Sam McLendon, a Wadesboro town councilman, died Thursday, Feb. 12, at the age of 75.

The 27-year Air Force veteran lived in Wadesboro at an early age. He left the service in 1978, as a major.

During his time in the military, he met his wife Betty. He was sent to Natchitoches, La., her hometown, for training in 1951.

The pair married July 4, 1953.

"He loved tinkering with old cars," his wife said.

McLendon was always making things for other people. He made a statuette for his daughter after she finished school.

His friend since childhood, Bobby Little, remembered spending time as a boy with McLendon's father, who was a machinist, in his shop.

"I suspect we were more in the way than helping," he said.

McLendon and his father helped make a sailboat for Little. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to use it.

The boat was placed under a shed, inside of a barn belonging to Little's father. The barn burned down and took the boat with it.

Betty said the pair lived in Montgomery, Ala., for 20 years after his retirement. In 1998, they returned to Wadesboro to take care of his father.

His daughter, Dr. Lois Elaine McLendon Cansler, remembered her father as a man who loved western movies, especially if they starred John Wayne.

She said his time in the service stuck with him. In the hospital shortly before his death, he needed to sit up in bed for a nurse.

When told it was his basic training, he saluted the nurse.

McLendon was elected to the town council in 2005. His term would have ended in November.

The council can appoint a replacement, but may decide not to, Wadesboro town manager John Witherspoon said. There is no limit on how long the seat can remain vacant.