Send FlowersRobert Wallace McMillan
of Lake Jackson, TX,
June 27, 1924 - January 22, 2012
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Robert Wallace McMillan, First Lieutenant, USAF (Ret.) died peacefully at his home in Lake Jackson, Texas, on Sunday, January 22, 2012, with his wife of 67 years, Lorene Turner McMillan, and daughter, Susan McMillan, at his side.
Mac (Bob) was born in Eagle Lake, Texas on June 27, 1924, to Bertha and William Alfred McMillan. He graduated from Eagle Lake High School where he participated in football, basketball, track and band. He attended Texas A&I College (now Texas A&M at Kingsville) until he joined the US Army Air Corps in 1943 during the Second World War. He received his pilot's wings and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He trained as an B26 bomber pilot until the end of the war in Europe and then in B25 bombers until the cease fire in Japan in 1945.
After the war ended Mac returned to Texas A&I, graduating in 1947 with a BS in physics and mathematics. A few months after graduation he was recalled to service in the Air Force and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant and trained to serve as a weatherman and pilot for the 6th Weather Squadron in the Panama Canal Zone. He was sent to Air Staff and Command School and after service at Patrick AFB in Cape Canaveral, Florida, was sent to Wheeler AFB in Tripoli, Libya. In addition to his other duties, he represented the base golf team in European competition and managed the base softball team. In 1952 while in Libya, Mac contracted polio and was flown to the United States for medical care and medically retired in 1953. He was a life member of the Military Officer's Association of America, member of the Houston MOAA Chapter, and a member of the Lake Jackson American Legion Post 306.
Mac was married to Lorene Turner of Chenango Christmas Day, December 25, 1944, at the First Presbyterian Church, Angleton, Texas. After his retirement from the Air Force, he and his family made their home in the Chenango community for 25 years. He taught math and coached track at Danbury High School. During that time he received his Master of Education degree from the University of Houston. In 1968 he and his wife both joined the first faculty at Brazosport College where he taught math and coached the college golf team until he retired in 1985. Mac was an avid golfer and became an expert craftsman, making and restoring golf clubs. He received the prestigious Harvey Penick annual award from Golfsmith of Austin in recognition of his contribution to the game of golf. His other great love was traveling and playing golf in the British Isles.
Mac was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Leon Grayson McMillan and William Albert McMillan.
He is survived by his wife, Lorene; daughter, Susan McMillan, of Austin, Texas; sister-in-law, Helen Embry; nieces, Elizabeth Scott and husband, Robert, Elaine Koenig; nephews, Lewis Wheeler and wife, Cecile, Grayson McMillan and wife, Dava, and William David McMillan; and a number of great nieces and nephews and their children. He is also survived by special friends, Mary Evans, Essie Evans, Oscar and Gloria Roth, Bruce and Susan Thorne, Judy and Jim Earls, June and Kelly Phillips, Wallace Jones, Harry Janke, and a host of others.
A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Jackson on Saturday, January 28, at 2:30 p.m. Officiating will be the Reverend Doctor Alan Trafford and Mac's great- nephew, the Reverend Elliott Scott.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Jackson Memorial Fund, 102 Yaupon, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566; the Salvation Army, P. O. Box 2029, Freeport, Texas 77542; or the SPCA of Brazoria County, 141 Canna Lane, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566.
Mac (Bob) was born in Eagle Lake, Texas on June 27, 1924, to Bertha and William Alfred McMillan. He graduated from Eagle Lake High School where he participated in football, basketball, track and band. He attended Texas A&I College (now Texas A&M at Kingsville) until he joined the US Army Air Corps in 1943 during the Second World War. He received his pilot's wings and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He trained as an B26 bomber pilot until the end of the war in Europe and then in B25 bombers until the cease fire in Japan in 1945.
After the war ended Mac returned to Texas A&I, graduating in 1947 with a BS in physics and mathematics. A few months after graduation he was recalled to service in the Air Force and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant and trained to serve as a weatherman and pilot for the 6th Weather Squadron in the Panama Canal Zone. He was sent to Air Staff and Command School and after service at Patrick AFB in Cape Canaveral, Florida, was sent to Wheeler AFB in Tripoli, Libya. In addition to his other duties, he represented the base golf team in European competition and managed the base softball team. In 1952 while in Libya, Mac contracted polio and was flown to the United States for medical care and medically retired in 1953. He was a life member of the Military Officer's Association of America, member of the Houston MOAA Chapter, and a member of the Lake Jackson American Legion Post 306.
Mac was married to Lorene Turner of Chenango Christmas Day, December 25, 1944, at the First Presbyterian Church, Angleton, Texas. After his retirement from the Air Force, he and his family made their home in the Chenango community for 25 years. He taught math and coached track at Danbury High School. During that time he received his Master of Education degree from the University of Houston. In 1968 he and his wife both joined the first faculty at Brazosport College where he taught math and coached the college golf team until he retired in 1985. Mac was an avid golfer and became an expert craftsman, making and restoring golf clubs. He received the prestigious Harvey Penick annual award from Golfsmith of Austin in recognition of his contribution to the game of golf. His other great love was traveling and playing golf in the British Isles.
Mac was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Leon Grayson McMillan and William Albert McMillan.
He is survived by his wife, Lorene; daughter, Susan McMillan, of Austin, Texas; sister-in-law, Helen Embry; nieces, Elizabeth Scott and husband, Robert, Elaine Koenig; nephews, Lewis Wheeler and wife, Cecile, Grayson McMillan and wife, Dava, and William David McMillan; and a number of great nieces and nephews and their children. He is also survived by special friends, Mary Evans, Essie Evans, Oscar and Gloria Roth, Bruce and Susan Thorne, Judy and Jim Earls, June and Kelly Phillips, Wallace Jones, Harry Janke, and a host of others.
A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Jackson on Saturday, January 28, at 2:30 p.m. Officiating will be the Reverend Doctor Alan Trafford and Mac's great- nephew, the Reverend Elliott Scott.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Jackson Memorial Fund, 102 Yaupon, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566; the Salvation Army, P. O. Box 2029, Freeport, Texas 77542; or the SPCA of Brazoria County, 141 Canna Lane, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566.