William B. McKenna Sr. ’59

Bill died in Savannah, Ga., May 29, 2009.

A native and lifelong resident of Savannah, Bill came to Princeton from Portsmouth Priory School. Although he left Princeton in the fall of his sophomore year and transferred to the University of North Carolina, from which he graduated, the Orange and Black had made its mark on him. Both of Bill’s children graduated from Princeton: daughter Virginia in the Class of 1986, and son William in the Class of 1988.

Bill was a stalwart of the Savannah business community, where he managed the McKenna Supply Co. But his interests extended far beyond business and included political activities and civic involvement. He counted Sen. Sam Nunn, and Georgia Gov. and Sen. Herman Talmadge among his friends, and he co-chaired the 1984 re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. Lindsay Thomas.

On the civic side, Bill served as vice chairman of the Savannah Port Authority, vice chairman of the Savannah Airport Commission, and as a member of the Georgia state ethics commission and the state board of corrections.

In addition to his two children, Bill is survived by his wife, Marion, and four grandchildren. We have sent our condolences.