Cover photo for JD McGuyer's Obituary
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JD McGuyer

February 11, 1918 — May 30, 2016

JD McGuyer

J D (Mac) McGuyer, of Commerce, Texas, joined his family in Christ on 30 May, 2016. J D was born on 11 February 1918 in Charleston, Texas, to Benjamin and Florence McGuyer. He grew up on the family farm in Charleston and attended school there through the eighth grade. He attended Cooper High School and earned his high school diploma in 1937. He then attended barber school and started his barber career in Jacksonville, Texas. In May, 1941, he was drafted into the U. S. Army prior to the start of WWII, and completed his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. He was boarding a naval ship in San Francisco with the intention of being shipped to the Philippines when Pearl Harbor was attacked on 7 December 1941. His Army battalion was redirected, and he was on one of the first ships from the mainland to arrive at Pearl Harbor. He spent the next year and a half helping to rebuild Pearl Harbor, and served as an Army barber after duty hours each night. When the Pacific offensive began, he and his Company “A” 47th Engineer Construction battalion were attached to a Marine unit as they began island “hopping” across the Pacific Ocean. He always considered himself very lucky to have survived the battles that ensued on Kwajalein, Eniwetok and Saipan. He was finally on Okinawa when WWII was ended. Military decorations and citations included “The Army Meritorious Unit Award, American Defense Service Metal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal, 1 Service Stripe and 7 Overseas Service Bars”. He was honorably discharged and returned to Texas after WWII ended.

On 6 November 1945; he married Dorothy Hendley in Oak Cliff, Texas. He worked as a barber in Oak Cliff, Texas. To help with the illness of a relative, they moved to Canyon, Texas for a year, and returned to the Paris, Texas and Dallas area afterward. In 1954, they moved to Commerce, Texas where he soon became the owner of the West Side Barber Shop in downtown Commerce. He worked there until his retirement in 1997 at age 79. During those years at the West Side Barber Shop, the barber chairs became a far-reaching source of local and national information, dubious tales of fishing excursions and the “occasional” telling of jokes of all kinds. It was during this time that he became known in Commerce as simply “Mac”. He was an avid fan and supporter of local athletics and music programs, but more importantly, he was a follower of Christ at the First United Methodist Church in Commerce. He helped to raise three sons in Commerce, and later treasured the company of numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. On the day of his retirement on 18 December 1997, the mayor of Commerce declared it to be “Mac” McGuyer Day, and he was “given the keys to the city” for the day. Early in his retirement, he enjoyed traveling throughout the United States. Later in his retirement, he enjoyed the company of numerous local friends at breakfast meetings in town, and especially enjoyed the overwhelming support and friendship of Bob and Norma Monday of Commerce.

Mac was a lifelong conservative and lived his life demonstrating traditional common-sense principles.

He is survived by his dear friend of 40 years, Dr. Margaret Steigman of Tyler, Texas. He is survived by his son Monty McGuyer and wife Lisa, of Campbell, Texas; and son Shawn McGuyer of Alpine, Texas, daughter-in-law Kathryn McGuyer of McKinney, Texas, grandchildren: Angela McGuyer of Granbury, Laurie Lively and husband Steven of Stephenville, Julie Blackburn and husband Mark of Stephenville, Lisa McGuyer of Dallas, Kristan McGuyer of Forney, Lance McGuyer, Josh McGuyer and Emily McGuyer of Campbell, Texas; great-grandchildren Erin McGuyer-Huffman and Robyn Huffman of Granbury, Luke Blackburn, Abbey Blackburn, Macie Lively and Bryson Lively of Stephenville, Texas.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Florence McGuyer and father, Benjamin McGuyer, wife Dorothy McGuyer, son Jeffrey McGuyer, and grandchild Preston McGuyer.

Services will be Saturday, June 4, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. in the Jones-Walker & Son Chapel with Bro. Terry Bryan officiating.

Visitation will be held Friday June 3, 2016 6:00-8:00 P.M. at the funeral home.

Interment with military honors will be held at Rosemound Cemetery following the service.

Pallbearers for Mac will be Mark Blackburn, Steven Lively, Lance McGuyer, Josh McGuyer, Pat Steigman and Don Talley.

Honorary pallbearers will be Margaret Steigman, Bob Monday, Norma Monday, Artie Hass and Dr. Thomas Selvaggi.

Interment service follows funeral service.


SERVICES
Visitation

Friday, June 03, 2016
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Jones-Walker & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Service
1209 Live Oak Street
Commerce, Texas 75428

Funeral Service

Saturday, June 04, 2016
11:00 AM

Jones-Walker & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Service
1209 Live Oak Street
Commerce, Texas 75428

Interment Services with Military Honors

Saturday, June 04, 2016
12:00 PM

Rosemound Cemetery
688 Sycamore Street
Commerce, Texas 75428

Interment service follows funeral service.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of JD McGuyer, please visit our flower store.

Past Services

Visitation

Thursday, December 3, 2015

2:00 - 3:00 pm (Central time)

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Funeral Service

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Starts at 3:00 pm (Central time)

Citty Funeral Home Chapel

308 Lindsey St, Reidsville, NC 27320

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