William Lee McElroy, beloved son, brother and uncle, was called home to our Lord on Friday, January 11, 2013 to the awaiting arms of his father, George W. McElroy, mother, Dorothy L. McElroy and brother James W. McElroy.
William was born the first son of a family of six in Hong Kong. He traveled the world extensively with his family in his early years, living in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and throughout the United States, and continued his travels throughout his life with many good friends and his sisters.
William’s penchant for learning afforded him several college degrees, including History, Interior Design, Environmental Design, and Architecture from the University of Washington and the California College of Arts and Crafts in Berkley, California and he specialized in lighting. He went on to establish his own Interior Design business in La Jolla, California and Seattle, Washington and pursued his true calling to be a teacher as Chair of the Design and Graphics Departments at Cornish College of Arts in Seattle, Washington for many years. Wiliam also taught at Bellevue Community College, Western Washington University, International Academy of Design and Technology, UC Berkely and several other colleges as a guest lecture, professor or staff member. His last job was working with his sisters, Linda and Ginger, in their family retail store, Barker Road Collection, that celebrated his family and the many travels they had all experienced.
William sat on many boards in support of the arts. He also continued to teach, even when he was very ill, as a volunteer at Group Health, teaching Living with Chronic Illness.
His passion and loyalty to his family and friends are his legacy. He was a devoted son, brother and uncle and he lived his life for those he loved and always expected the best of them. He appreciated life and all of its beauty and his faith sustained him.
William will live forever in the art that he created and the love he gave to so many.
William is survived by his sisters and their husbands, Linda and Jose Cajar and Ginger and Bill Shorey, and his niece, Arianna.
Rest well in God’s loving arms, 大哥Dà gē (Big Brother).
Donations in William’s memory are suggested to:
American Diabetes Association:
1730 Minor Ave
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 282-4616
American Heart Association:
National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231
(800) 242-8721
Group Health Hospice of Tacoma:
209 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
(253) 596-3300
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