Bill was the beloved husband of Stephanie Chase MacColl (1934-2017), and he is survived by daughter Lauren MacColl Maass and her husband Peter, son Ian Coats MacColl and his wife Dharma, his four grandchildren Emma, August, Julian and Lila, and his niece and goddaughter Deborah Coats Hart, daughter of his late sister Jean MacColl Hart. Bill is also survived by many members of the MacColl clan who reside in the United States and in Scotland.
Bill was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1928 to Mabel Coats MacColl and William Bogle MacColl Sr. After attending high school at Choate Rosemary Hall and later Brown University for several years, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1949. The Pensacola Flight School trained him over several years flying single engine propeller planes, leading to his commissioned officer status. This training proved vital to his participation in the Korean War. By 1953, Bill was assigned to Moffitt Field which brought him to California. This led to multiple assignments on the esteemed aircraft carrier the USS Oriskany where he continued to fly as an aircraft carrier pilot. With only the tailhook to land a plane on an aircraft carrier, Bill navigated these dangerous landings with precise and focused skill. The F6F Hellcat, the F5F Panther, and the F9F-6 Cougar represent some of many aircrafts that Bill piloted. His love of service lead Bill to the U.S. Navy Reserve at the Oakland Naval Air Station where he served as a Lieutenant, while living in San Francisco. Always a Navy man, Bill sported his wings pin on every jacket lapel. San Francisco Fleet Week was NEVER missed by the MacColl family, in particular the air show by the Blue Angels which thrilled all of us to no end.
After meeting Stephanie Chase in 1957 through mutual friends, they married in 1958 beginning a wonderful partnership of nearly 60 years until Stephanie’s passing in 2017. Sharing a true love of adventure, they traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and Africa, never missed a ski season at Sugar Bowl nor an après-ski drink at the Lodge’s Silver Belt Bar, hiked Yosemite’s High Sierra Camps, off-roaded in Idaho, spent regular weekends at Stinson Beach with the television tuned to football or car racing, and gathered with friends and family as often as possible. As a member of the Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club and a founding member of the Boho Bikers, Bill’s avid love for motorcycling took them on innumerable excursions touring the western states on Bill’s Harley Davidson motorcycle, including a trip to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Quite the couple, Bill and Stephanie lived their lives to the fullest with an infectious spirit and appreciation of all those around them. No question, they were a hoot!
Bill found camaraderie with fellow members of the University Club, the Pacific-Union Club of San Francisco, and the Bohemian Club for much of his adult life. He recently celebrated his 50th anniversary as a member of the Pacific-Union Club. While these memberships afforded Bill opportunities to engage with friends, he also played dominoes – his favorite pastime – on a weekly basis while sipping Jack Daniels on the rocks with a twist. Bill played a fierce game of dominoes, with a serious “poker face” and a strategic zest for the game, with matches and tournaments well into his early 90’s.
As a fervent hobbyist, Bill engaged endlessly in model boats and trains. Through regular Sunday visits to Stow Lake, also known as the “Boat Lake” in Golden Gate Park, Bill restored and operated his handcrafted model boats for decades, including his favorite steam engine craft called the Jenny Wilson. His active participation in the San Francisco Model Yacht Club brought Bill to donate his model boat collection to the organization. Working on intricate model train, airplane and military tank kits and collections occupied Bill’s time – he was considered a true “tinkerer” and hobbyist with such focused attention to detail. The “Beach Buggy”, a custom-made, three-wheeled sand vehicle – which he loved running up and down Stinson Beach pulling a trailer full of excited kids – represented the culmination of Bill’s love for building.
Most of Bill’s professional career was with Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco where he retired as a Vice President after 33 years. He later joined the Pacific Bank for several years. As an active member of the San Francisco community, Bill served for four decades as the treasurer for the Laguna Honda Hospital Volunteers Inc., later known as the Friends of Laguna Honda. His longtime service led to recognition as a Board Member Emeritus. Bill also volunteered for Friends of the Recreation and Parks and served annually as a member of the Floor Committee for the San Francisco Cotillion.
We are all thankful to have known such a warm and gregarious person as Bill MacColl, who was forever dedicated to his friends and family, always graciously making introductions to connect his community, while lighting up every room with a warm smile, handshake and hug. He was a terrific and genuinely “nice guy” and that is how Bill will be remembered.
The Rhoda Goldman Plaza (RGP) provided a caring environment for Bill in his final years, which included an abundance of his favorite vanilla ice cream sundaes. At RGP, Bill celebrated his years of service to the Navy (he shared photographs and stories at every opportunity) and his wonderful marriage to Stephanie, for which we are forever grateful.
A celebration of Bill’s life will be planned in the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone for tremendously enriching Bill’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Friends of Laguna Honda.
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