Rory Mcgahan

Rory Francis McGahan, loving father; treasured son; brother; uncle; exceptional friend; warrior; Marine; and devout Christian child of God; was unexpectedly called home by our Lord and Saviour, on 6 April, 2015, while at his residence in Smithville, Texas. Rory was 50 years of age.

Rory is survived by his daughter, Claire McGahan; his mother, Norma McGahan; his brother Sean, wife Cynthia, and their children, Ashley, Bethany, & Christian; his sister Sara, husband Kelvin, and their children, Danielle, Danae, Aldrian, and Jourdan, her husband, Daniel, and their children, Brooklyn and Savannah. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Kelsey Reid McGahan; his father Richard D. McGahan; and his grandmother, Barbara Emerson.

A funeral is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., Sunday, April 12th, 2015 at the First Baptist Church of Smithville, located at 300 Hudgins Street Smithville, Texas 78957, with a reception to follow at the Fellowship Hall, across from the church. Michael Murphy will officiate the ceremony. All are welcome and encouraged to attend and celebrate Rory's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations for funeral expenses and reception to: Rory McGahan Fund, c/o First National Bank, Bastrop, TX, Account # 2096485, Routing # 114904953. Any and all additional donated funds will go to his daughter, Claire McGahan's, college fund. Condolences can be sent to: https://rorymcgahanmemorial.shutterfly.com/# .

Rory was an extraordinary man and friend. He was instantly loved by nearly everyone he met - and he loved them back. He had an infectious smile that would light up the darkest of rooms or bleakest of situations. And, a laugh that drew people to him like a magnet. He was, and is, an absolutely amazing man who, in his short life, lived a life that reads like a New York Best Seller action character - a life that most people only fantasize about.

Rory was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, to Richard and Norma McGahan on 16 August, 1964. He and his family moved to Texas when he was 10 years old. After graduating Pflugerville High School, on October 12, 1982, Rory enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He attended Boot Camp at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot in San Diego, CA., later receiving advanced training as an 0341 Mortar Man, and was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, MCAS, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. There, he served for just shy of 3 years as a Forward Observer / Forward Air Controller for Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, until his honorable discharge in 1985. While serving in the USMC, he was awarded: the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2nd Award); the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal; USMC Meritorious Unit Citation; the Good Conduct Medal; and the Rifle Sharpshooter & Pistol Marksman Badges. Additionally, while stationed in Hawaii, he was selected as the Marine of The Month. His military service was not complete after his discharge from the Marines. Shortly after discharge, he enlisted as a Reconnaissance Team Member with 1st Battalion, 124th Air Cavalry (Recon), 49th Armored Division, Texas Army National Guard, where he was trained as a Rappel Master, working with U.S. Army Special Operation Detachment Units.

Simultaneously at the beginning of his time the 1st /124th Cav, in late 1985 he joined the Travis County Sheriff's Department, where for the next 17 years he served the people of Travis County as a Corrections Officer, an Advanced Peace Officer, and a Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team Leader. While with the TCSO, he spearheaded several advance programs, maintaining leadership roles throughout his entire career as a Peace Officer. Furthermore, while with the TCSO, he earned Instructor ratings and certifications, and performed duties as a SWAT & Advanced SWAT Instructor; a Firearms Instructor; a Sniper Instructor; a Collision Reconstruction Instructor; and trained & mentored new Sheriff's Deputies as their Field Training Officer (FTO). He also, developed SOP's & Instructor Guides, for the California Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) certified courses; and conducted & organized Annual Training (AT) for the Texas Tactical Peace Officers Association (TTPOA), the Louisiana Tactical Officers Association. (LTOA), Florida SWAT Association, and the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI).

In 2002, Rory left law enforcement after being recruited into the Tactical Industry. Over the next few years he was sought after and recruited by such tactical industry powerhouses as, Surefire, Heckler & Koch (H&K), Simunitions, ITI Tactical Driving School, Defense Technologies, and Wilcox Industries.

While working for these dynamic corporations he worked, predominantly, in the Sales/Service, and Training Divisions, performing such duties as; teaching Low-Light Weapons Tactics to such clients as the US Army's 5th Special Forces Group, SEAL Team 5, and German MEK (German SEALs); he trained Sub-Machine Gun Tactics, Techniques, & Procedures to various specialized US Army, US Navy, & Canadian Defense Forces; he taught Surveillance & Detection and Advanced Counter-Terror Tactical Driving to various US Navy Special Warfare (SEAL) units, the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), US Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and various other foreign and domestic security agencies; and, he provided Exothermic Breaching & Hybrid Life Support training to such groups and units as the US Army's 1st Special Forces Group (A), the 101st Airborne Division, and countless "big-city" law enforcement departments and offices.

