WILLIAM THOMAS MCGEE II

William “Bill” “Jolly” Thomas McGee II, 72, of Las Vegas, died peacefully, surrounded by his family June 24, 2019. Bill was born July 21, 1946, in Uniontown, PA. He graduated from St. John High School where he lettered in basketball, baseball, and lacrosse. He led his team to the state semifinals in basketball. In his typical, honest humor, he once stated, “I may have been the worst baseball player in the history of Fayette County”. He went on to earn his B.A. in Biology from St. Vincent College, where he lettered in Cross Country despite being a not-so-good runner. Years later, he earned his MBA in Economics from UNLV. Strong, kind, determined, and funny, Bill was also a voracious reader who had a hunger for learning throughout his life. He started his career teaching Biology and Chemistry at St. John and was an assistant Basketball Coach to the legendary James “Lash” Nesser. Focused yet dynamic, Bill later enjoyed his time working as a Slot Operations Supervisor and most recently, a Tax Specialist. His love and passion for youth and collegiate sports made him an outstanding official from 1973-2010. Bill served as President of the Southern Nevada Official’s Association (SNOA) from 1986-2002, the longest serving President in SNOA history. Between Basketball and Football, Bill worked more than 1,500 contests, including 15 State Championships. These accomplishments were recognized in 2017 when Bill was honored and inducted into the NIAA Hall of Fame. His love for the game (all of them, literally) made him a perfect fit as the official timer for UNLV’s Football and Basketball teams from 1992-2016, while also working as a timer for Big West, WAC, PAC 12, Mountain West, and other conference tournaments. Bill was known for his impeccable memory, sarcastic sense of humor, consistently kind attitude, and classic storytelling. There was no shortage of dad jokes or lifelong pieces of advice that were daily reminders for his kids. “Girls can do anything”, “Just do your best”, “Don’t complain, don’t explain”, and of course, always “put your napkin on your lapkin.” Above all, Bill was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He and Katie, his wife, celebrated 38 years of marriage on May 29. Through the grief, his memory will live on through his family, friends, countless stories, and the things he loved: old classic Western movies, Pepsi, hotdogs, chocolate, and crossword puzzles. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. W Ralston McGee and Marcia Justice McGee; his brother, Raymond Justice McGee; and his first wife, Sue Sleighter McGee. He is survived by his wife, Katie McGee; his children, Dr. Roddy McGee, Dr. Elizabeth McGee, Kelly McGee, and Kerry “K.C.” McGee; his grandchildren, Leo, Lou, Audrey, Madison, Brody, Ruby, and June; and his brother, Robert Ralston McGee. Family and friends are invited to attend a service honoring his incredible life at 1 p.m. Mon., July 1, at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church, 3050 W Alta Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89107. As a true testament to his legacy, a scholarship for scholar athletes has been created in his name at Wells Fargo -The William T. McGee II Scholarship Fund (account number 3433308495).