- Date Of Birth: May 23, 1925
- Date Of Death: October 21, 2022
- State: Texas
Donald Garrett “Mac” McWilliams died at his Fair Oaks Ranch home surrounded by family on October 21, 2022. Mac was 97 and was born in Ballinger, Texas on May 23, 1925. His father, Richmond Earl McWilliams, served as sheriff of Runnels County and later as a Texas Ranger. His mother, Ella Mae Woods, was a great grandniece of Robert E Lee as well as a descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence. He had four brothers and five sisters. Five of the ten children served in WWII; one was killed in Italy and two earned Silver Stars.
He authored books about his time in the Marine Corps (Never Too Old to Cry), a story of life after war (Courage of a Small Town Son) and a history of his family (If It Had Only Rained). Growing up during the Great Depression he valued family, honesty, and integrity above all.
All of his siblings preceded him in death. He is survived by wife Maggie, son and daughter-in-law Gary and Jeri McWilliams of Fair Oaks, daughter Connie Jones of Pflugerville, and daughter and son-in-law Cindy and Ben Walthall of Austin. Life blessed him with eight grandchildren (Patrick McWilliams, Scott & wife Lupita McWilliams, Matthew & wife Minna McWilliams, Joshua McWilliams, Jennifer & husband Scott Kulle, Christina Jones, David & wife Johanna Walthall and Alexa Walthall). He was doubly blessed with ten great grandchildren (Devin, Grayson, Mark and Miles McWilliams, Alex and Will Kulle, Katie and Sam Walthall, and Lily and Rylie Walthall).
