Roll Call Tribute

James Roland "Mac" McIlroy 

June 8 1924 - October 21, 2024 

James Roland “Mac” McIlroy passed away October 21, 2024. He was born in the Vaughan community in Hill County, Texas on June 6, 1924 to S.B. McIlroy and Linna Hooker McIlroy. He attended the Vaughan school and later Abbott since Vaughan did not have a high school. After graduating Abbott High School at the age of sixteen, he enrolled in the A&M College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). Mac had gone on several trips with his high school ag teacher, Mr. W.B. Shepard, to A&M and that was why he chose A&M. Mac lived in the Project Houses his freshman and sophomore years at A&M. The Project Houses were right at the south end of Kyle Field, so Mac got to watch a lot of the Aggies games and practices.

Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the Army Reserves. Based in part on his aptitude test score, the army selected Mac to be in the Army Specialized Training Program (“ASTP”). In the fall of 1943, at the beginning of his junior year at A&M, the army sent him to attend college at East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce along with other ASTP members. In the spring of 1944, the Army was in need of more infantry, so the ASTP program was largely discontinued and Mac was assigned to the 99th Infantry Division and basic training at Camp Maxey, Texas.

After completing basic training, he joined the rest of the division, serving in “F” company of the 393rd Infantry Regiment, initially as a private. They traveled first to England and then across the Channel to the front line on the border of Belgium and Germany in November 1944. He fought in the Battle of The Bulge, living out of a foxhole for about seventy-five days. He quickly rose through the ranks, attaining the rank of Sergeant. He was injured and removed from the battlefield in late January 1945, spending the rest of the war in hospitals. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

After being discharged in September 1945, he re-enrolled at A&M, earning both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Agricultural Education. Dr. Alexander wanted him to get a PhD at Purdue, but Mac was tired of school by that point.

He did his student teaching at Decatur, Texas, where he met his future wife, Margaret Virginia Thomas, who was the band director at Decatur High School. They were married on June 29, 1947 in Gainesville Texas. Shortly afterwards, they moved to Celina, Texas. Mac taught agriculture at Celina High School for several years. He then sold used cars and eventually went to work for Ken Massey Chevrolet, buying the dealership in 1957. He owned and operated the Chevy dealership for 44 years.

Mac and Virginia had one daughter, Mary Elizabeth, and three sons: James Thomas, John David, and Charles Robert. Mac was a wonderful father. He enjoyed spending time with his family, raising hogs and cattle, playing contract bridge, gardening, researching family history, watching Texas Aggies football, smoking cigars, and was very involved in the 99th Infantry Division Association, where he served in many capacities, including President of the association.

Mac was preceded in death by his parents, brother Ralph McIlroy, sister Barbara Harper, and son Jim. He is survived by three children: Mary Chesney and husband Ernest, of Prosper, Texas, John McIlroy and wife Laurie of Dallas, Texas, and Charles McIlroy and wife Stacey of Weatherford, Texas, ten grandchildren: Eric Birge, Sarah Birge, Adam Birge, Rachel Harlow, Jennifer Reynolds, Kimberly Milano, Jessica James, Amy McCandless, Abby Landry and Will McIlroy, and 24 great grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, October 26, 2024, at First United Methodist Church, 12465 FM 428, Celina, Texas, 75009. Interment will follow at Old Celina Cemetery in Celina. The family will receive friends during a visitation beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the church.