Wilford Archibald 'Mac' McMillan

October 19, 1910 - January 7, 1973

 

Interment: Greenwood Cemetery, Brookings, SD

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Wilford A. ‘Mac’ McMillan was the first born child of Archibald A. and Edith (Keeling) McMillan in Vermillion, SD. Mac grew up in South Dakota and attended Brookings grade school, Madison High School and then moved to Texas to attend the Southwest Texas State Teacher’s College in San Marcos, Texas (he attended school alongside the future President Lyndon B. Johnson). He eventually moved back to South Dakota to work with his father at McMillan’s and the Brookings Music Company which specialized in jewelry and watch repair as well as musical instrument sales and repair. He married B. Lucille Engel on April 14, 1937 and his first daughter Joanne was born on April 19, 1938. Following Joanne were daughters Patricia (1941) and Mary Lou (1951).

Mac and Lucille started a local weekly circular called The Messenger which provided information on items for sale, rummage sales, local events and other advertising for the Brookings area. Through The Messenger, many young entrepreneurs started their employment careers by folding and delivering Messenger’s around Brookings. Mac was a member of the Brookings County Conservation League (where he served as president and secretary-treasurer) and was instrumental in the development of the Brookings Gun Club. He loved his family but he especially loved hunting.

Mac passed away on Sunday, February 7, 1973 at his home in Brookings.
(Survivors at the time of passing): Mac is survived by his wife, his father, three daughters, nine grandchildren, and one sister, Eleanor.
Preceding him in death were his grandparents, mother and brothers Robert and James Donald.