Ernest "Bill" McIntire

1938 - 2024

Ernest "Bill" McIntire

November 23, 1938 - April 14, 2024

La Mesa, Ca and formly of Laton, Ca, California - Bill McIntire, a former Laton resident and 60 year resident of Orange, passed away peacefully on April 14th, after a short illness. He passed away just 16 days after his bride. Bill was born in Hanford, California, and raised 10 miles north of his birthplace in Laton, California.This hamlet of Laton, is in Fresno County located along the King's River. It was a portion of the Mexican Land Grant, Laguna de Tache. He graduated from Laton High School in 1956. While at Laton HS, he was Student Body President and earned 9 varsity letters. His 1955 and 1956 basketball teams won Central Section Small Schools CIF Championships. He then went onto attend College of the Sequoia's where he continued to play basketball. In 1959 he decided to head to Southern California and enrolled at La Verne College. He again continued to play basketball, football and baseball. While at La Verne Bill saw a beautiful girl pass by in a car near campus and said to himself "That is the girl". That girl was Sharon Kampmeier and they wed in 1962. Bill and Sharon were happily married for 61 years.

After graduating from La Verne College with an education degree, Bill started his teaching career. From 1961-1962 Bill taught in Basset Unified School District in La Puente. From 1962-1965 he taught English, Social Studies, and PE in the La Habra City School District. His next teaching stop was Anaheim Union High School District. He taught English and PE as well as coached baseball and football. Bill became head baseball coach in 1968. His baseball teams won or shared Sunset League Champs in 69, 70, and 73. From 1973 until retirement he taught and coached football, track and field, and baseball at Cypress High School. During visits to the San Joaquin Valley, Bill wanted his kids and grandkids to know where he grew up. The kids have visited the Laton Rodeo Grounds, Laton Lions Hall, Laton HS, Roeding Park and the Fresno Zoo, and never to be missed Superior Dairy in Hanford for ice cream and shakes. When his kids were in elementary school, he and Sharon (also a teacher) were co-presidents of the PTA at Palmyra Elementary, and active in the Booster Club at Orange High School. Bill also was on the board of the Orange Little League. Bill was passionate about his 4 grandkids, family history and reading. When he was able to he loved to watch his grandkids play baseball and soccer. Wiffle ball in the front yard with the grandkids was his favorite. Bill would be found in his patio chair shagging wiffle balls or trying to help the kids out with their swing. 2 grandkids were lefties, not easy to teach grips! Go south paws. Bill never met a stranger, if you were sitting on a park bench he would sit down and stir up a friendly conversation of where you were born, what high school you went to, and your family history. Bill loved reading, Louis L'amour westerns, mystery novels, and the newspaper. Sports and the Stock Market Report were his favorites. When he and Sharon were taking road trips up and down the Southern California Coast, or cross country to visit the grandkids, he would always buy a local newspaper from the town they were staying in. He did this to be in the know. Papa Bill/Tata was also a great story teller at dusk in the back of his pick up truck with the grandkids.

Bill is survived by son Matt of Lakewood, Ohio (Patricia)-granddaughters Emily and Lucy, plus daughter Jennifer McIntire Peterson of San Diego (Erick)-grandsons Jack and Dane.

Services and internment for both Bill and Sharon will take place Friday May 24th, at 9:30am Oak Grove Cemetery in Laton, California.