Noble Lester "Mac" McClendon

He was born October 20, 1927, in Horatio, Ark., and grew up in Wilton, surrounded by aunts, uncles, and probably 20 cousins. When he was 15, his father died suddenly and Lester felt the burden of helping to support his widowed mother. Immediately after graduating from Ashdown High School at age 16, he and his mother moved to Texarkana and Les began working at a variety of jobs, sometimes several at one time. One of those was in the printing department at Firmin’s Office Supplies, where he met a young woman working in the office. He and Merida Heineike were married in 1949.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956, where he was teased by the other draftees for his advanced age; he was 26. He was trained as a medical corpsman, and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, at Fort Hood near Killeen, and Fort Knox in Kentucky. After his discharge, he worked as a clerk and assistant in various stores, and then as a gravel hauler. In 1963, he began a career with the U.S. Post Office, where his varied assignments included such unusual tasks as trying to reassemble bags of mail that had been shredded in the crash of a turboprop airliner. He ended his career by serving as postmaster of Hooks, Tex., from 1978-1989.

To be closer to his daughter and grandchildren, he and Merida relocated to Arlington, Tex., in 1998. An inveterate improviser and world-class jury-rigger, his improvements to various household devices produced—shall we say—a mixed record. He was devoted to his family and took pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren, always emphasizing the importance of education and supporting them in their studies. He always stepped up cheerfully and willingly if he thought he could help a friend or neighbor. He and Merida took his widowed older sister, Audrey, into their home, and cared for her until her death.

He was preceded in death by his older sister, Audrey Linbarger, and his older brother, Clarence. He is survived by Merida, his wife of 74 years; by his son Dennis McClendon, of Chicago; his daughter Denise Carriveau and her husband Louis, of Arlington, Tex.; and by three grandchildren: David Carriveau and wife Katy, Sara Monfries and husband Nick, and Michael Carriveau.

Funeral Service will be 11am Saturday, March 9, 2024 at East Memorial Chapel-Downtown. Burial will be in Memorial Gardens under the direction of East Funeral Home-Downtown.

Online tributes can be posted at www.eastfuneralhomes.com.