William Prewitt McCann

Bill McCann was born April 16, 1937, in Lexington, Kentucky, to James William McCann, who worked for the Lexington Army Depot and Kentucky Growers Water Company, and to Anna Howard McCann, a homemaker, who also worked during the war effort to manufacture supplies and equipment for the United States military.

Bill McCann enjoyed his life. He had a wonderful life.

Bill’s childhood was filled with adventure and love, growing up in a house along with 4 brothers and one sister: Les McCann, Carma McCann (Henderson), Calvert McCann, Jamann McCann, and Donald McCann. The family enjoyed hunting and fishing, photography, writing, music, and community involvement. The McCann residence was the destination everyone came to visit, sit on the porch, and have a great conversation and friendship.

Bill joined the church at an early age and had fond memories of membership and fellowship, attending Shiloh Baptist Church with his parents and siblings in Lexington, Kentucky.

Graduate of P. L. Dunbar High School in Lexington, Kentucky, and tech school while in the United States Army. Bill McCann served in the US Army, stationed at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, where he specialized in Electronics, Security, Sonar, Radio Transmissions, Radar, and other Army Intelligence, Electronics, and Communications.

Early in his life, Bill specialized in photography at WLEX-TV and the City of Lexington Waste Management.

Bill met Penny while working at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. They were inseparable, got married, and 2 children were born of the marriage. Bill had 2 children from a previous marriage.

Married to Penny McCann since the 1960s, in sickness and in health, till death did they part.

His IBM journey began in his hometown, Lexington, Kentucky. Penny connected Bill to a great opportunity with IBM Lexington campus, where he was hired and thrived. He often spoke of how he was part of the change that helped Black employees enjoy equal rights and opportunities in the 1960’s and 70’s.

In 1970, Bill transferred with several hundred colleagues to work at the newly built IBM plant in Austin, Texas, where he worked in the Development Lab and ultimately became a member of the IBM Management Team. He furthered his education by attending technical school and management training through IBM. Bill was innovative and always found new ways to improve products, services, production, and quality. He was an advisor to many, often sought out for help and guidance. Bill retired from IBM after almost 30 years of service.

He enjoyed 2 decades of retirement, filling his time creating inventions, fishing wherever he found water, always learning, traveling, and finding new friends. He could fix anything. He loved electronics, wood projects, model airplanes, motorcycles, batteries, engines, fishing with his grandkids, fishing with his friends, and fishing with Penny.

He followed Track and Field, especially The Dibaba Sisters from Ethiopia and Fred Kerley from Taylor, Texas.

Bill McCann would make sure to watch a Tennis match if Venus and Serena were playing, or Roger Federer, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Gaël Monfils, Madison Keys, Althea Gibson, or Arthur Ashe.

An avid movie lover, in retirement, Bill enjoyed casting calls and getting roles as a background actor in several movies filmed in Central Texas.

He made friends wherever he went. He loved to learn about people, interact, and talk.

He loved to travel, often visiting his brother in Los Angeles, California, his sister in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and his extended family in Lexington, Kentucky. He also enjoyed road trips in Texas to Galveston, Houston, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi.

He loved great music, Jazz, R&B, and Soul. Reel to reels, cassette tapes, turntables. Chaka Khan was one of his most favorite artists, along with Bruno Mars, MC Hammer, Les McCann, and Roberta Flack.

In his 80’s, he battled Prostate Cancer and Kidney disease. Two months shy of his 89th birthday, Bill McCann was called home, together with his parents again, grandparents, sister Carma McCann Henderson, and brothers Les McCann, Jamann McCann, Donald McCann, and Calvert McCann.

Bill McCann is survived by his wife, Penny McCann, and daughters Ingrid McCann-Mays (Paul Mays) and Morgana McCann. He is also survived by a daughter and son from his first marriage, Tonie McCann and Don McCann. Bill is also survived by grandchildren Bryant, Jamal, Shelton, Michael, Neica, Latasha, Don Jr., and 8 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660, on March 14, 2026, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

A Memorial Service will take place at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660, on March 14, 2026, at 1:00 pm.