eileen (McGrane) Conroy and their spouses and children.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations may be made in his name to the Alpha-1 Foundation, 3300 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Coral Gables, FL 33134 or online at www.alpha1.org