Notie A. "Mac" McCaleb

With a sprinkle of shamrocks to guide his way to heaven, Notie Alson McCaleb passed away on May 3, 2013. He was born on August 16, 1918 to Noah Alson and Katheryn Vivian McCaleb. The McCaleb family migrated from County Donegal in Ireland and settled in South Texas. His father Noah McCaleb owned the land and settled Carrizo Springs. His father built the first bank, railroad station, general store, and hotel. Noah McCaleb owned several gold mines in Mexico and on his way to the bank in San Antonio, drowned in the big flood of 1921. The family owned property in San Antonio and eventually moved here.

According to Captain Peter Tumlinson Bell who wrote of Noah Alson McCaleb back in the 1909-1910 era:

In mr. Bell's opinion, the biggest help to Industry of this country was the coming of the railroads of the area. The I. G. & N. Railroad was built out of San Antonio to Laredo in 1881-82 and the S. A. U. & G. Railroad was built in 1909-10 from Uvalde to Carrizo Springs. N. A. Mc Caleb is due the bulk of the credit for obtaining the railroad into Carrizo Springs. If it hadn't been for the efforts of Mc Caleb for securing the Bonus and right-of-way for the railroad there would have been a Possibility that the County Seat being moved to Asherton. A. R. Ponder is another who deserves great credit in helping to get the railroad here. Of course others helped as best as they could at that time. They tell a good tale on Mc Caleb and the engineer (Jim Tumlinson) of the first train that came to Carrizo. The story goes that Mc Caleb was on top of the train as it pulled into Carrizo and there were lots of people down there to meet it...most of them had never seen a train before. The people began to gather around the train when the engineer hollered as loud as he could: "Get back folks, I'm gonna turn 'er around!" At that Notie blew the whistle and rang the bell as loud as he could. People stampeded and scattered like a herd of wild cattle. As Uncle Bill Bell passed some fellow the man hollered and asked him where he was going in such a hurry. Uncle Bill said, "Hell, I'm going back to the country, a man could get killed with one of them darn things on the loose here in town!"

Between old John L. Mc Caleb and his son Noah Alson Mc Caleb along with the entire Mc Caleb Family we very well might not have had a town of Carrizo Springs without their visions, money, connections in Chicago with Walter F. Mc Caleb and others. We tip our hats today to Noah Alson Mc Caleb, Jr. as he is laid to rest and knowing he will be the Last Of The Old Trail Drivers and Businessmen, Bankers, Inventors, Authors, Servicemen and mainly each was A Living Legend from my corner of the room right up there with John Wayne!

Notie graduated from Harlandale High School where he met and married his wife of 63 years Ruth Baker McCaleb who predeceased him in 2005. In 1941he joined the Army Air Corps in World War II , moved to California to be with his unit and then left and served in the South Pacific for several years. After the war he moved his family back to San Antonio where he worked at Kelly AFB in the Civil Service in Plans, Analysis and Security from 1946 to his retirement in 1969. He was on the ramp at Kelly AFB and met former President John Kennedy and his wife the on November 21, 1963, prior to their departure for Dallas.

After his retirement, he and his family moved to their home in Kingsland, TX. There he worked for Ace Hardware. In 1969, they moved to Austin. Mac continued with Ace Hardware until joining Austin Energy in 1983. After 14 years, retired from Austin Energy and returned to Ace Hardware and later Breed & Company until 2001, when he retired to stay home and care for his wife Ruth who was suffering from Alzheimer's.

In 2004, Mac and Ruth moved to San Antonio to be near their daughter, Pat. A few months after moving to San Antonio, Ruth passed away and Mac moved in with his daughter for a couple of years until he met and married Brandy. Mac and Brandy enjoyed 4 years together traveling, fishing at the coast, meeting with friends, crafting, building bird houses, and packing as much fun as they could in this short time.

Mac loved wood crafting, fishing at the coast, Las Vegas his family and friends and in most years, The Texas Longhorns. He will always be remembered for his Irish wit, humor and his love of life. He is survived by his wife Brandy McCaleb, daughter Patricia May and her husband Fred, grandson Steven and his wife Michelle, and great grandchildren Taylor and Tyler. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. Mac was one of five siblings born to Noah and Katie McCaleb. Mac was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Ruth Baker McCaleb, his sister Ruth and brothers William, Howard and Robert.

Visitation will be Tuesday, May 14 from 6-8PM at Sunset North Funeral Home.

A graveside service with military honors will held at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery on Wednesday, May 15th at 2pm