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Birth: Nov. 2, 1939 - Georgia, USA
Death: Jan. 22, 2012 – Warrenton, Fauquier County, Virginia, USA
Walter H. "Mac" McLendon, age 72, died at his Warrenton home. He was son of Thomas Heflin McLendon and Dorothy Hazel McLendon, who preceded him in death.
Colonel McLendon retired from the United States Army in 1993 after 28 years of service, which included two tours of duty in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. His many awards included the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters.
After his military career, he joined Cubic Applications Inc., where he worked for the last 18 years. He is survived by his wife, Mi O. McLendon and two daughters, Tracy Grant of Reston and Rhonda McKay of Houston, Texas. Also surviving are a brother, Thomas McLendon of Marietta, Ga.; a sister, Margaret Nunn of Huntsville, Ala.; three grandchildren, Amanda Grant, Rachel McKay and Rebecca McKay and several nieces and nephews. The family received friends on Friday January 27 from 10 until 12 Noon at Moser Funeral Home, 233 Broadview Ave, Warrenton, VA where services were held at Noon. Inurnment will took place at Arlington National Cemetery with full honors. Memorial Contributions may be made to www.smiletrain.org
Burial:
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA
Plot: Section 54 Site 1786
Published in News & Messenger, Prince William Co, VA, on January 25, 2012
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Ben Moon (1957)
My dad and Harris' mother Hazel were first cousins (their mothers were sisters in the Wood clan), but we never met until we moved to CP. I remember Harris and his cute younger sister Margaret well; his brother Tommy was a bit older and I didn't get to know him well. Harris was always gung-ho military--it's no surprise he made the army a career. (Our Confederate great-great grandfather, Alan Greene Wood, died at the Battle of Chattanooga and is buried in a mass grave there on the campus of UT-Chattanooga.) Hazel and Thomas were killed together in a tragic auto accident, and Harris left for military service and we sort of lost contact with one another over the years. I didn't even realize he was gone.
Harris didn't make it to the 30th reunion of the class of '57, though he sent a brief profile and a photograph of a handsome devil in an colonel's uniform. He apparently didn't make it to subsequent reunions either. I would like to know more about his military career; he probably put in his time in Vietnam and other actions as well, and no doubt made a good accounting of himself. I would also like to know more about his wife, children, grandchildren, etc., etc. if anyone sees this who was smarter than me and kept in contact with him.
Harris always had that wry sense of humor and a laid-back manner, but it hid his intensity and drive that probably showed in his military service. I thought a lot of the old boy, and I'm sorry to hear that he's gone.
--Ben Moon, Class of 1957
Ginger (Kathryn Virginia) Croley (Blackstone) (1967)
From the age of 2, I lived next door to Harris and his family. He was always so kind to me, and as a little girl, I had a crush on him--he was about nine years my senior. I loved all the McLendons, and they were good, steadfast neighbors. I do recall Harris' buying a Volkswagen, and he talked me into washing it for him. Mrs. McLendon was a worderful cook, Mr. Mac was kind to me, and I treasure the childhood I spent around Tommy, Margaret and Harris. I would love to have seen Harris again, knowing he must have grown into a wonderful man. If Tommy or Margaret are connecting to the CPHS site, it would be so very good to hear from them.
Gwen Raburn (Brock) (1958)
Harris and my husband were in the same fraternity at Georgia State. We were all close, until he went to Vietnam and we lost track of him. We serched for him for many years, I finally found him through the fraternity. We spoke several times and he had called when my husband passed away. It was a shock to learn that he had passed. He was a good man. He is missed.