Robert Wallace McIlvain, III “Mac”
Captain Robert Wallace McIlvain III (Mac) was born on November 22, 1942 in Forth Worth, Texas, to the late Robert Wallace McIlvain Jr. and Mildred Diver McIlvain.Mac spent his childhood in Winnetka, Illinois, and attended The Hill School in Pennsylvania with his brother, Jim. In the summers, he loved fishing and archery at summer camp, riding their pony Junior at his grandparents’ farm, and running in his neighborhood. In high school, he was a decorated track and cross-country runner. In 1965, after Mac’s junior year of college at Yale University, he left to serve his country in the United States Marine Corps. He served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, and he was a recipient of the Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Medal. After returning home, he finished his degree at California State University at Fullerton while working as a flight instructor at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. Mac excelled as a medevac pilot, flying over 1000 hours in over 880 missions in his 13 months in Vietnam, and more than 2100 hours total in his five and a half years of service. When he closed his chapter with the Marine Corps, he moved back to his favorite state – Texas.
Once back in Texas, Mac went into data processing and worked at EDS and then Sun Oil Company, where he met Kimball Draper. They married on May 24, 1986. Soon after, he took a job with ARCO Alaska Inc. in Anchorage, Alaska, commuting between Texas and Alaska for a year. In 1987, they moved to Anchorage, where they lived for 25 years. Some of his favorite parts of living in Alaska were the impressive scenery, hiking the Matanuska Glacier, snowmachining in fresh powdery snow, mountain biking the Coastal Trail, and always supporting his girls with their horseback riding, soccer, and basketball. He was always there for every game and horse show. After their youngest daughter left for college, Mac and Kimball returned in 2011 to make Prosper, Texas their home. He enjoyed the flexibility in the Lower 48 to travel by car to visit family and friends from coast to coast and in and around Texas. A real treat was being able to hop in the car to visit his daughter and son-in-law the day after the birth of his twin grandchildren in Austin. After 40 years, Mac reunited with his HMM-163 squadron members in 2012 at a Marine Corps reunion in Florida and continued doing so at various locations through 2019. A favorite trip for Mac was to attend the Draper family reunions at Topsail Beach in North Carolina, which he did for six years from 2014 – 2019. A few overseas trips he thoroughly enjoyed were to Israel with friends, to New Zealand and Bali with family, and to Turks and Caicos for a family wedding.
In Anchorage, Mac was a member and elder of the First Presbyterian Church. After moving to Texas, he became a member of Christ Community Church in Frisco, Texas, and met with a small community group for Bible studies and fellowship. After his health declined and they moved to Anna, Texas, he took advantage of being able to watch church services online. He enjoyed watching sermons from several churches throughout the week.
Mac fiercely loved his family. He was full of love and laughter and had a kind and welcoming spirit for all those he met throughout the years. Mac never met a stranger. Everywhere he went, he made friends. His family and friends will miss him dearly. Kimball and the family have peace in knowing he is with the Lord now.
Mac was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, James Elkins McIlvain. Mac will be greatly missed by his wife of 38 years, Kimball Draper McIlvain; three daughters, Ashley McIlvain Moran, Whitney Wallace McIlvain, and Lindsay Kimball Hauk; two sons-in-law Sean Moran and Clayton Hauk; grandchildren Rhea, Reed, and Nino Moran, and Quinn, Landry, and Channing Hauk; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Scoggins Funeral Home Chapel, 637 W. Van Alstyne Pkwy, Van Alstyne, Texas on Sunday, June 9th from 2:00 – 4:00pm. A Celebration of Life will be held at Scoggins Funeral Home Chapel on Monday, June 10th at 10:30am, officiated by Pastor Patrick Poteet of Christ Community Church. Mac will be buried at Cottage Hill Cemetery in Celina, Texas.