Randall Jae McCammack was born on February 17, 1948 in Indianapolis to William and Claudina McCammack.
He grew up in Muncie, Indiana. As a kid, he enjoyed singing and many sports, but most of all basketball. He is survived by two younger sisters, Beth Jacobs and Kaye Hart. At Muncie South Side High School, he ran cross country, played four years of varsity basketball, sang in the choir, played the lead in Oklahoma!, and served as the organist at St. Paul’s Methodist Church.
He went to Purdue University where he studied engineering and later education. He received his Master’s Degree in education from Indiana University. During his time at Purdue, he married his home town sweetheart, Julie. The couple lived in Indiana and worked at several schools where Rande taught math and coached basketball. During this time, Rande was diagnosed with and successfully overcame thyroid cancer. In 1975, they had their first son, Ryan. Eight years later, in 1983, their daughter, Megan, was born.
In 1985, Rande moved with his family to Joliet, Illinois where he served and taught along with Julie at Ridgewood Baptist Church and Academy for 25 years. In 1987, the couple had their next son, Devan. Three years later, in 1990, Ethan was born.
It was a great joy of Rande’s life to live and work with Julie. They had a close relationship and enjoyed being together as much as possible.
One of his Rande’s passions became coaching basketball and mentoring his players. He devoted countless time, effort, and commitment into his teams and students. He ended his career at RBA with 9 State Titles. His time at RBA was marked by pouring his life into others, whether it was students, players, coworkers, or friends. Many former students and players have much to say about his impact and legacy. Over the years, he worked hard to provide for his family, often working multiple jobs: a middle of the night paper route, a painter, and a handyman. He never complained and never worried about promoting himself. He only wanted to live peacefully and joyfully while giving his family everything they needed and then some. He was generous with what he had, both with his time and skills.
His home was always open to anyone, friend or stranger; he was present for his four children even in the busiest seasons of life; he was faithful to his wife of 51 years; and he had a life long confidence in God and his promises.
He loved his family, basketball, Indiana, puns, sweets, pizza and pop, riddles, math, grilling, the Olympics, anything on ESPN, eating, Purdue, popcorn, the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan, Rocky, music, spoiling his kids and grandkids, museums, March Madness, the underdog, and more than anything else, Jesus.
In 2016, driven by their desire to help Ryan in a new church plant, Rande and Julie moved to Georgia. During this time, he spent as much time as possible with his grandkids. He worked to help others at Gospel Hope Church until and after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. As his health deteriorated, he was surrounded by family and friends, cared for until the very end by Julie, all the while bolstered by his faith in his Savior Jesus. He longed for peace and restoration, and his testimony of faith spoke to those who knew him until the last day. He died peacefully at home on January 18, 2022.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Julie, his children, Ryan, Megan, Devan, and Ethan, and his 17 grandchildren, Ian, Calvin, Sydney, Brady, Cooper, Geneva, Brynna, Paton, Ireland, Selah, Dublin, Avery, Felicity, Finley, Isla, Leila, and Declan.