George Mackey

George Mackey was not someone consumed by material gains in life, but by the satisfaction of putting his family first and doing the best job he could with whatever task was at hand. He worked hard all his life, and used what he learned to provide for his family. George proudly served his country as a soldier during World War II, and was a respected businessman in his community, but most importantly, he was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather to his family.

The year was 1923 and America was in the midst of great change. The cities thrived with the booming sounds of industry, as the fires of World War I smoldered in the east. Not everyone in America took part in the industrial revolution though many tended farms and avoided the hectic pace of manufacturing in favor of the small town life. This was the life of Capers Samuel Mackey and his wife, Ellen Frances (Gordon), of Waxhaw, North Carolina . They were cotton farmers in Jackson Township and on February 28, 1923, they were not tending the fields, instead they were welcoming their newborn son, George, into their hearts and home.

The second oldest of eight children, George started life in a three-room farmhouse typical of small cotton farmers in North Carolina, where the greatest asset was the rich, red soil. Toiling in the fields from dawn to dusk created a work ethic to last a lifetime. He attended the same school all his life. When quite young, he talked about walking the half-mile to the bus stop on frosty mornings in short pants and often stopping in at a neighbors to get warm. A good student, George took great pride in his academics and especially excelled in English, winning several spelling bee contests. His teacher rewarded him for his outstanding schoolwork by giving him a jack knife when he was eight. Sadly, George's mother died when he was only sixteen, a true tragedy for the entire family.

George never relished the rear end of a mule as a farmer, since tractors were out of the ordinary for farmers to own. After working for his uncle with wood pulp for a while, he then went to work in the cotton mill for 35 cents an hour. That was where he was working in 1942 when the idea to join the U.S. Navy grabbed him. His enlistment, however, was short lived because of his color blindness. So, after getting off the Navy bus, George went right to the draft office of the U.S. Army and signed up. He was finally drafted in January 1943, much to his father's dismay since he had served in World War I and didn't want that for his son. The Army, in fact, held maneuvers on their family's farm, which always interested George.

George proudly served his country for 4 years, 6 months and 13 days, an honorable duty he was extremely proud to fulfill. He had trained for over a year with the 661st Tank Destroyer Battalion when his unit went overseas they were attached to the 69th Infantry Division where they fought in the Battle of the Bulge in the European Theatre. George even saw General Patton once during his time in service. When the war was over in Europe, George was to be deployed to the Pacific, but he suffered damage to his right hand and was sent to Percy Jones Hospital at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan . It was here he met a lovely young lady named Marie Pierce and she was smitten with him from the very beginning. George was determined to win her heart and found her one evening at a Saturday night dance and asked her out to the movies in Kalamazoo . After only 69 days of dating, the couple was happily married in the Fort Custer Chapel on August 9, 1946. A year later, George was honorably discharged from the Army on July 27, 1947.

As therapy, George was working at Bryant Mill of Allied Paper Co. With a starting wage of 95 cents, he elected to stay in Michigan where the wages were higher and there was lots of job potential. He and Marie had four children: Nena, George, Charlie and Arnold, and George wanted nothing more than to provide for his family. He spent 5 years at the paper mill, 5 years driving a truck for a concrete pipe company and over 17 years working at Miller Lumber Co., where he broke his back falling off the building in 1970. George's true talents and masterful skills, however, were in auto mechanics and he would work an additional 40 hours a week on the side in his garage. George was one of those magic souls with a sense of smell for what goes on with a car and people came from all over seeking his mechanical knowledge. In 1951, George saw an ad for a course at Western Michigan College on automatic transmissions and after earning his certification this became his specialty.

Throughout his life, George understood the value of hard work and was an excellent provider and supporter for his family. Although he wasn't much of a sports fan, George was always there to support his children in their every endeavor, sports or otherwise. He enjoyed taking his family on travels that included educational destinations such as the Smithsonian Museum , Mount Rushmore , and Presidential Libraries. He never hired out work he could do himself and together, he and his family built their home from the ground up. It was important to George to never owe anyone and that his children didn't wear shabby clothes. When it came to relaxing, George enjoyed tending his thriving garden or taking walks in the woods behind his house. He loved the great outdoors, especially watching birds. George also loved airplanes and the idea of flying. He spent many hours at aviation museums and airports. He and Marie liked to watch racing together on television, when the mood struck him, though he was sure to never miss the news.

George's hard work provided him with a full and happy life. His family will always remember his generous spirit, his strength of mind and his deep commitment to his family. He will be greatly missed.

George Mackey, age 82, died after a short illness at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Battle Creek on October 26, 2005. His family includes his wife, Marie; daughter, Nena of Portage; sons: George of Illinois, Charlie of Portage and Arnold of Battle Creek; granddaughters: Jaime (Ken) Mills presently in Canada and Pamela (Chip) Maikoski of Land O'Lakes, Florida; grandsons: Kyle Mackey Coffinger of Scotts; great granddaughters, Kerri & Kayla Maikoski; and extended family, Ben Kiel of Portage; sisters Grace (Frank) Cauthen of Lancaster, South Carolina, Myrtle Ellen Franklin of Shelby, North Carolina, brother Grady (Gladys) Mackey of Rockhill South Carolina, stepmother, Mary Lee Mackey of Rt. 2 Waxhaw, North Carolina; and sister-in-law, Mary Morris of Weddington, NC. George was preceded in death by his sister, Eva Hancock of Lesslie, South Carolina, half sister, Sarah Eubanks of Waxhaw, North Carolina, brothers: C. Ray Mackey, Erskine, Huxley, and half brothers, Howard and Bobby, all of North Carolina and several nieces and nephews.

Learn more about George and visit with his family on Tuesday, November 1, from 10-11 a.m. at the RDMG Life Story Funeral Home, Portage Chapel, where his service will be held following at 11 a.m., officiated by Pastor Tom Ballard. George will be interred beside other brave soldiers at Fort Custer National Cemetery , where the mournful sound of taps will be sounded once more as our WWII soldiers leave us. Please visit George's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may archive a favorite memory, order flowers or make a memorial contribution to either the Ministry for Community or Loaves & Fishes.