Roland Malcolm “Mac” McClanahan never set out to be a public figure. What he became instead was something rarer: a man whose ordinary talents—friendship, persistence, humor, and salesmanship—were transformed into extraordinary service when it mattered most.
Born on December 8, 1925, in Rosholt, Wisconsin, Mac grew up in a world shaped by hard work, community ties, and responsibility. After graduating from Rosholt High School in 1944, he served proudly in the United States Navy during World War II and again during the Korean War—experiences that forged lifelong friendships and a love of storytelling.
Mac attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he met Ruth Strand. They married in 1947 and built a marriage rooted in humor, loyalty, and shared purpose. He later earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from DePaul University in Chicago and became a member of Alpha Delta Sigma, the National Advertising Fraternity.
As owner of McClanahan Sales, a manufacturing-equipment representative firm specializing in automotive rebuilding equipment, Mac traveled extensively throughout the Midwest. During the mid-1960s, he and Ruth also owned Mary Carter Paint franchises in Indianapolis.
For more than sixty years, Mac was deeply involved in civic and service organizations, including the Shelbyville Lions Club, American Legion Post 70, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Eagles Club, Elks Club, Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, Murat Shrine, the Automotive Booster Club of America, the Chanters, and the 500 Club.
On July 8, 1998, while dining at Fiddler’s Three restaurant in Shelbyville, Mac suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed. Rapid CPR and the use of a portable defibrillator saved his life. That experience inspired him to lead a statewide effort to equip sheriff’s vehicles with defibrillators—saving lives across Indiana.
Mac received many honors, including Kentucky Colonel, Distinguished Hoosier, Leadership Award Recipient, and Community Service Leader by the Rotary Club of Shelbyville. He remained most proud of the lives saved through his advocacy.
Known as the life of the party, Mac loved entertaining, traveling, and staying connected with friends. Above all, he cherished his family and grounded his public service in private devotion.
Roland “Mac” McClanahan did not seek a legacy. He simply responded when life asked something of him—and in doing so, ensured that countless others would live to tell their own stories.
Sources
Shelbyville News feature articles documenting McClanahan’s defibrillator advocacy
and community service
Published obituaries and family records from Shelbyville-area newspapers and
genealogical sources