John L. McCulloch, Jr.

John L. McCulloch, Jr. passed away at Scott & White Hospital on April 29, 2011 at the age of 72. He was the son of John L. and Evelyn (Crouch) McCulloch and was born in Temple on July 29, 1938. John attended Temple schools and graduated from Temple High School in 1956. He later attended Temple Junior College and Southwest Texas University in San Marcos. John's first love was farming and ranching, which he did most of his life. For a time he also worked as a mechanical draftsman for Materials Transportation Company and later Casework Services, Inc. He retired in 2006. John met his bride, Melba J. Klose in 1959 and they were married on July 15, 1961. John and Melba would have celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in July. To this union were born two children. In 1961, John joined the Texas National Guard and served for the next six years. John grew up in the First Christian Church of Temple and was baptized in 1951. He joined Northside Church of Christ (then Central Church of Christ) when he married Melba. John was a faithful and tireless worker in his church. During the 1980s he worked as one of the drivers in their bus ministry and he was appointed to serve as a deacon. John descends from several Bell County pioneer families including the McCullochs, the Bighams and the Bates. John loved the solitude of the country and in 2007 he and Melba built a house in the Oscar Community on the old McCulloch farm, which dates back to 1869. John was devoted to his church and his family. He is survived by his wife, Melba; son, Kevin from Dallas; daughter, Rhonda; son-in-law, Brian VandenBout and two granddaughters, Molly and Morgan all from the Oscar Community. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday, May 3rd at Northside Church of Christ in Temple with Minister Darrell Knight officiating followed by burial in Hillcrest Cemetery. The family will receive visitors at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home on Monday, May 2nd from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Northside Church of Christ or Cherokee Children's Home.