Obituary of William (Bill) Dunlap McHenry

William Dunlap McHenry (1932 - 2023)

William D. McHenry (Bill) was born in 1932 to William Rodman and Bonita

Passehl McHenry in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He graduated from

Swarthmore High School in 1950. He was active in sports playing football,

co-captain his senior year. He also played basketball and lacrosse. He

graduated from Washington and Lee University from the school of

commerce and achieved a Masters Degree from the University of

Pennsylvania.

Bill was the captain of the last W&L subsidized football team. He was twice

named to the United Press International All-American team as an

honorable mention selection at Center. Bill also was a three year letterman

in lacrosse. Following his senior season, he played in the Blue-Gray

Football Classic in Alabama. He also played in the College All-Star game in

Chicago. He was a sixth-round draft pick of the Washington Redskins but

the Army drafted him at the same time so he never had the opportunity to

play. Following his service time, he was an assistant football coach at

Pennsylvania Military College (now Widner) for two years. He moved on to

Williams College as head lacrosse coach and freshman football coach for

three years. Bill then took over the Lebanon Valley College football team as

head coach and Athletic Director for ten seasons. His football teams won

the Mid-Atlantic Conference Championship two times. He and his brother,

Bob, started the lacrosse program at LVC as a major spring sport.

His alma mater called him back to W&L in 1971 where he took over as

Athletic Director and also coached football. Bill’s final assignment was at

the College of Wooster in Ohio as Athletic Director. During the summers,

Bill was on a staff of coaches who traveled to Italy, England, Scotland,

Ireland, Switzerland and Germany to assist in introducing American

Football to Europe. He retired from the College of Wooster in 1996.

Bill was active in the NCAA administration serving on numerous division III

committees. He was inducted into the National Athletic Directors Hall of

Fame (NACDA). He was also inducted into the W&L Hall of Fame, LVC Hall of Fame and

the State of Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.

Upon retiring to Hilton Head Island, Bill was on the Fellowship of Christian

Athletes (FCA) Board for 10 years and active with the FCA summer camps.

He worked with the Impact Mentoring program in Hilton Head schools. He

also worked with the fishing club during their summer camp. He and his

wife, Joan, worked with Heroes on Horseback for 9 years.

Bill stayed very active in his retirement exercising regularly. He and Joan

shared a love of swimming laps, playing tennis and bike riding together.

They were members of the EZ Riders Bike Club. They enjoyed skiing and

white water rafting in Colorado, trips to Sanibel Island, FL and Ocean City,

NJ where he spent his summers growing up.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Joan Acker McHenry, of 69 years. He is

predeceased by his brother, J. Robert McHenry and daughter, Deborah

McHenry Hennis. Bill is survived by his son, Robert Charles McHenry

(Lynette); six grandchildren, John (Tori), Katie (Jacob), Ryan (Candace),

Jordan, Austin, Adam, Kellan and Brendan; six great-grandchildren Mac,

Jack, Madeline, Emmet, William and Jacob; son-in-law, Patrick Hennis

(Melissa).

Bill was a great husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, coach and

friend.

A memorial service in honor of Bill will be held at First Presbyterian Church

in Hilton Head on Sunday, January 29th at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, please

consider a donation to the South Coastal FCA, PO Box 5192, Hilton Head,

SC 29938. Islandfuneralhome.com