April 10, 1921 ~ November 6, 2015
William Francis "Bill" McGeehan, 94, of Jefferson City, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, November 6, 2015.
Bill was born April 10, 1921, in Bayonne, NJ the son of the late Hugh P. and Mary (Rysavy) McGeehan.
Bill married Mary Katherine "Kay" Bowden on November 20, 1948 in Memphis, TN. Kay preceded William in death on November 28, 2012.
Bill was raised in Staten Island, NJ. He graduated from St. Peter High School for Boys and then attended Casey Jones School of Aeronautics specializing in Electronics.
After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in September 1941. Shortly after the beginning of World War II, Bill transferred into Navigator School from Pilots School to avoid a lengthy delay in training. Bill had flown 5 combat missions when his B-17 was damaged by German anti-aircraft shrapnel on July 25, 1943, over Hamburg, Germany. He received numerous shrapnel wounds prior to bailing out and was captured by the Germans. He remained a P.O.W. for nearly 2 years before being liberated by U.S. troops on April 19, 1945.
Bill remained in the United States Air Force for 22 years and retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1961. He received numerous metals and awards including two Purple Hearts and was a member of the Caterpillar Club.
Wanting more in life, Bill entered college at Memphis State University and then went on to earn a degree in dentistry at the University of Tennessee in Memphis.
Bill practiced dentistry for a year in Forsyth, MO before he and Kay and their 6 children moved to Jefferson City. Bill retired in 1984, after 18 years of practice.
Bill enjoyed being outdoors as much as possible. Many hours were spent at the McGeehan Farm in Moniteau County where he and his children worked to improve the forest, ponds, and grasslands. Thousands of Christmas trees, Oak trees, and Walnut trees were planted over the years. Bill was featured in a Missouri Department of Conservation program highlighting his accomplishments in forestry.
Bill is survived by his six children, Chip and Teresa McGeehan, Kathy and Charles Chace, Mike and Vera McGeehan, Pat and Cindy McGeehan, Ann McGeehan and Sheila Purdy; 17 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Eva McGeehan; brother-in-law, Thomas Watts; 11 nieces and nephews and many, many dear friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Kay; a brother, Hugh McGeehan; a sister, Patricia Watts; his mother-in-law, Jessie Bowden; brothers-in-law, Jones and Floyd Bowden; and a sister-in-law, Margaret Bowden.
Bill's family will receive friends from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, November 10, 2015, at Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home.
Bill will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.
Bill's family suggests memorial contributions in lieu of flowers to the Conservation Federation of Missouri in care of Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home.
Those wishing to email tributes or condolences to the family may do so at the www.dulletrimble.com website.
Guestbook
We are very sorry to hear of the loss of your loved one. Please accept our condolences.
I did not know Col. William Francis McGheehan personally but I know from his obituary that he was a patriot of the first order, a decorated veteran and a POW of WWII. He clearly was a man of ambition and had an agile mind to become a dentist and a conservationist as well as a military careerist. God bless him and all others of his generation. Big shoes to fill!
Comfort and peace to all who knew and loved Dr. McGeehan. He was a great man.
So sorry for your loss. It’s been a long tough road for that well decorated man he’s with Kay now. Your in our thoughts and prayers.
Pat,
I’m really sorry for your loss. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers!
Pat,
I’m really sorry for your loss. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers!
Mike: Please accept our deepest heartfelt sympathy for your father’s passing. America thanks him for his brave service during World War II while serving with the U.S. Air Force. May he rest in God’s loving arms forever. May the good Lord be with his family & many friends as they will think of him often. Semper Fidelis.
Dear Family,
Sorry to learn of the passing of Bill. He was a great story teller and our dentist for many years. Please know that you will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
Dear Family,
Sorry to learn of the passing of Bill. He was a great story teller and our dentist for many years. Please know that you will remain in our thoughts and prayers.