Lennox McLendon
Wednesday
1
November

Visitation

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Kraft-Sussman Funeral Services
3975 S. Durango Drive, Suite 104
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Thursday
2
November

Funeral Service

12:00 pm
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery
1900 Veterans Memorial Drive
Boulder City, Nevada, United States
Service Time: 12:00 PM

Obituary of Lennox Devern McLendon

Lennox Devern "Red" McLendon, age 74, of Las Vegas, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017. He was born July 26, 1943, in Anderson, S.C. The son of the late Archibald and the late Janie McLendon, Lennox was a devoted husband to Dianne for 49 years. A career photojournalist, Lennox served meritoriously in Vietnam, traveling extensively throughout the region and voluntarily exposing himself to hostile fire to document the actions of the U. S. Navy in Vietnam. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat "V" and recognized by the Commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Vietnam for his valor and for "informing the American public of the Command's mission through his widely-published superb photographs. McLendon's professionalism and devotion to duty under arduous living and working conditions and frequent enemy rocket and mortar attacks were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." Fearless, inquisitive and visually perceptive by nature, photojournalism was a natural path for Red. Prior to Vietnam, he taught photography in the Navy and was selected to attend the military's prestigious photojournalism program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, where he later returned as a civilian to earn both bachelors and masters degrees. Red also spent more than two decades as a photographer with the Associated Press, traveling the globe, covering everything from foreign civil insurrections to the Olympics, several U.S. Presidents and the Pope. His domestic coverage included Hollywood, hard news (earthquakes, fires),and sports of every kind. He was named AP Photographer of the Year in 1990, and throughout his career received numerous professional awards for his photos, including recognition from Sports Illustrated as one of the "Top Four"sports photographers worldwide. After retiring from AP in 1998, Red continued his battle with PTSD and many physical comorbidities that resulted from exposure to Agent Orange. As in war, he bravely fought the effects of diabetes, heart disease and Parkinsons until they finally claimed his life. Lennox was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Barbara Freeman, and is survived by his wife, Dianne McLendon. Visitation will be Wednesday, Nov. 1 from 4-6 p.m. at Kraft-Sussman Funeral Services, 3975 S. Durango Drive, Suite 104, Las Vegas, NV. The funeral will be held at noon on Thursday, Nov. 2 at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veterans Memorial Drive, Boulder City, NV. Memorial donations may be made to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, (702) 483-6000.
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