Richard T. "Mac" McBrayer

Richard "Mac" McBrayer was born on December 1, 1944 to Cecil and Lora Tergerson McBrayer in Dallas, Texas. He grew up in San Antonio, Texas, with his siblings, attending Thomas Jefferson high school and graduating in 1963. He joined the U.S. Navy in October of that same year and in 1966 married his high school sweetheart Shirley Homeier. Following Mac's Navy assignments, the couple had three children, Melissa, born in New Foundland, Canada; Steven, born in Key West and Richard "Rick" born in Port Hueneme, CA. Mac served in the Navy for 24 years, allowing him to travel the world from Europe to Asia. He rose in rank to retire as an E7 Chief ACC, earning the nickname "Chief Mac".

Retiring from the Navy in Beeville, Texas, his last duty station, Mac ran a successful mechanic shop with business partner (Tom McGuire) for many years. He also shared this expertise, not only with his children, but with hundreds of students as a professor teaching Mechanics at Coastal Bend College for 20 years.

When his marriage ended in 1994, Mac remained in Beeville and in November of 2000 met Kay Russell Sanchez-Navarro. Kay, a Beeville native, had returned to her hometown after the passing of her husband of 42 years. Living "two doors down" on East Bowie, Mac & Kay grew in friendship, then love and married on December 15 2001. Together the couple added Kay's five children, Cristina, Paul, Resa, Louie and Quita to create a blended family to include 16 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. In 2013, the couple moved to Victoria, Texas to be closer to family and provide a better quality of life.

Throughout his life, Mac was admired for his straightforward, pragmatic and genuine nature. Not a man of many words, those words could be counted on because of his unquestionable integrity. These characteristics gained him the respect of those who knew him, from sailor to student and most importantly, his wife, children, step-children and grandchildren. Mac's greatest gift, though, was his heart of gold from which came great generosity, deep commitment and most of all, everlasting love. Mac McBrayer moved on to the home of his Lord Jesus Christ on Friday, April 25, 2014 but his light will be carried on in all who had the privilege of his presence in their lives.