William Duncan McKay

William Duncan McKay went to his eternal rest on Sunday evening, April 29, 2012 following a year long struggle with cancer and heart disease. He was a resident of Cornelius, NC, a former resident of Fayetteville and a native of Red Springs. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Laura Jones and William Davis McKay. He went into the US Navy and World War II immediately following his high school graduation. He was among the troops that led the invasion of Normandy on the beach head in France and also the fleet that sailed down the Rhine for the liberation of Europe and D-Day. After the war, Bill attended East Carolina College in Greenville, NC. After his college years, Bill was a lifelong tobacco and cotton farmer in Red Springs. He worked for 29 years for The M. M. Smith, Allied Van Lines Company in Fayetteville. Survivors include his wife of nearly 30 years, Grace McLean McKay; 2 children, William Duncan McKay, II and wife Susan of Davidson, NC and Laurie McKay Tillman and husband Tommy of Savannah, GA; five grandchildren, Amanda Welsh, James Marion Welsh, Jr. and Kendall Sheill of Savannah, GA, William Duncan McKay, III and Meredith Rose McKay of Davidson, NC; four great grandchildren; a sister, Emily McKay Henderson of Charlotte; three nephews, James William Henderson of Charlotte, William McKay Henderson of Washington, and David Henderson of Harrisburg. Bill is also survived by his former wife, Dorothy Anderson McKay of Savannah, GA. Funeral Services will be 2:00 PM, Friday, May 4, 2012 at Philadelphus Presbyterian Church in Red Springs, NC with interment following in the Church Cemetery.