Ret. Lt. Col. James Clark McGillivray, 62, of Arlington, VA passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home on August 2nd after a yearlong battle with cancer. James was born on September 14, 1960, in Urbana, Illinois to Catherine nee Fell and the late James J. McGillivray. He was the loving, oldest brother to Margaret (Michael) Spence, Heather (Matthew) Hayek, Rod (Katrina) McGillivray, and the late Anne Wilmoth and Jennifer McGillivray. Jim’s passions growing up included ice hockey, fencing, and playing the bagpipes.

Jim graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1982 with a degree in English literature. It was during his junior year abroad at the School of Irish Studies in Dublin, Ireland where he met his wife, Martha. They married soon after graduation on July 10, 1982, in what was assuredly one of the biggest parties Notre Dame campus had ever seen. Following his graduation from Indiana University Law School in 1987, Jim was commissioned into the US Navy as an active-duty Judge Advocate, beginning his lifelong career in public service.

In 1989, Jim and Martha welcomed their oldest daughter, Cate, into the world while Jim was on active duty at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as a Defense Counsel and Command Judge Advocate for Brigade Service Support Group – 4, Second Marine Division. In 1991, Meg arrived while Jim was serving with the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Royal Air Force Edzell, Scotland. Jim was immensely proud of his Scottish heritage, and he will assuredly be looking down from heaven eagerly awaiting a positive outcome on Scotland’s independence movement.

After his Navy service, Jim transferred to the Indiana Army National Guard and worked full-time in Bloomington, Indiana for Indiana University’s Student Legal Services, mentoring law students and serving as a staff attorney.

In 2005, Jim deployed with the XVIII Airborne Corps as the Chief of the Administrative Law Division in Baghdad, Iraq. Jim later mobilized from 2010 through 2013 with the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel, representing disabled soldiers at Physical Evaluation Board formal hearings. Jim retired as Lieutenant Colonel Judge Advocate, USAR in February 2015 after 28 years of combined military service. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, two awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, and many others.

Jim’s interests later in life included woodworking, bluegrass music, the Cubs, and the international cricket scene. He was a voracious reader, enjoyed spending time at the family’s cabin in Harpers Ferry, and with Meg’s Maine Coon cats, Angus and Fiona. Jim was thrilled and proud to serve as the officiant for Meg and her husband Luis Panameno’s wedding in 2019. Jim loved gaining a son in Luis and enjoyed bonding with him over sports and cabin chores.

Jim will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and colleagues who knew him as a kind, good man of principle who was never without an interesting story or fact, regardless of the subject.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alexandria Music Makers Scholarship Fund to benefit Jim’s love of music and access to it for all children. Checks may be made to AMMSF, 405 Fontaine Street, Alexandria, VA 22302. Credit card donations can be made at www.alexandriamusicmakers.org.

Visitation will take place from 12-2pm on Thursday, August 10th at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (830 23rd Street South, Arlington, VA 22202) with a funeral mass immediately following at 2pm. At a future date later this winter, Jim will be buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.