Robert Burl McMahan

Sergeant First Class Robert Burl McMahan, USA, Ret., 82, passed away on September 18, 2017, at the North Carolina State Veterans Nursing Home in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was born on June 26, 1935, in Spruce Pine, North Carolina to Robert Henry McMahan and Mary Jane (Murphy) McMahan. After completing his high school attendance, he worked with his father on demolition work in West Virginia before joining the United States Army. 

During his time in military service, he served at various duty stations around the world. These included the Hercules Nike Missile Sites in Tully, Greenland, Operating a Staff Sedan in Norfolk, Virginia, served with NATO at SHAPE Headquarters in Paris, France, two combat tours in Vietnam, and one final overseas tour in Korea before returning home to Fayetteville and retiring after twenty years of honorable and faithful service to a country he loved very much as a Sergeant First Class.

After retiring from the Armed Forces, he and his wife, Janelle McMahan became self-employed small business owners of the Ponderosa Amaco on Yadkin Road which included a wrecker service. When the service station became self-serve, they condensed their business into Centennial Towing until they retired together from business in 2008. 

Robert is survived by his wife of 59 years, Janelle McMahan. His son, Robert Vaughn McMahan, and his grandson, Brandyn McMahan who both also followed in his footsteps and served in the Armed Forces. He was also the youngest of four brothers, Ted, Roy, and Paul, whom also all served in World War II. He also had a sister, Lillian Spark. Additionally, he is survived by three nieces and three nephews.  

A memorial service with full military honors will be conducted at Unity Chapel at Cliffdale located at 1037 71st School Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina at 10:00 A.M.

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