William Frederick McInerney

The McInerney family mourns the loss of the late, great William “Bill” Frederick McInerney, who passed away on the morning of February 2, 2025, at the age of 86. After suffering a fall and head trauma, he was lovingly accompanied by his daughters and niece as he passed. His sharp mind and enduring presence made his sudden loss deeply felt by those who knew and loved him.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, mentor, and friend, Bill is remembered as a man of immense kindness, a generous heart, and an unwavering intellect. His presence was a gift to all who knew him.

Born on April 2, 1938, to James and Frances McInerney, Bill was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended St. Xavier’s and St. Vincent’s Prep Schools before earning his degree from Carnegie Mellon University (formerly Carnegie Institute of Technology).

In 1960, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was selected for Officer Candidate School. He later served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and was stationed on Midway Island.

Bill built a distinguished career as a civil and environmental engineer, managing the design and construction of multimillion-dollar water infrastructure projects worldwide. His work spanned water and wastewater treatment facilities, reservoirs, pump stations, domestic water lines, sewer collection systems, irrigation, and flood control projects. His early career took him to Latin America in the late 1960s, where he worked on clean water projects in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, later contributing to major water projects in Egypt along the Nile.

As a project manager, Bill had a reputation for delivering critical infrastructure with an eye for precision and detail. His work included the design of major reservoirs such as the Vineyard Reservoir for Rancho California Water District, the Arlington Desalter Enhancement Project, the Prado 2 Reservoir, the Via Vaquero Reservoir, and many others. His dedication to ensuring access to clean water for communities remains a lasting legacy.

Forever an intellectual, Bill’s greatest idol was Albert Einstein. He delighted in his subscriptions to The New York Times and Foreign Affairs, always eager to engage in thoughtful discussions on history, science, and global affairs.

Bill is survived by his wife, Geraldine McInerney; his beloved children, Bridget Abramson and Clare McInerney; son-in-law, Jacob Abramson and his cherished grandson, Theodore Abramson.

One of the most common refrains from those who knew him was that Bill was like a second father to many and an extraordinary mentor to even more. He left this world better than he found it, filling it with kindness, wisdom, and laughter. His absence is deeply felt, but his legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched.