Howard Arthur MacCord Sr.

MacCORD, Howard Arthur Sr., 93, of Brandermill Woods Retirement Community, Midlothian, died November 3, 2008, after a brief hospi-talization. He was born in Irvington, New Jersey on October 23, 1915. He is survived by his wife, Betsy Fleshman MacCord of Midlothian; daughters, Helen DeWell Winn and her husband, Jack, of Richmond, and Virginia Matthews and her husband, Harry, of Mouth of Wilson, Virginia; and son, Howard A. MacCord Jr. and his wife, Alison, of Greensboro, N.C.; grandchildren, Sean DeWell and his wife, Carolina, of Richmond, David DeWell of Ft. Worth, Texas, Lesley Winn, and John Winn and his wife, Susanna, of Richmond; great-grandchildren, Jacob DeWell of Ft. Worth, Texas, and Killian and Raif Winn of Richmond. Survivors also include sisters, Evelyn Hildebrand of Chambersburg, Pa., Jeanne Carter of Pocomoke City, Md., and Elnora Terry and her husband, Ed, of Las Cruces, N.M. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Elsie B. MacCord, in 1972. Mr. MacCord retired from the U.S. Army as a Colonel, after 30 years of service. He joined the National Guard in 1930, when he was only 15, and went into the Army in February of 1941. His World War II service took him to France and Germany. He served in post-war Japan and later in the Korean conflict. His lifelong interest in archeology started in the 1930s, helping excavate prehistoric sites around his boyhood hometown of Washington, D.C. While in the Army, he excavated in Japan and Korea during his tours of duty. Following his retirement from the military in 1962, he turned his lifelong avocation into a new career as an archeologist with the Virginia State Library (now the Library of Virginia), from which he retired in 1976. He worked as a consulting archeologist until 1983. He worked closely with the Archeological Society of Virginia during all those years, reaching out to educate the public. His interest in archeology did not abate with retirement; he continued his work and contributed to the advancement of that field until his death. His contributions to Virginia archeology were extensive. They include excavations, or testing, at over 160 sites all over Virginia. His published works include over 127 articles, including his first publication in 1943 and his most recent in 2007. His remains rest at Bliley's-Central, 3801 Augusta Ave., Richmond, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, November 6. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, November 22, 2008 at Brandermill Church, Midlothian. Burial in Arlington National Cemetery at 3 p.m. Tuesday, December 9. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ASV/Kittiewan, P.O. Box 70395, Richmond, Va. 23255, or to a charity of your choice.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.