Alto David McCain, 82, of Palm Coast, passed away August 22, 2021, at the Veterans Medical Center in Lake Nona, Florida.
Mr. McCain was born July 28, 1939, in Sebastian, Florida, a son of Robert George McCain, Jr., and Dorothy Katherine Herndon McCain. At the age of 12, he and his family moved to St. Augustine, Florida.
An all-star athlete while attending Ketterlinus High School, after graduation, he and four of his closest friends gained state notoriety as the most men to enlist at one time into the U.S. Army’s newly established “Buddy Program.” After serving our country for four years, he was honorably discharged.
Alto studied at the University of Florida and was a huge “Gator” fan. He began his professional life by working his way up to Senior Vice President of a national publishing company and lived those years in New York City, NY.
Avoiding a transfer to London, England, he resigned his position and began a freight company, McCain Enterprises, with his brother Robert G. McCain and spent the early 70’s crossing the country countless times. Finding the road and large equipment “intoxicating,” he spent the rest of his career in the freight industry.
Accepting another corporate position in the late 70’s, Alto served as Vice President of Operations at Burgess & Cook in Fernandina Bch, FL and later in the same capacity for a subsidiary of Penns Best, Inc. in Marion, NC. Before retiring in 2001, he and his wife Jennifer owned and operated a full-service truck stop in Nebo, NC while later moving to Palm Coast, FL.
He was an avid reader of the classics in history, warfare, poetry and wrote a historical/fictional novel concerning the aftermath of the American Civil War. Alto was proud of his Scottish heritage and enjoyed visiting the Highland Games in NC whenever he could. He enjoyed music, long walks on the beaches and parks, loved his bulldogs, traveling, and most of all, spending time with family and friends.
Of friends and family, he often quoted from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel.”
Alto leaves his wife of 23 years, the former Jennifer Porter, whom he married on March 21, 1998. His children, Elizabeth Nicole Douglas (Hunter Douglas), Charles Edenfield (Flora Edenfield), Janet Edenfield, Joshua Shelton (Megan Sabo), and Sean Robertson. Numerous grandchildren, Clayton Douglas, Noah Edenfield, Callie Shelton, Aaron Edenfield, Emileigh Keeler, Trevor Muschamp, Trey Muschamp and Amara Clark.
Nieces Lynne McCain, Denise McCain Tharnstrom, Diana McCain Porter. Nephew Robert M. McCain and a host of beloved cousins. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Robert George McCain, III.
The memorial service to celebrate Alto’s life will be held on Saturday September 11, 2021- 1:00 p.m. at the Sebastian Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to www.craigflaglerpalms.com.
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