Henry Rather Mccrary, Jr.

Henry McCrary, age 80, of Waco, passed away Friday, Mar. 11, 2005, at a local nursing home. Services will be held at 1:30pm Monday, Mar. 14 at Waco Memorial Mausoleum Chapel, with the Rev. Bert Mercer officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial North. Visitation with the family will be from 6-8pm Sunday, Mar. 13 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Mr. McCrary was born December 6, 1924 in Paris, Texas, and grew up in and around the Dallas area. After graduating from Rockwall High School, he attended North Texas State Teacher’s College at Denton for one semester and then enlisted in the United States Navy. As a dive bomber crewman, he participated in island invasions, including Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was a member of Brookview Church of Christ. After separating from the Navy in 1946, Mr. McCrary returned to school at North Texas. In 1948, he began his 38-year career as a Texas Highway Patrolman for the Texas Department of Public Safety. During his career, he served both Bell and McLennan Counties, retiring in 1986. Upon retirement, he was commissioned Special Texas Ranger by the State of Texas. Also during his career, he met and married Joyce Pauline Rae in Temple in 1953. She was a great support to him during his career. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joyce; son, Michael Rae McCrary, of Waco; daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Clent LaGrone, of Austin; brother and sister-in-law, Edwin Doyle and Bettye McCrary, of Georgetown; grandchildren, Derick Morris, who followed in his grandfather’s footsteps, joined the Navy, and is stationed at Bremerton Naval Base, Washington, and Meredith Rae LaGrone, of Kingsville; step-grandchildren, Allison LaGrone, Andrew LaGrone, and Alicia Dean; great-grandchild, Mitchell Vazquez; nephews, Guy McCrary and Bruce McCrary; and several cousins. The family would like to express their most sincere thanks to Lottie McDaniel, who cared for Henry with such devotion during this last time of illness. The family would also like to express their gratitude to the staff of Friends for Life, the nurses on 3 North of Providence Hospital, the staff of St. Catherine’s, and Dr. William Coleman. Pallbearers will be the Texas Department of Public Safety Honor Guard. Honorary pallbearers will be the retired Texas Department of Public Safety Officers. Memorials may be made to Fuzzy Friends, 6321 Airport Dr., Waco, TX, 76708, or the Texas Department of Public Safety Historical Museum and Research Center, P. O. Box 141603, Austin, TX, 78714-1603. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY