Appeared in Spring/Summer 2025 Gazette
by Dr. Meagan McChesney, WHS Curator

Bill McKay, undated.

On December 22, 2024, the Winnetka Historical Society lost one of its own when longtime volunteer Bill McKay passed away. Bill began volunteering at WHS after he retired from a successful career as an attorney over a decade ago. WHS was a good fit – he had a degree in history from Allegheny College, enjoyed researching his family history, and loved to travel and learn about the past.

I met Bill for the first time on Monday, June 7, 2021. The pandemic had put a pause on his volunteer duties during my first year with WHS, and we were thrilled when he let us know he was ready to come back. From that day on, I was lucky to spend almost every Monday morning with Bill for over three years. Every week, he scanned historic photographs into the database and updated archival records as needed. His attention to detail was unparalleled, and he loved looking through historic photographs (except the seemingly never-ending collection of the Skokie Lagoons).

While we were steadfast in our work, we always took time to check in with one another and talk about our shared interests. Bill was knowledgeable about Winnetka’s history, and I learned so much from him throughout the years. We also talked extensively about travel, another interest we shared. Bill was one of the best-traveled people I’ve ever met, and I always looked forward to the days when he had just returned from a trip and would regale us with stories.

More so than anything, though, Bill talked about his family. He loved spending time with his grandchildren, and we would laugh about the similarities between the eldest and my 5-year-old nephew. He talked about his wife, Lyn, and shared stories about their book club, road trips, and shared love of theater. His love for life was truly apparent in every story he told.

Bill was a wonderful volunteer and he was a wonderful friend. We all at WHS miss him dearly. ■