William Chester Mckeown

William Chester McKeown, age 96, died on August 16, 2017, Mansfield, Texas. There will be a private service in Council Bluffs, Iowa where Bill will be laid to rest with his beloved wife of 67 years, Virdell Claypool McKeown. Bill was born July 19, 1921 in a sod hut near Nenzel, Nebraska to parents George McKeown and Cecil Stephens McKeown. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, brother George Jr., sister Darlene McKeown Parker Gordon, and granddaughter Stacy McKeown.
Bill is survived by son Brad and wife, Connie, of Rock Hill, SC; son Scott and wife, Connie, of Tucson, AZ.; daughter Molly Melcher and husband Tom, of Mansfield, TX; six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.
Bill graduated from Thomas Jefferson HS in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He married Virdell in August 1942 then enlisted in the Army Air Force to serve his country in WWII from 1942 to 1946. He received a bronze service star in the northern France campaign. Bill worked as part of a three-man team and installed a blind landing system at Orly Field for our allied troops, outside of Paris. In his own words “There was shooting in the streets at night and no lights.” He returned home and with the GI Bill attended Iowa State University, graduated with honors in Industrial Arts, then went to work for the Mason City School District in Iowa. Later he received his Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Northern Iowa. He retired as Dean of Curriculum at North Iowa Area Community College in 1994. Bill was a long-term Rotarian and a member of the Masons.
Family, job, friends, and community service were always his top priorities along with the occasional round of golf. Summarizing his life, he said, “I have a great family, I’ve had great friends, I’ve done my duty as best I can, what more is there?” Bill traveled far and well from his sod hut beginning, rest in peace.
Condolences may be sent to http://www.blessingfuneralhome.net/obituaries/William-Mckeown-3/