Samuel James McClea

Samuel James McClea born in Allentown, Pennsylvania on January 24, 1948 to Phyllis (Koons) and James Campbell McClea, died October 25, 2024, in Little Rock, Arkansas, following a valiant battle with cancer.

Sam is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Robin Muse McClea and two sons, Michael and Scott (Shea) whom he loved most dearly. His five grand children knew him as PopPop. They are Aurora-Jeanne and Scottie Tallulah McClea and Mason, Olivia, and Noah Walczak, all were joys of his life. 

He is survived by two older sisters, Doris Clark (Don) and Marian Howarth (Hugh). One sister Wendy Powell (John) predeceased him.

Sam was the first non-attorney to be the director of the House of Representatives judiciary committee under the first Black Speaker, in Pennsylvania history. 

He was dedicated to the people he served, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia to make life better for all residents. He served as policy advisor to the City Council of Philadelphia and to the Governor of Pennsylvania in the departments of public welfare and health.

Upon retiring from the Commonwealth Sam ran a successful consulting business with one of his former colleagues, succeeding in securing legislation that provided respite care for parents of children with disabilities.

Sam loved teaching. He taught policy, statistics and criminal justice at several colleges. Later, he returned to college obtaining a teaching certificate and taught history and social studies to high school students and coached Greco-Roman wrestling.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Doctors Without Borders https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/.

There will be a celebration of life for Sam, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at a future date.