NATCHEZ — Friends of a Natchez man, who died recently, plan to honor his memory on Tuesday — St. Patrick’s Day — in a way that would have made him happiest: Celebrating his Irish heritage.

Jack Ray McElwee, 69, originally of Natchitoches, La., died March 3 at his Natchez residence.

“Jack was a customer of the saloon for years and years,” said Melissa Morrison, who works at the Under-the-Hill Saloon, along with her brother, Andre’ Farish, who has managed the saloon for a number of years.

“Jack would stop by in the morning and have coffee and talk and stop by in the evening for a beer,” she said.

McElwee worked at Southern Carriage Tours, which is a company that offers horse-drawn carriage rides in front of the former depot building on Canal Street, said Delores Vines, who works with the company.

“Jack often wore a T-shirt with an Everlast logo on it and sometimes when I would pass by the depot, I would yell out at him, ‘Thank goodness, Jack! You’re going to be around forever.’ ”

His friends from the Under-the-Hill Saloon plan to celebrate McElwee’s life on March 17 with what many consider a traditional Irish meal.

“I’m going to buy some corned beef and potatoes and cabbage, and we’re going to give it away in the courtyard next door to the saloon to anyone who comes down,” Morrison said. “Jack loved his Irish heritage, and this is our way of remembering his life. He was so friendly. Everyone just loved him.”

The Under-the-Hill Saloon plans to begin serving the celebratory meal at about 5 p.m. and will continue until it’s gone.

Morrison said McElwee had a heart attack “a while back,” but decided to get himself in shape.

“He got himself a bicycle — one with the big fat tires — and rode it Under-the-Hill. However, the person he got it from told him no one could ride it up the hill. So, Jack would ride it down the hill and have a beer, then would get someone to put it in the back of their truck to get the bike back up the hill,” Morrison recalled.

Also standing in the way of Jack’s “getting into shape” were the pimento cheese sandwiches at The Camp.

“He loved those sandwiches,” Morrison said. “I told him once, ‘Jack, you’re not going to get into shape eating those.’ And he said, ‘But you just don’t understand. They are so good. You need to get one and get the bacon on it.‘ ”

Farish, who has spoken with members of McElwee’s family, said no funeral services are planned at this time.

“Jack had done many things in his life, I’m told. He was a fireman, worked in a pharmacy and was a youth pastor. He was a Presbyterian,” he said.

Farish said McElwee as born on April 27, 1946, in Natchitoches. He said McElwee is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth Ray McElwee of Natchez; his mother, Rosemary McElwee; a sister, Suzanne McElwee Sweat of Memphis; and a brother, Charles McElwee, of Australia; as well as his former wife, Aloys Duty of Natchitoches.

McElwee was preceded in death by his father, Ray McElwee, Farish said.