John Edward Edgar III

John Edward Edgar III (aka Buster aka Bozo) was born on May 1, 1946, in Hallettsville, Texas, to Jack and Lillie Edgar. His father was an Air Force mechanic, and as a result John spent his childhood living in many places, including Bangor, Maine; Greenville, South Carolina; California; and Kansas. As a teenager, his family settled in Victoria, Texas, where he attended St. Joseph High School and played football.

John went on to attend Southwest Texas State University, graduating in 1967 with a degree in business. Shortly after college, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served his country during the Vietnam War as a Vietnamese translator. He remained deeply proud of his service and of being a Marine for the rest of his life.

Upon returning home from Vietnam, John attended a welcome home party where he met Cynthia Marie Michalec of Hallettsville. He followed Cynthia to Austin while she attended the University of Texas, and they were married in Hallettsville in 1972. After a brief stint in Austin, they made their home on a bit of land for the next 50 years in Walburg, where they raised kids, donkeys, and countless other creatures.

John was known throughout his life as a steady, hardworking, and well-respected employee. He worked first as a manager for Goodyear Tire and later TG&Y, followed by owning his own welding shop in downtown Walburg. He then worked for 20 years for the United States Postal Service, where he became a beloved mail carrier and was named Carrier of the Year - an honor earned largely through the relationships he built with the people on his route. After retiring from the Postal Service, John continued working as a landscaper in Old Georgetown, caring for and beautifying the yards of friends and community members. He often said he worked for "spending money," which he happily used to buy gifts and take care of Cynthia and their children.

John was a devoted and present father to Justin, Christina, and Cassandra. He supported them faithfully through sports, activities, and the inevitable cycle of broken down vehicles. He was a gifted mechanical fixer, an accomplished welder, a hunter, and a lifelong tinkerer who considered himself an inventor. If a tool did not exist for the job at hand, John built it himself.

Food was another one of John's great passions. He loved good meals, was an excellent cook, and an especially skilled barbecue pit master and margarita mixer. He also served many years as the expert cornbread dressing creator and cook for events at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Com Hill.

John was also a loyal grandfather to seven grandchildren, including Aden, Tanner, Shepherd, Mack, Duke, Annie and his namesake Calvin John; and a selfless father-in-law to Jennifer, Kari, and his favorite golfing and hunting buddy, Judson.

In recent years, John's family slow]y lost him to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, enduring a long goodbye marked by patience and love. He died on Monday, April 13, holding Cynthia's hand, after his body and mind had finally worn out.

John will be cremated and laid to rest at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen on May 4 at 1 pm. A Celebration of Life will follow at 2 pm at Dale's Essenhaus in Walburg, and all friends and family are invited for beer, barbecue and memones.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Disabled American Veterans, DAV Post 239 in Georgetown or to DAV Charitable Service Trust online.

Military Honors will be held at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, 11463 TX-195, Killeen, TX 76542, US, on May 4, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.