FARMINGTON — William John “Jack” McKee Jr. of Kingfield, passed away on Wednesday, May 22, at Sandy River Nursing Home.

Jack was born on Nov. 7, 1924, at Mt. Jackson, Pa., (near New Castle), the son of the late William John McKee Sr. and Lois Gibson McKee. He graduated from North Beaver Township High School in Mt. Jackson in June 1942, and one week later, enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served in the Pacific and elsewhere until 1946, when he returned home and during the next two years, he met and married Margaret Ellen Brown on Dec. 22, 1948, a marriage that lasted nearly 63 years.

After trying his hand at several different jobs and having four children at home, McKee began a newspaper career in 1956 as sports writer and city editor for both the Greenville (Pa.) Record-Argus and the Meadville (Pa.) Tribune and was a part-time sportscaster for WGRP Radio in Greenville. During the early 1960s, McKee also enrolled at Thiel College in Greenville, from which he graduated in 1965, with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Upon his graduation, he became that school’s public relations director.

In spring of 1967, McKee was named the administrative assistant to Congressman Joseph Vigorito of what was then the 24th (now the 20th) District of Pennsylvania. McKee held that post in Washington from spring 1967 until 1971, when he left there to become staff director for the National Society of Professional Engineers in Washington, D.C., a position he held until his retirement in 1984. During this tenure, he was named NSPE’s Man of the Year in 1979.

The McKee’s moved to Kingfield in September 1984 to begin Jack’s so-called retirement. He began by becoming a part-time reporter and guest columnist for the Lewiston Sun newspaper. He took immense interest in community affairs in Franklin County as he was deeply involved in bringing a new elementary school to Philips and a new health care facility, a new town water system and a Poland Spring bottling plant to Kingfield, among other things. During these years, McKee also served on the State Board of Education and was a frequent substitute teacher in the Mt. Abram (SAD 59) area.

He was a lifelong committed churchman. He held many posts, was a frequent lay speaker, taught adult church school classes and sang in choirs, choruses and as soloist as a member of Bethel United Presbyterian Church in Enon Valley, Pa., Hillside United Presbyterian Church in Greenville, Pa., Epiphany Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Va., Georgetown Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C., and Kingfield United Methodist Church in Kingfield. In recent years, he had held the post of lay leader of the Central Maine District of the New England United Methodist Conference.

He was an avid reader of history and politics and was interested in sports, with a lifelong love of both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates and was becoming an avid Penguins fan as well. He himself stayed active. After years of slo-pitch softball, he began a disciplined running career in his 50s, running several marathons annually, culminating in his run at the Boston Marathon in 1984. He also sang with the Sandy River Barbershop Chorus.

Jack McKee is survived by his four children, Susan Thomas McKee Schulz of Portland, the Rev. John Stuart McKee and wife, the Rev. Lisa McKee, of Summersville, W.Va., Greta Crawford McKee Beede and husband, David Beede, of Lake Worth, Fla., and Ann Blair McKee of Kingfield; one sister, Mary Ann McKee Gwin and husband, Cliff Gwin, of Houston, Texas; four grandchildren, Robert Michael Schulz Jr. and wife, Corrie Washow, of Durham, Brian James Schulz and wife, Kate McCurdy Schulz, of North Reading Mass., Rebecca Marie Schulz and husband, Eric David Giles, of Baiting Hollow, N.Y., and Megan McKee Kindred Reynolds and husband, Jerry Reynolds, of Jacksonville, Fla.; 10 great-grandchildren, Keifer McKee Schulz, Cooper Riley Schulz, Kiernan McKee Schulz, Maggie Marie Schulz, Asher James Schulz, Ella Rose Giles, Lucas Grant Giles, Maya June Reynolds, Jacob Reynolds and Brody Scott Reynolds; and 11 nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, (his mother on Thanksgiving Day 1975 and his father in 1987); his wife, Margaret on Nov. 12, 2011; one sister, Carolyn McKee Hobbs in 2004; one niece; and one nephew.

Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with Jack’s family on his tribute wall at www.wilesrc.com.

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