James Russell Adcock, 76, Clinton, passed away at 4:25 a.m. Sunday (Jan. 26, 2014) at his family home in Clinton.

His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Calvert Funeral Home, Clinton, with the Rev. Burt McIntosh officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Park Cemetery, Clinton. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the James Adcock Teacher Scholarship Fund or American Parkinson Disease Association.

James was born Jan. 5, 1938, in Bloomington, the son of Russell and Mary Hereford Adcock. He married Betty L. Repplinger on June 26, 1965, in Clinton.

Survivors include his wife, Betty L. Adcock, Clinton; son, Brian L. (Lori) Adcock, and granddaughter, Grace Elizabeth, Crystal Lake; and sisters, Beverly Barrett, Pensacola, Fla.; Marilyn (Robert) Snow, Bradenton, Fla.; and Joyce (Harold) Ashby, Sarasota, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Jim graduated from Clinton Community High School and earned a bachelor of science degree from Eastern Illinois University and a master of science degree in education from Western Illinois University. He was an English teacher at Clinton Community High School for 33 years, serving as English Department chairperson for many years prior to his retirement in 1994. “Mr. A.” was twice honored as “Teacher of the Year” by the Clinton Education Association, in 1979-80 and 1993-94. More recently, he was employed as a proofreader for the DeWitt County Constitution.

Jim was an avid bowler. He was the first person to roll a sanctioned 300 game in Clinton and coached junior bowlers for 25 years. He was an active member of the Clinton Bowling Association and Decatur Bowling Association. He helped organize the Clinton barbershop chorus and sang in the Clintones barbershop quartet for more than 25 years.

Also, he served his country in the U.S. Army Reserves and was a member of the Weldon Springs Foundation, Illinois Education Association, National Education Association and Illinois Retired Teachers’ Association.