William Leon “Bill” McNair was born on May 25, 1938, in Montgomery. He died peacefully at his home on May 10 at the age of 83.
He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery in 1956. He was a 1961 graduate of Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama) where he was a four-year letterman in football and baseball. After college, he began his coaching career in Birmingham. McNair became a legendary football coach for 54 years coaching in Alabama and in Georgia. He won multiple state championships throughout his career.
In 2013, he was inducted into the Robert E. Lee High School Hall of Fame and in 2016, he was inducted into the Thomasville Sports Hall of Fame. He was an avid golfer, tennis player and fisherman. He loved his children and grandchildren and always set a positive example of hard work, dedication and toughness.
He was preceded in death by his parents Charles Leon McNair and Sara Johnson McNair.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Gay Carter McNair; children, Camelle McNair (Sean) Coley of Fairhope and William Leon (Johanna) McNair II of Thomasville; four grandchildren, Sonya McNair (Jeff) Nance of Alabaster, Conner McNair (Alex) Veasey, Florence, Ann Carter (Logan) Cowart of Selma, Jebidiah Davis of Fort Hood, Texas, great-granddaughter, Katherine Bailey Cowart of Selma; sister, Sara Charles McNair Gross of Montgomery and sister-in-law, Glenda Ann Dozier (Ricky) Criswell of Thomasville.
A very special thanks to the wonderful caregivers who were so caring and kind to the very end. Thank you to Kittie, Dawn, Naomi, K’Dejah, Mary Ann, Tandra and Sondra.
A visitation was held at Choctaw Corner Cemetery in Thomasville on Thursday, May 12 from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. with the service following.
