MACWILLIE STEPHEN S

COL Stephen S. MacWillie was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 04/07/2006 at the age of 65.3 from Brain cancer
Enterprise, AL
Flight Class 66-16
Date of Birth 12/23/1940
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 229 AVN 1 CAV in 66-67, OH-58 NETT in 69, 5 AVN DET in 70-71
This information was provided by Skip Fritz, Mike Sloniker

More detail on this person: Hemorrhaged during brain biopsy surgery. Brain cancer.It is with heavy heart that I inform you that Steve MacWillie has passed. He died at 0658 this morning. He went into a brain biopsy surgery yesterday morning to determine the type of brain tumor he had. He hemorrhaged during surgery and slipped into a deep coma. The tumor was in fact malignant and fast spreading. Steve's family was at his bedside when he very peacefully left us.

Details on a Memorial service at Ft Rucker will be forthcoming. However, tentative plans are for Friday morning, April 14th at the Aviation Museum.

From: Skip Fritz

Col. (Ret) Stephen Saxton MacWillie died at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham on Saturday, April 8, 2006.

A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday, April 14, at the Army Aviation Museum, Fort Rucker.

In lieu of floral arrangements, the family request donations to the Stephen S. MacWillie Memorial Fund, PO Box 310043, Enterprise, AL 36331-0443, to aid and benefit cancer research.

Stephen was born in New York City on Dec. 23, 1940, to Donald M. MacWillie and Virginia Saxton MacWillie. His early years were spent as a military dependent and he developed a global view of the world early in life. Stephen graduated from Immaculata High School in Leavenworth, Kan., and attended Norwich University. Steve joined the U.S. Army in 1964 and was commissioned 2nd lieutenant in the Field Artillery in 1965. Steve started Army flight training at Fort Walters, Texas, and received his Army Aviator wings at Fort Rucker in 1966. Steve served his first tour of duty in Vietnam in 1967 with the 229th Aviation Battalion, 1st Cav Division. While serving his second tour in the Republic of South Vietnam, CPT MacWillie was the Chief, New Equipment Training Team for the introduction of the OH-58 Kiowa into the aviation fleet as the new scout helicopter. Steve graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1974. Steve and the former Phyllis Ann Fraker of Missouri were married in 1972. Steve had subsequent career building assignments and as the Chief of the Concepts and Studies Branch at Fort Rucker, he led the Army's Light Helicopter Program (LHX) initial determination of requirements. After graduation from the U.S. Army War College in 1988, Steve and Phyllis returned to Fort Rucker where he had assignments at the TRADOC System Manager for Comanche, and finally as the director of Combat Developments. Steve retired from active duty in 1993 and continued his life-long support and involvement in Army Aviation as a supporting contractor. Throughout his life and career, Steve was a tremendously knowledgeable mentor and friend to innumerable people. Steve was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Enterprise. He was a life member of the Army Aviation Association of America, the Retired Officer Association, Viet Nam Helicopter Pilots Association, Association of the United States Army, and the American Helicopter Society.

Steve is preceded in death by his parents, Col. (Ret) and Mrs. Donald M. MacWillie, and his sister, Bonnie Brandolino.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis of Enterprise; and his daughter, Virginia-Ann Saxton MacWillie (Ginny), of Arcata, Calif.; his sister, Nanci M. George of Albuquerque, N.M.; brother LTC (Ret) Donald M. MacWillie Jr. of Killeen, Texas; and a special nephew, Col. Donald M. MacWillie III, commander of the 4th AVN Brigade, currently serving in Iraq, and his wife, Sherry of Fort Hood, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews in Texas, New Mexico and Missouri.

Searcy Funeral Home in Enterprise, (334) 347-2517, is in charge of arrangements. Sign the guestbook online at www.dothaneagle.com.

Published in the Dothan Eagle from 4/9/2006 - 4/11/2006.

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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