William C. McGee

1928 - 2024

William C. McGee
03/05/1928 - 07/21/2024
In loving memory of William "Bill" Campbell McGee who passed away peacefully at home on July 21, 2024, with his family and devoted caregiver by his side. He was a brilliant, thoughtful, and generous man who will be dearly missed.
Bill was born on March 5, 1928, at University Hospital in San Francisco to Judge Ralph Campbell McGee and Margaret Marchant McGee. He grew up in Sutter Creek in the heart of the California Gold Country. After graduating from Sutter Creek Union High School in 1945, he attended UC Berkeley and earned his Bachelor's degree in 1949, majoring in Physics. Bill then furthered his education, first at Columbia and subsequently returning to Cal to earn dual Master's degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering. It was during his graduate coursework that a nascent interest in computing began to develop, and had he attended college a decade or so later would most certainly have pursued a degree in Computer Science.
His career in computing began with General Electric in Richland, WA, working at the Hanford Atomic Products Operation (HAPO), developing computational routines and database management for general business operations. Following his stint at GE, Bill looked to expand his knowledge of and work with computer hardware and joined the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation (later TRW), which was developing hardware and software for military computers. After four years at TRW, Bill moved his family to Los Altos, joining IBM as a software developer and database management expert. A testament to his efforts and expertise in early computer science and database development is evidenced by the prodigious number of papers, presentations, and reviews he had written and given throughout his 40-year career.
Beyond family and technology, Bill's most ardent love was music. A lifelong and accomplished pianist, he set off on his pursuit of a new degree by taking night classes in music theory and composition while still working at IBM. After retirement, he went back to school full-time at San Jose State University, ultimately earning a BA degree with a major in music. The church that Bill and his family attended since moving to Los Altos, Foothills Congregational UCC, was also a substantial pillar in his life - he was a choir member and played in the "Joyful Noise" handbell ensemble as well. It was at Foothills that he collaborated with the music director to compose and arrange a number of musical pieces to fulfill the requirements of his degree at SJSU
Bill was preceded in death in 2006 by his first wife, Ruth MacLean McGee. He remarried at the age of 80 to his second wife, Muriel Gill McGee, who passed away earlier this year. He was a devoted husband who enjoyed living out his golden years with both Ruth and Muriel, and whose life was most certainly impacted by the loss of two beloved partners.
He is survived by his children William C. McGee Jr. and Elizabeth McGee Bergerol and their spouses Pamela Ann McGee and Arnaud Bergerol, as well as grandsons William Matthew McGee and John Conroy McGee. Bill is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, the children of his late brother and sisters, John McGee, Elizabeth Cookson, and Mary Johnson.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, September 6, 2024, at 11:30 am at Foothills Congregational Church, 461 Orange Avenue, Los Altos, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill's memory may be made to POST (Peninsula Open Space Trust (openspacetrust.org/donate) or Music@Menlo's Young Artist's Fund (https://musicatmenlo.org/support/sponsor-a-student).
Bill will be remembered as the last of his family's generation, a family that prides itself on inclusion and exemplary service - to faith, community, family, and doing the right thing. We have lost a rare gem, but are comforted by the legacy he leaves behind.