January 16, 1954 to January 15, 2024

Clara Jean McGowan Haynes was born July 19, 1947, to the late Jewerel W. McGowan Sr. and Audrey McGowan in Foxworth, MS. She departed this life on January 11, 2024, at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Clara loved the lord and accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age at Little Rock Baptist Church in Foxworth, MS. She attended Marion County School System and graduated from Marion Central High School, Class of 1964. She went on to attend Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS, where she graduated as an LPN in a graduating class of just three African Americans. This is an impressive and hard-fought achievement, considering racial tensions were high and equality was in its infancy. In 1971, Clara married George M. James, who was a loving father to Shantonya F. James and Gregory M. James and stepfather to Patrick, Kimble, Cassandra, Joyce, and Christopher McGowan, providing love, support, guidance, and stability. In 1987, she married her second husband, Eli Haynes Jr. who preceded her in death, raising his son, Eli III, as her own. Clara and family moved to Scranton, PA, in 1979. There she continued to work as an LPN, working in the Geriatric field caring for the elderly for more than 30 years. In her later years, she ventured into working in group homes, where she cared for patients with intellectual disabilities. Clara was a faithful member of Shiloh Baptist church for decades. In 1990, she also became a very active and passionate member of the Easter Stars, an organization dedicated to moral values and personal goodness, social community, charity, truth, and loving kindness, eventually achieving the status of Worthy Matron in the Deborah Grand Chapter. In 2006, Clara moved to Columbia, MD, to be closer to and a more active participant in her eldest daughter Cassandra’s growing family, and to be closer to son, Chris, daughter Shatonya, and granddaughter Breauna. She continued her worship of the Lord as a member of New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, MD. There she became such a staple to her grandchildren helping with transportation, homework, aftercare, and, most important, the love and conversations that you can only entrust a grandmother with. She was their everything! Clara will be remembered for her love and sacrifice to care and provide for her children. She worked tirelessly to ensure that her children’s needs were met through education, extracurricular activities, and preparation for life. She exhibited a great work ethic that has manifested through the lives of all of her children. Clara had been on dialysis for 15 years, which came with long-term battles of multiple illnesses. Despite this, she was such a gracious and kind sister, mother, grandmother, and friend. She enjoyed long, in-depth conversations with her boys Pat and Chris, which most of the time ended with “Now don’t tell anybody I said that.” Also, she loved talking with her brother, Uncle Bob, and her sister, Aunt Bony, as well as a few special friends that she could talk to for hours on end. She was preceded in death by her daughter Joycelyn V. McGowan and son Gregory D. James; her parents Jewerel and Audrey McGowan; grandparents Willis Webster and Daisy McGowan; two sisters Sharon Denise McGowan and Gwendolyn Mc Gowan Seagroves; and brother Lloyd McGowan. She leaves to mourn loving sons Patrick McGowan (Renee) of Scranton, PA; Kimble McGowan of Baltimore, MD; Chris McGowan (Patricia) of Windsor Mill, MD; devoted daughter Cassandra Boyd of Ellicott City, MD, and Shatonya James-Gilliam (Wendy) of Detroit, MI; grandchildren Capri Hirschler, Luvrell McGowan, NeShane McGowan, Breauna Brister, Shanelle McGowan, Brittney Green, Madison Boyd, Mya Boyd, Brandon Boyd and great grandchildren LaMya, Aymal, Daniel, Amyla, Kaden, MaLya, and Noah; three brothers Jewerel W. McGowan Jr. (Diane) of Adriane, MI; Bobby E. McGowan (Gloria) of New Brunswick, NJ, Henry A. McGowan of Scranton, PA; a sister Constance Johnson of Foxworth, MS, a dear friend Shirley Parks of Bethlehem, PA; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Friends may call Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the McGoff-Hughes Funeral Home, 1401 Capouse Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509 and Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00 am in Bethel Ame Church, 716 N. Washington Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509 with a service at 11:00 by Pastor Mark Alexander. Internment Dunmore Cemetery.

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