William McArdle

William D. McArdle, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Exercise Science at Queens College of the City University of New York, passed away on April 16, 2026 at the age of 86. He was born on November 23, 1939, and is survived by his beloved wife, Kathleen; their children Theresa (Christian), Amy (Jeff), Kevin (Nicole), and Jennifer (Andy); and his fourteen grandchildren Liam, Aidan, Dylan, Kelly, Owen, Henry, Kate, Grace, Elizabeth, Claire, Elise, Charlotte, and Sophia.

Bill earned his Bachelor of Science from Queens College, CUNY, his Master of Education from Springfield College, and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Michigan, where he trained under leading figures in the American College of Sports Medicine. He dedicated his career to the science of human performance, spending decades on the faculty at Queens College and eventually being named Professor Emeritus.

He was the co-author, with Frank I. Katch and Victor L. Katch, of "Exercise Physiology: Nutrition, Energy, and Human Performance" - a foundational textbook now in its ninth edition that has shaped the education of nearly half a million students and practitioners worldwide. He also served as Exercise Physiologist for Weight Watchers International, consulted with Jack LaLanne's European Health Spas, and lent his expertise to the FDNY, serving as an expert witness in the landmark Berkman case that opened the doors of the fire department to women.

A dedicated educator, mentor, and scientist, Bill's influence on the field of exercise physiology will be felt for generations. Yet for all his professional accomplishments, nothing compared to his family. His greatest joy came from bringing together his four children, their spouses, and all fourteen grandchildren. He and Kathy planned special trips for the family each year to places they held dear-Solitude Mountain in Utah, Villa Cofresi in Rincon, Puerto Rico, and maybe the most special place of all: The beach down the street from their home in Scott's Beach, Long Island, where on many a warm summer's eve, just as the sun was setting and the tide was high and smooth as glass, his grandkids swimming and playing in the water, Bill would look over to Kathy and say, "We did it, Kath. It doesn't get any better than this."