A good portion of Rory's professional life revolved around Tactical/Defense and Instruction. In his career (over and above the aforementioned units and agencies) he trained soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, officers and agents of: all 5 branches of the U.S. military; the Republic of Korea (ROK) Marines; the Philippine Marines; the Ethiopian & Kenya Criminal Investigation Departments (CID); the 1st Kenyan (Infantry) Rifles; the Royal Thai SEAL's; Canadian Nuclear Security Administration; US Department of Energy (DOE); and the U.S. Air Force; just to name a few. He did all of this and, was also a noted author, having articles published in the TTPOA Command, and Soldier of Fortune magazines, to name just a couple. Furthermore, if all of this was not impressive enough: Rory worked as a body guard for a princes of the Middle Eastern country of Jordan, and for the actor, film producer, and action-movie hero, Steven Seagal. When asked how he lucked into these Personal Protection Detachment gigs, Rory would always respond with his expressive little smirk, "be polite, be courteous, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet," and then he'd wink.

After a couple of decades of pushing the professional limits of the LE/Military Training and Tactical industry, absolutely to the edge of the envelope, in 2010, a good friend of many years recruited him into the Oil & Gas business where he became a Drilling Fluids Engineer. Like everything else in his adult life he had ever done, he excelled in this field as well, drilling oil & gas wells all over Texas, New Mexico, & California, making an exceptional name for himself in this industry, too. This was his final vocation until the Lord called him home.

Those that were blessed enough to come to know Rory, well, will attest that he was a man who lived life with a tender cheerfulness. Asked to describe him, most of his friends and colleagues would probably use adjectives as: Honorable; Dedicated; Reliable; Trustworthy; Passionate. Those on the other side of the spectrum might use adjectives as: Hard; Fierce; Intolerant; Aggressive. And, truth be told, he was all of these things at different times of his short life. The fact is that Rory was a man of deep devotions, convictions, and passions. He loved his daughters, and his family, and his friends with a depth and magnitude that mere words cannot define it. Rory was a faithful Christian Warrior and a Marine, through and through, who if anyone found themselves on a two-way range, he was definitely a man you wanted on your side, backing you up - because he would always cover your back and never let you down - EVER.

He was not perfect - and by his own admission on a number of occasions, he felt far from it. He had his ups and downs, and battled his own personal demons, as all do. But he lived and grabbed ahold of the world and tried to squeeze out every ounce of joy, out of every second, that he could - and, he didn't ask for permission or forgiveness for doing so, either. Rory did things, and experienced events in his life that most of us can only dream and wish about.

Rory was a man who touched people. He was blessed with the ability to reach out and touch lives with even the most casual contact. A look from him; a short comment in passing from him; a casual, unprovoked conversation from him - was often times all that was needed to passionately and permanently impact a person's life. Rory was always the first to offer a helping hand; and the last to ask for help, him self. And, he offered that support with a positive, gleeful, uplifting, motivating, and long-lasting, attitude - this was GOD'S gift to him. However, if you polled his friends and family, they might argue, saying that Rory was God's gift to us all.

Maybe the best way to encompass everything Rory McGahan was, is this: In the warrior community, there is a well-known poem, written by the 19th century Shawnee Chief, Tecumseh. Although the words of his prose were written some 200 years ago, if anyone who knew Rory were to sit and read these words, they may feel as if Tecumseh was talking about Rory McGahan and his life, all along:

LIVE YOUR LIFE
By: Tecumseh

"So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their views; and demand that they respect yours.

Love your LIFE; perfect your LIFE; beautify all things in your LIFE; Seek to make your LIFE long and its purpose in the service of your people, [AND] Prepare a noble death song - for the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a [KIND] word - or a sign of salute - when meeting or passing a friend, [or] even a stranger, when [TRAVELING] in a lonely place. Show RESPECT to all people and, GROVEL to none.

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living - If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise MEN to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

And, when it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, and when their time comes they WEEP and PRAY for a little more time to live their lives over AGAIN in a different way. Sing your death song PROUD and die like a hero GOING HOME."