Rev. Willis McGill

Rev. Willis McGill, 97, of the Shenango on the Green, New Wilmington, died at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009, at the Shenango Presbyterian Senior Care.

Born on July 30, 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio, a son of Ralph Gibson and Flora Kerr McGill. He grew up in Cairo, where his father was on the faculity of the Evangelical Seminary. When Willis was 14. his father drowned trying to rescue people taken by a strong undertow in the Mediterranean Sea.

Willis graduated from Westminster, then attended the Presbyterian seminary in Pittsburgh. He married the former Anne McAuley in 1937 and that same year he and his new bride left to serve as missionaries in Egypt. While he enjoyed teaching in the seminary, he also served in the Army Corps of Engineers in 1942 during the war.

He was a missionary 40 years representing the United Presbyterian Church in Egypt.

In retirement he served on the museum committee for Cultural Artifacts at Westminster College, where he was a major donor and researcher of Roman and ancient Egyptian artifacts. He had an active interest in volunteering knowledge as a tutor to Westminster students and others in the community.

He is survived by three sons, Willis A. McGill II M.D. and wife Robin of Swanton, Md. and Jon Gibson “Gib” McGill and wife Merrianne of Volant, and Gene Macolm “Kim” McGill and his wife Kathy Offutt McGill of Oakton, Va.

In addition to his parents, he was preceeded in death by his wife and two sisters, Evelyn McGill and Lois McGill Sturgeon.

Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Smith Funeral Home, 310 W. Neshannock Ave., New Wilmington.

A service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Ralph Hawkins, pastor of the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Dr. Joseph Hopkins officiating. Burial will follow at Fair Oaks Cemetery, New Wilmington.

Contributions may be given to Friends of the McGill Library at Westminster College.

Please sign the guestbook at www.legacy.com/ncnewsonline/Obituaries.asp.