Dequindre McGlaun

Dequindre McGlaun, 99, WWII Veteran and retired Columbus Jr High School Industrial Arts/Science teacher passed away Wednesday June 6, 2018 at his home in Junction City, GA.

A military funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM at Union United Methodist Church (141 Union Church Road, Butler, GA, 31006) on Friday, June 8, 2018. Visitation will be from 2:00-2:30 PM in the church preceding the service.

A celebration of his life will be conducted by The Reverend Jeremy Alexander. Musicians are Thomas P. Callier, III and Jennifer Duncan.

Pallbearers will be Dr. Samuel Albert Caves, Dr. David Leonard Johnson, Kevin Clayton Meeler, Clinton Benjamin Patton, Guy Kenimer Jr., George R. McGlaun, Jr. and Charles McGlaun, Dr. Darcy R. Leerssen, Glenn Lamar Caves, Sr., and Frank Lee Means, Jr.

Interment will be at Historic Union /Hays Campground Cemetery near the church.

Dequindre McGlaun, the youngest of 12 children of Charles Hayes McGlaun and Lula Clyde Bagley McGlaun, was born January 5, 1919 in a farmhouse in the Liberty Hill Community of Chattahoochee, County, Georgia. He attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse near his beloved Liberty Hill Methodist Church.

In 1936 he graduated from Cusseta High School where he played basketball.

McGlaun hitched-hiked to Berry College in Rome where he worked various jobs to pay his tuition. At Berry he played Varsity Basketball and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Arts in the class of 1940. After WWII he earned a Master of Education from the University of Georgia (1950). He was a member of Union United Methodist Church, Butler, Georgia.

Following graduation from Berry College, McGlaun enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps.

He had a distinguished career as a Bombardier in the 94th Bomb Group, 333rd Squadron, Eighth Air Force during World War II. He was based at Rougham Airfield, Bury Saint Edmunds, England.

He was a lead Bombardier in the B17 Flying Fortress, “Shakeroo”. He survived being shot down in the North Sea returning from a successful mission to Kiel, Germany June 13, 1943. He completed his 25 combat missions in “Shackeroo II” January 1944. The rest of World War II he served as a Squadron Bombardier-Navigator instructor in Texas. September 1945 he returned to civilian life, but remained in the Air Force Reserves where he attained the rank of Major. Awards earned during the war included the Purple Heart, four Air Medals, two distinguished Flying Crosses and two Presidential-Group Unit Citations (for Regensburg 17 August 1943 and Brunswick, 11 January 1944).

In 1947 Dequindre began his teaching career at Jordan Vocational High School in Columbus Georgia where he taught Industrial Arts and drove the buses for the athletic teams. In 1948 he became head of the Industrial Arts Department at Columbus Junior High School where he also taught science, coached football, basketball, and softball for 30 years. When that school closed in 1978 he opened the Industrial Arts program at Fort Middle School before his retirement in 1979. The Georgia and Muscogee County Retired Teachers Associations honored Dequindre McGlaun with an Emeritus Membership for his continued loyal membership until the age of 90.

Dequindre enjoyed raising cattle, growing timber, fishing and hunting on his farm in Taylor County, Georgia. At his home in Junction City he often welcomed students to his personal “WWII Museum” to share his story and memorabilia for their school projects. Numerous archivists to include those from the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, the Library of Congress and Witness to War/Preserving the Oral Histories of Combat Veterans visited to video his amazing war story. He was a life member of the 94th Bomb Group Memorial Association, a life member of the Rougham Tower Association in Bury St. Edmunds, England, a charter member of The American Air Museum in Duxford, England, a charter member of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans and a charter member of The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum and Historical Society in Savannah. All who knew him agree he was truly an American hero.

Dequindre McGlaun was predeceased by his parents, 11 siblings, his wife of 58 years, Marie Jarrell McGlaun, and his second wife, Kathryn Ayers McGlaun. He is survived by his daughter, Jan McGlaun Caves and son, Jack Jarrell McGlaun, and his wife, Diane Hill McGlaun, all from the Jarrell Community in Taylor County, Georgia. His four grandchildren include: Samuel Albert Caves, DMD, (Michelle) Columbus, Georgia; Jill McGlaun Meeler (Kevin) Madison, Georgia; Quin Caves Johnson (David) Lexington, South Carolina; and Susan McGlaun Patton (Clint) Griffin, Georgia. His nine great-grandchildren are Samuel Albert Caves, Jr (Bo), Thomas William Caves, Tyler David Johnson, Lindsay Cathryn Johnson, Lucile Marie Johnson (Lucy), William Cannon Meeler (Will), Chapel Caroline Meeler, Camille Cathryn Patton, and Caroline Cate Patton.

His is also survived by step-daughter, Janis Courson (Russell), Monticello, Florida and her daughter Beth Williams (Joe), Tallahassee, Florida plus numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

The family of Dequindre McGlaun is grateful for his loving caregivers: Caren Holden, Teresa and Ernest Smith.

Memorials may be made to Union United Methodist Church, c/o Mrs. Stacy Jarrell, 129 West Old Wire Road, Butler, GA 31006.

McLeighton Funeral Service of Butler is in charge of arrangements.

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