Robert Lee Mcgee

Col. Robert Lee McGee, D.D.S., US Army (Ret.), passed away peacefully at home, October 13, 2021, in Arlington, TX. A visitation will be held at 10 am on Thursday, October 28, 2021 at Wade Family Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 11 am at the funeral home. Burial services with military honors will be held at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery on Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 1:15 pm. He was born in Amarillo, TX, August 29, 1930, to the late Anna Leigh Baird McGee and Robert Donald McGee, Lt. Colonel USA. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Robert David McGee, his wife of 51 years, Donna McCormick McGee, his stepdaughter, Deanna Eddy, and his only sister, Mary Ann McGee Wuest. Robert, aka, Bob, Bobby McGee, Poppy, and Grandpie Bob, grew up in the Amarillo, TX area and on his maternal grandparent's ranch in Channing, TX and Clovis, NM. While his father was serving in WWII, Robert attended Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, MO. He graduated from Clovis High School. He received a BA from New Mexico Military Institute C/CPT 1953 SCG CDRBCO. He was immediately commissioned to the US Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, 82nd Airborne to Fort Bragg, NC. After fulfilling his commission, he attended and graduated from Baylor Dental school in Dallas, TX and the Oral Surgery Residency program at John Peter-Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, TX. Dr. McGee was Oral Surgeon in Private Practice in Albuquerque, NM and Clovis, NM. He re-enlisted in the US Army Reserves and served as Commander of the 907th US ARMY Medical Detachment and served as Oral Surgeon with the 2291st US Army Hospital and retiring as Colonel in 1999. He enjoyed his one weekend a month doing army drills and two weeks of every summer in M.A.S.H. tents and dental clinics, performing oral surgery and dentistry, and training missions, in the United States and in Panama, Bolivia, and Honduras. Dr. McGee had a heart for the people of the Native American Nations. He was proud to be instrumental to convince the U.S. Army, the need to care for our own U.S. Citizens and he conceived and developed the operation to provide dental care to civilians on the Navajo Indian Reservation, providing realistic mission-oriented training and participating in the field exercises, establishing the 907th Medical Detachment Dental Clinic on the Navajo Indian Reservation. The last 10 plus of his Army career, his two weeks in the summer were spent treating and operating on the people on the Navajo Reservation in a field environment in the Four Corners area of the U. S. While practicing in Clovis, NM, he volunteered his services to care for the dental needs of the children at New Mexico Christian Children's Home. In addition to his busy dental practice and military service, Dr. McGee, along with his mother, opened Holiday International Travel Agency in Clovis, NM, which his mother continued to operate until her death in 1999. Dr. McGee sold his private practice in 1974 and joined the Veterans Administration Hospitals as Chief of Dental Surgery; opening dental clinics in the VA Hospitals in Wilkes Barre, PA, North Chicago, IL and finally, Amarillo, and Lubbock, TX, where he retired in 2001. He was an active member of Rotary, Sons of the American Revolution, Optimist Club, Toastmasters, and a graduate of Dale Carnegie and Pathways. Dr. McGee volunteered for many community services; one of his favorite and most rewarding, was reading to elementary school age children once a week. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, jogging, and snow skiing. After retirement, Dr. McGee and his wife, Donna, moved to the DFW area in 2003 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. He gave his children and stepchildren the real “Family Vacation”, choosing to drive to California most every summer, stopping to read the Historic Markers along the way. And, ALWAYS, stopping at the Grand Canyon, to look over the rim at “God's Majesty.” Reminding them, we serve an Awesome God. He was a Christian and Patriot. He made sure his children learned our country's history and they understood the sacrifices that were made and the price that was paid, for theirs' and our country's freedom. He loved traveling in the U.S. and out of the Country. Later in life, he loved to cruise to exotic places with his wife and several couple friends. Dr. McGee was known for his wonderful wit and sense of humor. Some of his favorite quotes were, “The Lord's in Charge; I am an old paratrooper, I know how to fall without getting hurt; Refuse to become involved in the insanity of others; Be thankful, don't complain; God Bless America!” He is survived by his three children, Michelle McGee Perry, Michael James McGee, and Christopher Lee McGee (Tina); grandchildren, Robert Benjamin Perry (Lauren), Robert Connor McGee, Kayla Christina McGee, and Logan Christopher McGee. His stepchildren, Danny Eddy (Debbie), Dana Eddy Martinez, four step grandchildren, and 5 step great-grandchildren, many nephews, cousins, and friends. A special thanks to Encompass Hospice and his wonderful caregivers, Patricia Hobbs, Dana Lincoln, Barbie Gonzales, Nelly Tucker, and Maria Garay. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to New Mexico Christian Children's Home, 1356 NM 236, Portales, NM 88130 or the charity of your choice. Wade Family Funeral Home (817) 274-9233