William Alexander MacGillivray

1935 - 2019

August 12, 1935 - February 11, 2019
William "Bill" MacGillivray passed away at his home in Encinitas, California, in the sweet company of his adoring wife, Susan "Suzy" MacGillivray on February 11, 2019. Their love story has only just begun. Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1935 to Ethel and Alexander "Alec" MacGillivray, the oldest of three children, Bill grew up in Essex County, New Jersey, Mexico City and San Marino, California, graduating from Loyola High School in Los Angeles, St. Mary's College of California, the University of Southern California and Stanford University. Bill's professional career started at the Signal Oil Company as an accountant. One year later, he joined Hughes Aircraft Company in 1958 where he rose to the position of Officer, Policy Board Member, Chairman of the Real Estate Committee and Director of Investments and Financing in his capacity as the Vice President and Treasurer of the company. At the time of his retirement, the firm included Aerospace and Communications, Ground Systems, Missile Systems and Ground Radar Manufacturing Groups and was the world's preeminent manufacturer of satellites, radar and advanced weapons systems to governments around the world employing some 84,000 people including over 3,300 Ph.D's. The firm was also the largest private employer in the State of California and one of the ten largest private companies and twenty-five largest by revenue in the world during the aerospace industry's most exciting and innovative era. In addition to his executive career at Hughes, Bill also served on a number of outside boards including Chairman of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Chairman of the Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital Foundation, a Member to the Loyola Marymount Business Council, an Advisory Board Member to the Allendale Insurance Company and Chairman of the Independent Colleges of Southern California. Following his retirement, Bill continued to lend his keen finance and business skills to several organizations serving as Chairman of the Catholic Foundation of New Mexico Archdiocese of Santa Fe and served on both the North American Institute Board and as Senior Advisory Board Member to Airline Capital Associates of New York. Bill also was a founding Board Member of the Spanish Colonial Arts Museum in Santa Fe, and along with his wife, helped to establish Educate New Mexico and their own Alta Vista Fund for Education in addition to being longtime supporting members to the Regents Circle of New Mexico Museums. Bill is lovingly and admirably remembered by his family as a financial guru, avid reader, World War I and II history buff, stamp, coin, art, wine collector and lifelong Philadelphia Phillies fan. Bill is survived by his wife of 37 years, Susan "Suzy" MacGillivray and his five children Alexa MacGillivray of Roseville, CA, William "Alex" MacGillivray of Tampa, FL, Andrea MacGillivray of Boqueron, PR, Adrien MacGillivray Cotton of Alexandria, VA, and Scott Gilliland of Carlsbad, CA. His surviving grandchildren are Ian and Jordan MacGillivray and William Cotton, Jr. and Rachel Cotton. Bill is also survived by his sister Dr. Lois MacGillivray and a brother Alan MacGillivray. Bill's life will be privately celebrated at the Historic California Mission of San Luis Rey. Donations to Hospice of the North Coast, Carlsbad, California, would be appreciated in honor of both Bill and the many patients they so admiringly serve.