William “Bill” Hayes McKillop

Wasilla resident William "Bill" Hayes McKillop, 66, died Dec. 20, 2011, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.

A celebration of Bill's life and memorial potluck is at 2 p.m., Jan. 8, 2012, at Palmer Elk's Lodge 1842, 2600 N. Barry's Resort Drive in Wasilla.

Bill was born Sept. 15, 1945, to Thomas and Rose (Hayes) McKillop in Bronx, N.Y., where he attended Theodore Roosevelt High School. He moved to Oregon in the 1960s and attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, where he earned degrees in psychology and sociology.

After moving to Alaska, Bill attended the Alaska Public Safety Academy in Sitka. Bill worked as a chief investigator and loss prevention manager for Montgomery Ward from 1970 through 1974. In 1973 and 1974, he was also chief investigator for the Alaska Public Defender's Office in Anchorage. He was a security guard on the pipeline working for Wackenhut in 1974 through 1976, and later as an assistant manager for Loomis-Smith Security.

Bill served the state of Alaska as a state trooper from 1976 through 1996. He was stationed in Anchorage, Ketchikan, Cooper Landing, St. Mary's and Palmer. It was recently said by a fellow trooper that "they don't make men like Trooper Bill anymore."

Bill met his wife, Carlene, in Ketchikan, and they were married April 21, 1982, in Kona, Hawaii. When Bill and his wife retired, they traveled coast-to-coast several times in their motorhome and settled in Las Vegas for three years before family obligations brought them back to Alaska.

Bill enjoyed golf, reading, travelling, singing watching "Jeopardy," collecting penguins and John D. MacDonald books. Bill was a member of Wasilla AMVETS Post 11, was past Exalted Ruler for the Fraternal Order of Elks and was a member of the American Legion, the VFW and the Moose Lodge. He was a life member of FOAST and APOA. Bill was happiest when his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were around. He was generous to a fault and made many lasting friends throughout his life.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Thomas; daughter, Lucinda Peterson; and sister in-law, Cheryl Dirkx.

He is survived by his wife, Carlene at the family home in Wasilla; daughters, Stephanie Gillen of Anchorage and Jennifer Korff of Wasilla; grandchildren, Nichole Gillen, Amanda Gillen, Timothy Oliver, Candace Peterson and Joshua Peterson; four great-grandchildren; sister in-law, Joyce McKillop of Concord, N.C.; brother in-law, Marc Dirkx of Salem, Ore.; and several nieces and nephews.

Bill's family is very grateful for the many people who have offered their assistance and condolences during their bereavement. May each of you be blessed in a very special way for your compassion and generosity. Special thanks to the Alaska State Troopers, AMVETS Post 11, Palmer Elks Lodge, Dr. Natalie Beyeler, Chief Tom Clemons, Susan Sprague, Perry Streeter and Louisa Allen for going that extra step to assist and support Bill and his family.