Capt'n Jim McMahan Jr. Honored By Harford County

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The family of Capt'n Jim McMahan Jr. was honored Tuesday night at the Harford County Council meeting.

The former County Councilman and Bel Air Town Commissioner died April 14 of liver cancer, according to his obituary. The lifelong Bel Air resident was 82.

County Executive Barry Glassman proposed renaming the Harford County Commission on Veterans Affairs the James V. “Capt’n Jim” McMahan Commission on Veterans Affairs in his honor.

Cosponsored by the County Council, the legislation ensures his legacy will "live forever in Harford County code," Glassman said, "so every veteran and young person will hear the story about Capt'n Jim and what he did to help our veterans, not only serving the country but serving others."

As a result of McMahan's work revitalizing the county's veterans affairs commission, Glassman said Harford County hosted a resource fair that "filled the [Bel Air] Armory a couple years in a row with services [and] meals to help our veterans."

McMahan served more than 30 years on active duty, including in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Army Reserves and Maryland National Guard, according to his obituary, which said he received an Army Public Service Commendation Medal, National Defense Ribbon, Reserve Component Ribbon, and the Maryland Army National Guard Meritorious Service Award, among other honors.

“Capt’n Jim brought great passion to everything he did as a public servant and I will always be grateful to him for revitalizing our veterans affairs commission," said Glassman, who ordered the Harford County flag lowered to half-staff from sunrise April 30 through sunset May 2 to coincide with McMahan’s memorial services.

McMahan's family was presented with a Harford County flag and a coin of excellence in his honor at Tuesday's council meeting in Bel Air, where two honor guards were present.

"Dad loved serving the county," James V. McMahan III said at the ceremony recognizing his father, which was attended by relatives as well as local leaders. "This recognition means a lot to the family."

Capt’n Jim is survived by his sister, Pauline P. Tyndall of Absecon, N.J.; son, James V. McMahan III and daughter-in-law, Jennifer McMahan of Bel Air; daughter, Rev. Betsy Diann McMahan of Bel Air; two grandchildren, Carlyn Anita McMahan and James V. (Jack) McMahan IV; stepson, Sean Edmund Coffey of Knoxville, TN; and his lady, Patricia Welk Wolf of White Hall, his obituary says.

He was a "loving, caring, steadfast patriot," Henry Allen, commander of the Sgt. Alfred B. Hilton Memorial Post 55 in Bel Air, said at the council meeting. "Capt'n Jim believed in what we believed in, which is taking care of our veterans and the needy families not only in Harford County," he said. "If you have a needy family or a veteran in your midst, check on them and do the things that Capt'n Jim would do. Reach out ... you don't know who needs that help."

See Also: Captain Jim McMahan Jr. Of Bel Air Dies At 82