William John “Bill” McKinley, Jr
William John “Bill” McKinley, Jr. of Houston, TX died early morning on November 22 shortly after being admitted to Methodist Hospital. He was lucid and communicating until the end and surrounded by family.
Bill was a founding member of the First Congregational Church of Houston, where he met John H. Cooper, who persuaded him in 1957 to leave his corporate job to help grow The Kinkaid School at its new campus in Piney Point Village. He spent the next 34 years as Business Manager and Development Director of the school where he started and nurtured the Annual Giving program and Endowment Fund as well as co-founding (with Barry Moss) the popular Interim Term. He was a former president of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives and the Houston Chapter Independent Schools Association of the Southwest and a board member of Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, MS.
Bill was also a charter member of Champions Country Club where he and Kate taught their children to play golf. Family reunions included golf tournaments complete with an engraved trophy and bragging rights until the next year! He was an avid golfer even at 89 years old and relished every opportunity to play with his children. He was legendary in Keene, NH, where he spent many summers, for having two holes in one within a few weeks on the Bretwood course.
Bill is survived by his son Jack and daughters Sherry, Katie, Mary Ann and Sheila as well as grandchildren Maddison, Michael, Lauren, Conor and Liam. He also leaves behind special friend Mary Sue Fairchild, cousin John Brewer and brother Robert McKinley of MA and Kathleen Norris Lyons of NJ.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the endowment funds of First Congregational Church, The Kinkaid School or charity of your choice.
http://www.thelandmark.com/articles/william-john-bill-mckinley-jr/
Back
Bill was born in Paxton, MA on April 21, 1928 to William John McKinley, Sr. and Ruth Brewer McKinley, where he lived until attending boarding school at Kimball Union Academy in NH. He graduated from Middlebury College in VT and spent one year at The University of Michigan Law School before enlisting in the Marines and serving our country for 4 years. He met his late wife of 43 years, Kathleen Devine McKinley, a Navy nurse, on the first tee at Camp Lejeune, NC and they migrated to Houston to start a family in 1954.
Bill was a founding member of the First Congregational Church of Houston, where he met John H. Cooper, who persuaded him in 1957 to leave his corporate job to help grow The Kinkaid School at its new campus in Piney Point Village. He spent the next 34 years as Business Manager and Development Director of the school where he started and nurtured the Annual Giving program and Endowment Fund as well as co-founding (with Barry Moss) the popular Interim Term. He was a former president of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives and the Houston Chapter Independent Schools Association of the Southwest and a board member of Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, MS.
Bill was also a charter member of Champions Country Club where he and Kate taught their children to play golf. Family reunions included golf tournaments complete with an engraved trophy and bragging rights until the next year! He was an avid golfer even at 89 years old and relished every opportunity to play with his children. He was legendary in Keene, NH, where he spent many summers, for having two holes in one within a few weeks on the Bretwood course.
Bill is survived by his son Jack and daughters Sherry, Katie, Mary Ann and Sheila as well as grandchildren Maddison, Michael, Lauren, Conor and Liam. He also leaves behind special friend Mary Sue Fairchild, cousin John Brewer and brother Robert McKinley of MA and Kathleen Norris Lyons of NJ.
His favorite saying will live on: Life is good, we are blessed, and our attitude is gratitude.
The Memorial Service will be Saturday, December 2 at 2:30 pm at First Congregational Church of Houston with a reception immediately following in the fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the endowment funds of First Congregational Church, The Kinkaid School or charity of your choice.
http://www.thelandmark.com/articles/william-john-bill-mckinley-jr/
