Visitation: Sunday, June 28, 2009 from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM at Thomas L. Scroggs Funeral Directors, 6362 South Lee Street, Morrow, GA 30260, 770-961-2828
Funeral Services: Monday, June 29,2009, 2:00 PM at the First Baptist Church of Morrow, 1647 Lake Harbin Road, Morrow, GA 30260, 770-961-9270
Mr. McLendon was a self-taught musician, having taught himself to play the trumpet as a child. As a teacher and band director, Mr. McLendon taught for ten years earning the highest ratings possible in district and state band festivals before he ever attended college to study music. In his 13th year of teaching, while band director at Statesboro High School, he graduated from what is now Georgia Southern University with a degree in music education.
Mr. McLendon began his teaching career in Blakely, starting the first Blakely High School Band program and qualifying them to participate in the National Band Contest in their second year. Mr. McLendon's teaching career spanned 36 years. He taught high school band in Blakely, Waycross, Statesboro, Rome, Hazlehurst and Fitzgerald. After leaving Fitzgerald in 1965 he was band director at Willingham Junior High in Macon and then band director at Morrow Junior High in Clayton County before retiring in 1976.
Mr. McLendon, touched the lives of thousands of young people throughout the state, many of whom have kept in touch with him over the years. One of these is former student Pernell Roberts of television's "Bonanza" and "Trapper John, MD" fame. Pernell was a student in Mr. McLendon's Waycross High School Band. A few years ago, Pernell organized a Waycross High School Band reunion and was able to round up over 20 members who gathered with their families and Mr. McLendon at the Holiday Inn in Morrow for a wonderful day of reacquaintance and remembering. Everywhere he taught, Mr. McLendon was affectionately known to his students as "Mr. Mac".
Mr. McLendon's highest moment as a bandmaster was when he was inducted into the Georgia Bandmaster's Hall of Fame as a charter member. He was also a charter member of the Georgia chapter of Phi Beta Mu National Band Directors Fraternity, an honorary and service organization. Throughout his career, he also directed youth and adult choirs in a number of churches as well as schools. For many years, Mr. McLendon was a sought-after band festival adjudicator having judged many festivals and contests in Georgia and Florida.
Mr. McLendon always turned out top-rated concert and marching bands only twice receiving less than a superior rating with his high school bands. He once had as many as 45 students selected to perform with the Georgia All State Band in one year. Although most of his career was spent with high school bands, he taught his last eight years as director of bands at Morrow Junior High School in Clayton County. Mr. McLendon retired in 1976.
Being a man of considerable skills and talent, he was awarded a full scholarship to the Famous Photographers School as one of their charter students. He has also crafted many beautiful objects from Christmas tree ornaments, to lamps, to furniture. During the 40's, while teaching in Waycross, he hand-painted movie displays for the local theatre. Mr. McLendon always found time to be involved in community affairs, having been a member of various Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs over the years and is a lifetime member of Kiwanis International.
Mr. McLendon has three children: his oldest son, Guyton S. McLendon, Jr. (Deceased)*. a retired Air Force Colonel from Texas; a daughter, Felicia Crisler living in Jonesboro is a retired Clayton County teacher; and his youngest son, Roger McLendon is a retired Clayton County band director living in Thomaston, GA. Mr. McLendon has six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. His wife (the former Martha Davis of Blakely) of sixty four years passed away in 1999 after a long illness.
*passed away Jan. 2008