William E. McGee, 75, died at home after a long, brave battle with cancer on April 2, 2012.  He was born in Prospect, Maine and raised in Milford, New Hampshire. He had been a resident of Liverpool since 1968. He was a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and took graduate courses at the University of Pennsylvania and Syracuse University.

He was a veteran of the US Army for 13 years, five years of which were active duty, attaining the rank of captain. He was a pilot of both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. During his year of duty in Vietnam he flew over 400 combat missions and rescued wounded US and Vietnamese soldiers while under enemy fire.

After leaving active Army service, he became the Associate Editor of Army Aviation Magazine, Westport, Connecticut. He was a free-lance writer, the author of many stories and articles which were published in England, Poland and the U.S. His book, “Men of Granite”, was published in 2007. Since 2011, Bill has written a quarterly column for the “New Hampshire To Do” magazine. Four stories appeared last year with more already written.

Bill was a licensed commercial pilot and certified flight engineer on the Boeing 727 airliner.

Bill retired from Dupont’s Biotechnology Division in 1989 after 22 years in sales and marketing. That same year, he founded Microtome Service Company, which he managed until 2010.
           
Bill was an Eagle Scout and Silver Beaver and was active in the Boy Scouts for over 45 years, serving as a Cub Den Leader, Scoutmaster, Woodbadge Instructor and District Commissioner. He was on the Advisory Board of the Lee Scouting Museum in New Hampshire and Chairman of the Hillcourt Scout Museum at Scout Camp Woodland in Constantia.

He was predeceased by his first wife Rebecca “Becky” McGee, who died in 1984. Their children are Mark McGee of Chebeague Island, Maine and Elizabeth McGee of Liverpool, NY  and two grandchildren, James and Rebecca Wemesfelder.

He is also survived by Joan Mosley Macko, his wife of 25 years and her children Mark Macko (Sue) and three grandchildren, of Camillus, NY, Elizabeth Zellar (John) and two grandchildren, of Manlius, Cheryl Hazen (Bruno) of Connecticut, and Scott Macko (Holly) of Florida.

Bill and Joan were members of the United Church of Christ in Bayberry where they were greeters for the 8:30 Sunday services for many years.

Viewing will be held at the United Church of Christ in Bayberry, 215 Blackberry Road, Liverpool, New York 13090 on Thursday, April 5, 2012, from 1:00 to 3:00. A service with full military honors will be held at 3:00.

A Spring burial will be at the Chebeague Island Cemetery, Chebeague Island, Maine.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Hillcourt Scout Museum, Longhouse Council, Boy Scouts of America, 2803 Brewerton Road, Syracuse, New York 13211.

High Flight — John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .