Robert McHaney

Robert L. "Bob" McHaney Jr. passed away June 17, 2012 at Regent care Center in TX from cancer. Services will be 11 Am Friday at First Baptist Church with Rev. Dale Funderburg officiating. The body will lie in state from 10 AM to service time at the church. He was born in Arkansas to Robert L. and Martha P. McHaney and moved to West Point at an early age with his parents. He graduated from West Point High School in 1958 where he participated in football and track and was selected to attend Boys State. He attended Mississippi State University where he received his B.A. degree and simultaneously was commissioned as a Second Lt. in the U.S. Air Force. He received an educational delay in reporting to active duty pending his graduation from the University of Mississippi School of Law. During his years in West Point he accepted Christ at the First Baptist Church. After release from active duty, he joined the Air Force Reserves. His combined service, both active and reserves, totaled 30 years and he retired a colonel. He served the entire time as a Judge Advocate Attorney. He was a member of the unit in GA which was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. Bob was also individually awarded a Meritous Service Medal with an oak leaf cluster. Bob had a varied career in law. In addition to his judge Advocate role in the Air Force, he handled civil and criminal cases in TN, GA, MS, and TX, and at one time was admitted to practice simultaneously in all four states. Prior to beginning his own law practice in Atlanta, GA, he was the first law clerk for a U.S. District judge in Atlanta with whom he remained close friends for many years. During his employment for the Air Force in the 80's and early 90's, he specialized in medical practice defense for the Air Force, traveling coast to coast and to Europe on assignments often taking his family on extended trips throughout the country and Europe. In later years he centered on handling cases for large insurance companies. Bob was especially proud of the fact that the judge Advocate General of the Air Force, was impressed with his work as the Senior Reservist and invited Bob to become a member of the TJAG's staff at the Pentagon where Bob served in his reserve Capacity from 1982 to 1989. Bob and Carol Ann married in 1980 and lived in MS until 1992 when they relocated to Waco. Their daughter, Chelle McHaney, resides and works in Houston. His step-son, William D. Pate, has been a source of pride as the head tennis coach at the University of Alabama, and is currently the head tennis coach at Priceton University. Bob has been particularly thankful for Billy and Chelle's devotion to their family. He is also survived by a brother, Larry McHaney; sisters, Barbara Wright and Martha Burford; several nieces and one nephew. Bob especially wanted to thank his client, Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Co. for its loyalty to Bob during his last illness. The family would like to thank Hillcrest Baptist Hospital, Regent Care Center, and Bluebonnet Hospice for their care and devotion during his illness. They would like to thank many friends, family, the Presbyterian Church of Waco, and his future son-in-law, Daniel Kennedy, for their help and support during this trying time. He would like to thank his loving Nieces, Haley McHaney and Mary E. Stonebridge and cousins and Aunt from East AR for their support this past year. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the scholarship Fund of First Presbyterian Church, Waco, TX; Youth Fund at First Baptist Church, West Point, where Bob was raised and attended church; the national Lung Cancer Partnership; or the scholarship Fund at the University of Mississippi Law School for students needing financial aid.