Bill Franklin McGhee

Service Location: Koontz Funeral Home Service Time: Saturday, April 6 (11AM) Bill Franklin McGhee, age 90, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2019. He was born in Hamlin, WV, on August 19, 1928 to Arthur Chilton (Colonel) McGhee and Ella Smith McGhee. He was a 1946 graduate of Hamlin High School and attended the Huntington School of Business. From there he began work at the Appalachian Power Company in Logan, WV. He was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War and served as a Corporal in Korea for two years, after training with the US Army and National Security Agency Signals Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Center. He made lifelong friends in the Army and often shared his war stories and photos. After the war, he returned home to Hamlin and began working at the WV State Department of Revenue in their Computer Department. He and his wife Anna Gay of Hamlin were married in 1955. In 1957 they moved to Ravenswood, WV where he began a 25-year career with Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation in their Data Processing and Computer Department. He spent his retirement travelling with Gay to their beloved Naples, Florida, splitting their time between Florida and West Virginia. Bill had many friends in both Naples and Ravenswood, and if you were driving a car with WV tags - Bill would immediately strike up a conversation and get to know you. He was a loyal WVU Mountaineer and Marshall Thundering Herd fan - flying both flags on game day Saturdays. He was an avid Cincinnati Reds baseball fan and attended many games including several World Series to watch his beloved "Big Red Machine" play. Bill is survived by his wife of 64 years Anna Gay McComas McGhee; daughter Missy McGhee ONeal and her husband Paige; daughter Molly McGhee Duncan and her husband Bob; son Michael McGhee and his wife Margaret; niece Mary Margaret Hauldren Reed and her husband Glen; and six grandchildren: Meredith Gross Warren, Madeline Gross, Matthew Gross, Melissa ONeal, Malcolm McGhee and Maeve McGhee. Special mention to his surviving cousin Norma Smith Morton and daughter Karen Morton; cousin Doug Smith and cousin Gary Vickers. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister Margaret (Boots) McGhee Hauldren and her husband Willard Jr. Hauldren. The McGhee family would like to recognize Tiffini Pence Santee who had a special place in Bill's heart and who cared so generously and lovingly for Bill for several years. Special thanks and appreciation to the staff and caretakers at the Ravenswood Care Center who provided such loving care to Bill this past year. A Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 11:00AM at Koontz Funeral home, 238 Walnut Street, Hamlin, WV 25523. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the Ravenswood Care Center, 1113 Washington Street, Ravenswood, WV 26164.