Wendell "Mac" McCoskey

Services will be conducted at First United Methodist Church of Bossier City, LA for Retired USAF Major Wendell P. “Mac” McCoskey age 93, of Haughton, LA on Friday, March 29, 2024. Visitation with family will begin at 9:00 am with the service following at 10:00 am. Officiating will be Retired Reverend David Dietzel of First United Methodist Church. Interment will follow at Hill Crest Park in Haughton, LA.

Mac was born in Webster City, IA on September 22, 1930 to Jason B and Lillian Mae McCoskey and was raised on an Iowa Family Farm. Mac joined the United States Air Force in January of 1957 shortly after starting his junior year at Iowa State University to avoid the draft. Coincidentally one month after joining the Air Force college deferment tests were initiated. After training in nine schools Mac became a Gunner on the Convair RB-36 “Peacemaker” at Ellsworth AFB Rapid City, SD. In late 1952, Mac entered Cadet Officer Navigation Training at Ellington AFB in Houston, Texas. Mac became a 2nd LT at Mather AFB in California. and completed training in what was then called a “Triple Threat” This consisted of Navigation, Radar Bombing and Visual Bombing. Mac transitioned back into the RB-36’s as a Navigator at Travis AFB in Northern California.

Mac had tours of duty in Puerto Rico, North Carolina, Maine and Vietnam. He accumulated over 8,000 flying hours with 2,500 hours in the RB-36 and over 5,500 hours in the B-52. He flew 109 combat missions during the Vietnam Conflict before retiring out of Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City LA, in September of 1974.

After retirement from the United States Air Force, Mac returned to college and graduated in the first baccalaureate graduating class at LSU Shreveport. Over the next several years, Mac held several jobs as an office manager, bookkeeper, and as a tropical fish salesman. He later owned his own hickory wood business and later partnered in a blueberry farm. Mac spent the last 30 years of his life serving North Louisiana as the “Blueberry Man.” He could always be found on Blueberry Hill where he grew blueberries, blackberries, & numerous vegetables.

In 1956, Mac met the love of his life, Zelpha, and they were married in Sacramento, CA. Mac & Zelpha were married for 49 years prior to her passing in 2005. Over the 56 years in Haughton, Mr. McCoskey served as a member of the Haughton Chapter of the Lions Club and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Bossier City, LA, where he & Zelpha sang in the Circuit Riders and Chancel Choirs. Mac & Zelpha also taught Sunday School for 45 years.

Mac is preceded in death by his wife, Zelpha, and his daughter, Debra M. Watson. Mr. McCoskey is survived by his daughter, Rebecca Sandifer of Haughton; sons, Robert McCoskey and wife Suzanne of Dallas, TX, Randall McCoskey and wife, Denise of Haughton, LA; brother, Jason McCoskey of Jewell, IA; nine grandchildren & eight great-grandchildren.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Gary McCoskey, Marshall McCoskey, Ethan McCoskey, Douglas Summers, Jay Fussell and Seth Overall.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport ICU Staff and St. Joseph Hospice for their exceptional care.

In lieu of flowers Memorials can be made to the Louisiana Lions Eye Foundation which furthers the mission of the Lions Club by Improving Quality of Life Through Vision Care to needy children. Visit lioneyes.org or call (504) 525.7235