Obituary of Richard A. McChesney

RICHARD A. MCCHESNEY PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR Richard “Mac” McChesney passed away April 2, 2011 in the home he designed and built for his family in 1955 in Auburn. A man of tremendous energy and work ethic, Mac was born May 31, 1922 in Auburn to Richard D. and Clara Gaultier McChesney. During his childhood during the Depression he lived in Seattle and Auburn and worked as a laborer on farms in the Valley. He was a member of the Drum and Bugle Corps before entering the US Army Air Corps at age 17 where he was working as a switchboard operator at Schofield Barracks, Honolulu during the attack on December 7, 1941. He completed his service in Hawaii, San Francisco and at Ft. Lewis, Washington. After returning from the war he graduated from Auburn High School, worked as a station clerk for the Northern Pacific Railroad and owned a radio and television repair business. A self-taught electronics engineer, Mac went to work for the Federal Aviation Administration at Fairchild AFB in Spokane in 1962 and in 1964 transferred to the Air Radar Traffic Control Center in Auburn where he worked as an electronics technician for twenty-two years. Mac was a life-long patriot and he belonged, at various times, to the Auburn Elks, Auburn Eagles, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was particularly proud of the US flag that stood in front of his home which he lowered to half-mast when the first soldier died in the Iraq conflict. He made certain that his flag was at half-mast each day a US soldier died around the world in the hope that others would recognize the tragic consequences of war. Mac’s survivors include Louisa Bono McChesney, his wife of 61 years, son Richard G. (Jaclyn) and daughter Kathleen (James Sheehan), grand and great-grand children Sondra McChesney Shaw (Michael), Malia Shaw, Randy Saso Shaw, Carrie Christianson and Alex Hoffman; as well as the many men and women who also considered Mac their “dad” and role model. The family would like to thank the cardiac nurses of the Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Seattle, the physical therapists of Canterbury House, Auburn and the Multi-Care Good Samaritan Home Health and Hospice teams for their professional assistance and support. Viewing for this man known for his kindness, humor and love will be held at Klontz Funeral Home, 410 Auburn Way N., Auburn from 4 – 7 pm, Wednesday, April 6th. Friends are also invited to continue Mac’s joy of life on Saturday, April 9th, from 1- 4 pm at the home of Richard G. and Jaclyn McChesney, Buckley, Washington. Funeral services will be private. Donations in Mac’s name may be made to the Disabled Veterans or favorite charity.