The Westphal’s first met Mac about 1988 in El Paso , Texas. This writer is Kim Westphal. Mac was the longest close friendship of my life. I still can’t believe he left so soon and so suddenly. I couldn’t remember his birthday. He said, “Kim, it’s easy. What month is July?   The date is the 7th. It is 7, 7. “ I said that I got it and would not forget next year. That 77 was the confirmation that he had passed. Also he talked about how he really liked Darrius Rucker from Hootie and the Blowfish. This year, I will be celebrating his life and his birthday at his gravesite on July 7th. You see we shared a lot of things including being Fellow Crabbies.  We both were born under the Cancer zodiac sign. We just had this bond that is difficult to explain. One time, Mac said to meet me at a local cafe in Chatfield, Mn. I said why? He said, trust me, just go there. I said, okay. I went there and I almost fainted away. There he was in the flesh and his towering presence had the whole town talking. Another time, he was going to get some spare keys and he wanted to know if I ‘d like to go together. We both climbed on our separate motorcycles and drove a short ways. All of a sudden, I went down as I was turning into the place. Dazed, I looked up at him. Mac started laughing and said, what yo doin down there. I said, well I ‘m not quite sure myself. One minute I was up and the next minute I was down. He extended his big hand and right my bike. Then he said, yeh, sand can be a bit tricky, doesn’t take much. I have to take a break, but I will share more stories about a great guy that I was blessed to know. 

Mac with Kristi and Troy Westphal. RIP Uncle Mac

Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen

Mac and I playing with snap! He hated pictures but I GOT HIM!!

CHARLES DARIUS MCCULLOUGH

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