Edgar Leon"Mac" McReynolds

Major Edgar Leon "Mac" McReynolds (U.S. Army Ret.), 88, of Temple died Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at his home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, February 29, 2008 at the Scanio-Harper Funeral Home with Rev. Chris Mesa officiating. Military graveside services will follow at Bellwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be held 6-7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Mr. McReynolds was born July 11, 1919 in Belleville, Arkansas to John and Lillie Davidson McReynolds. He married Rose Etta Cartwright October 23rd, 1946, his wife for over 61 years. He was a graduate of Council Hill High School in Oklahoma in 1938. He attended Oklahoma A&M which is now Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He was a member of the Oak Park Methodist Church, in Temple, Texas. He served in the United States Army in the Company H 359th Infantry Regiment of the 90th Division in World War II serving in the European Theater and was involved with D-Day 1 invasion. He was part of the invasion force which was scheduled to land at Utah Beach on D-Day-1. His ship, the Susan B. Anthony, struck a mine which delayed his landing for several hours. He described landing in waist deep water carrying his rifle belt and his M1 rifle. His nights were cold without bed rolls or blankets. During the war, he attained the rank of technical sergeant in charge of his company of men. In one of the battles where the 90th Division met with the Polish army, he stood as acting platoon sergeant when others had fallen; he received the Bronze star for this service. Additionally, he received the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and a presidential citation for his service. He also served in the Korean War. He retired as a Major with over twenty-one years of service. After retiring from the military, he worked for the Civil Service Administration at Ft. Hood, Texas. Survivors include his wife, Rose McReynolds of Temple; three sisters, Mary Ellen Paden of Sacramento, California, Melba Smith of Thousand Oaks, California, and Sue Hamm of Sunnyvale, California; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers, James D. McReynolds and Walter M. McReynolds. Memorials may be made to Oak Park United Methodist Church, 5505 S. 31st Street, Temple, Texas 76502