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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