JAMES MICHAEL MCBEE

James Michael “Mac” McBee of Mondovi, WI, died peacefully at home on September 7, 2022. He was born in Oklahoma City, OK, on December 30, 1941 to parents Samuel “Jack” and Hester (nee Neal) McBee, joining older sister, Roberta. When their parents divorced, their mother married Regis Cormack Seuferer and the family moved to Wittenberg, WI, where they farmed and were later joined by younger brother Regis in 1945, who sadly passed away at the age of four.

Mac joined the United States Marine Corps in January of 1960 after turning 18 and was a member of the Marine Corps Rifle Team before heading to Singapore for three years of US Embassy Duty. He then enlisted in the Army, joining his beloved 1^st/14^th Infantry Regiment “Golden Dragons” of the 25^th Infantry Division based at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, serving his country in uniform for more than 22 years until his retirement in 1982, and after having achieved a field commission of Captain. Mac served five full tours in Vietnam from 1965 to 1971, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, and Silver Star, to name a few. He has been a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), VFW, American Legion, Military Order of Purple Heart (MOPH), and Disabled American Veterans (DAV); specifically local chapters of the Mike Voth Memorial Chapter #5 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, VFW Post 7232, American Legion Post 459, Chippewa Valley Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 550, and Chippewa Valley #21 DAV.

In his retirement years he obtained great joy in helping humane associations with transporting animals, specifically while listening to his much loved bag pipe music.

He is survived by his wife, Julia, and children (be they biological, adopted or step children, they were all loved the same) Michele McBee of the Netherlands; Kristina McBee of Independence, MO; Jamie (John) Hawkins of Astatula, FL; Kathy Sue Patton of Lequire, OK; Robert Patton, Jr. of Ponca City, OK; KellieAnn (Ted) Henley of Vashon, WA; Brian (Amanda) Glodek of Greeley, CO; Nickolaus (the late Ida) Kort of Morrice, MI; along with 18 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. He is further survived by Julia’s mother, Iris Baudendistel (nee Burlingame) of Mondovi, WI, and his sister, Roberta (the late Sherman) Cornell of Glen Ellyn, IL, his nephews Brian and Scott, niece Colleen, and their families.

Mac is preceded in death by his father, Jack McBee, mom and dad, Hester and Regis Seuferer, and younger brother, Regis Neal Seuferer.

Internment with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, at a later date and time. Local memorial service will be held at Talbot Family Funeral Homes, Mondovi, on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. with a memorial gathering prior from 3-5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name, Capt. James M. McBee USA (Ret), to the Chippewa Valley Veterans Memorial Park, Altoona, WI (chippewavalleyveterans.org) or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, In Memory Program, Arlington, VA (vvmf.org), or a local humane association.