William S. McCardle Jr. ’65

Bill, whom we also knew as Mac, died Nov. 23, 2011, in Monterey, Calif., after a six-year battle with cancer.

He came to Princeton from Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, where he played soccer and basketball and ran track. In June 1966, Bill married his high school sweetheart, Barbara “Moxie” Bach, and headed west, receiving his law degree from the University of California at Davis before working in the legal division of the California Welfare Department in Sacramento under Ronald Reagan. Bill also served in the Army Reserve in San Francisco, working with Vietnam War burn victims.

From 1972 to 2002, Bill served as a deputy district attorney in Monterey County and top felony prosecutor. In 1988, he tried a 17-year-old murder case opposing famous defense attorney Melvin Belli. Bill was a brilliant lawyer and a fierce advocate for victims of crime. He brought intelligence, eloquence, and an impressive presence to his work.

Bill loved to hunt along the Big Sur Coast and constantly pursued golf — a passion that began at Princeton’s golf course, where he could be found almost daily every spring.

The class extends sympathy to his wife, Barbara; daughters Kerry and Laura; and grandchildren Kayla, Mac, Jordan, and Lee.