HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Joanne McCullough pays tribute to her late husband at the Pahrump Valley Veterans' Memorial adjacent to Chief Tecopa Cemetery. Advertisement

The Pahrump Valley Veterans' Memorial held its first military service in honor of Verle "Mac" McCullough Friday, March 14.

A Pahrump resident for the past 20 years, McCullough requested that his service be conducted at the memorial.

He passed away March 11 at the age of 68.

The brief service was conducted by Nye County Director of Veteran Services Ken Shockley and Jose Telles of the Marine Corps League.

After the presentation of colors by Pahrump Valley High School JROTC corps, the Rev. Julie Platson, chaplain of Nathan Adelson Hospice, led the attendees in a prayer and read a short poem.

JoAnne McCullough, Mac's wife, placed Mac's dog tags on the statue of the fallen soldier and was presented with an American flag by Shockley.

Bruce Cox, one of McCullough's five surviving children, briefly spoke about his dad.

"My dad is the one who really molded me into the man I am today," Cox said. "He was truly an honorable and loving man."

His sentiments were echoed by his own son, McCullough's grandson, Justin Cox, also in the service.

"I had the privilege and joy of knowing my grandpa," Justin Cox said. "He taught me great and wonderful things about being a man. He taught me to respect God, respect women, and respect my country."

Both Bruce and Justin are currently serving in the military.

Rick McCullough, another of Mac's sons, is also in the service, along with two other grandchildren.

Telles also took a moment to remember his fellow veteran.

"For the two years he was my friend, it was a delight," Telles said. "Every time I saw him, we would sit and shoot the bull, and it seemed like we had been friends forever."

McCullough joined the army in 1957 at the age of 17, beginning a 23-year career in the service during which he was stationed at Hawaii and Germany.

"Mac" also did two tours in Vietnam and was awarded the Soldiers Medal for Heroism for his service there Jan. 6, 1967.

He retired from the service in 1980 as a first sergeant.

In life, McCullough, originally from Tulsa, Okla., loved fishing and gardening.

"We had a garden big enough to feed the whole neighborhood," Tonya Mason recalled. "For punishment we had to pick weeds. He will be missed."