William David McDonnell's Obituary
William “Bill” McDonnell passed away peacefully on August 20, surrounded by his
family. Bill was born on February 6, 1950 in Philadelphia, PA to the late William and Ann
McDonnell.
He is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Michele McDonnell, his sisters Maureen
Green (Clay), Bonnie Anderson (Paul Kilgore), Kathy Bishop (Harry), Sister-in-law
Heather Gradel, Brother-in-law Michael Gradel, niece Kelly Erb (John), nephew David
Green (Denise) and many great nieces and nephews.
Bill was a Veteran who proudly served his country with the United States Air Force as a Mechanic, Crew Chief and Sergeant working on various Jet Aircraft including F4 Phantoms. After the service Bill drove tractor trailer transport, concluding his career with JVP and Bridgestone Firestone. Bill and Michele relocated to St. Augustine, Florida in 2017.
“Billy Mac” could light up a room in any setting. He enjoyed playing guitar over the years
at local venues in the Warminster, PA area. His hobbies included reading, firearms and
motorcycles. His “jokester” personality would calm, comfort and delight. He was the life
of the party with his storytelling, making those around him happy. His quick wit and
sense of humor never failed to bring forth “the belly laughs”. Bill was well versed and
could expound on many topics. To his loved ones and friends, he was authentic, loving
and down to Earth. Bill was larger than life.
Bill was a devoted husband, brother and uncle. Michele was the love of his life and he
delighted in making her happy. One of his favorite sayings was, “flexibility has won many
a war”; which, he exemplified throughout their marriage. Fiercely protective of his
sisters and family, he was always there for them. He was much loved and will be sorely
missed. To his family, he is irreplaceable.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to UFHEALTH SHANDS Liver Transplant, https://giving.ufhealth.org/
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