James “Jim” R. McEllhiney, 68, passed away April 7, 2011 at Deaconess Hospital Hospice Care Center in Evansville after a four year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born Dec. 24, 1942 he was the son of Henry and Helen McEllhiney.

 Jim graduated from Francisco High School in 1961 and from the Indiana State Teachers College (ISU) in Terre Haute, with BA and MA degrees.  He taught at Northwood Business School in West Baden.

He was then recruited by a company in Louisville to help develop computer software for educational purposes for junior colleges.  From there he was recruited by Phillip Career  Corp. based in Gulfport, Miss., a company that bought and managed junior colleges nationwide.  He had the title of vice president of academia. 

Some years later he was recruited by Career Educational Corp. based in Hoffman Estates, Ill. to be an original corporate officer as vice president of regulatory compliance. 

For a few years after his retirement from CEC he provided contract services as a postsecondary education regulation consultant.  Because of his accomplishments in education, a library in his name was dedicated at Indiana State University.

While at CEC in 2005 “The James R McEllhiney award for Excellence in Compliance” was established to be given yearly to the person deemed most worthy in that field.

 In 2008 he moved to Evansville to be close to his family.  Jim spent his adult life in the field of education and gained wide spread respect for his contribution to education.  The family would like to express their appreciation to Around the Clock Home Health Care and Hospice Care Center for Jim's excellent care.

 Survivors include his mother, Helen McEllhiney; brother, William (Barbara) McEllhiney; sister, Rose McEllhiney, foster sister, Amanta (James) Williams; two foster grandsons; one niece;  six nephews; one foster nephew; seven great nieces; eight great nephews; four great great nieces; six great great nephews; and two great great foster nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father in 1981.

A memorial service in his honor will take place in the future with the date, time and place to be announced. (He is buried at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.)