[citation needed] After graduating from Wheaton in 1949, McCully entered Marquette University Law School intent on becoming a lawyer.

The biblical narrative of Nehemiah as well as his correspondence with Jim Elliot, who was making preparations to leave for Ecuador at the time, inspired McCully to consider missionary work.

At one stop in Pontiac, Michigan, he met his future wife, Marilou Hobolth, a Moody Bible Institute graduate.

He then entered the School of Missionary Medicine in Los Angeles (today part of Biola University).

They first stayed in Quito to finish their Spanish study, then joined Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming at their mission station in Shandia.

McCully was the fourth of the five missionaries to be speared by a young Auca named Mincaye, and also severely mutilated with a machete after he grabbed and tried to hold back one of his attackers.

Some Quechua Indians had later found his body further down stream, and even produced McCully's shoe and wristwatch as evidence.

Ed McCully's memorial service was held at his home church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and drew around 800 people.

Marilou eventually returned to Ecuador and lived in Quito for 6 years, running a home for missionary children.