William "Bill" Ervin McLellan, III

A bright light dimmed on Monday, August 12, 2024, when Bill McLellan went to be with his Lord and Savior. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 22, 2024, at First Baptist Church Birmingham with a visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Bill was born September 10, 1943, in Greenville, Mississippi. He graduated from Greenville High School Class of 1961. He earned a bachelor’s degree with Honors in Political Science from Mississippi State University in 1965, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He then received his Juris doctorate from the University of Mississippi in 1968.

Bill was a huge supporter of Mississippi State University, he was enthusiastic about all Bulldog athletics. Bill was an exceptionally talented piano player. He was especially excited to play music from the early rock and roll era. He was an avid reader, history buff and an armchair investigator of all things involving political scandals, unsolved mysteries, current events, crime and corruption. He had a tender heart for all his pets, including dogs, cats, a rabbit and “Giz” his feisty one-eyed cat.

Bill attended First Baptist Church Birmingham and was a member of the men’s Sunday School class, a class in which he was richly blessed. Having lived in Jackson, MS for most of his adult life, Bill enjoyed making Birmingham his home for the last four years. In his retirement, he enjoyed walking the track with Connie at the civic center, fishing, reading, writing, telling jokes (good and bad) and most of all being with his grandsons. He loved to watch them participate in all their activities and cheer them on. They will miss their Mac dearly.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Connie McLellan; their two children Jim William McLellan and Mara Ann (Shane) Kearney; his two grandsons John Foster Kearney and William Woods Kearney; niece Kelly Lott and multiple nieces and cousins. Bill was preceded in death by his father William Ervin McLellan, Jr. and his mother Marcelle McCain McLellan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First Baptist Church Birmingham, your local Humane Society or your charity of choice.

“O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” Psalm 71:17-18 ESV

Services are under the direction of Ridout's Valley Chapel (205-879-3401) in Homewood.