McGuire, William Francis
Dr. William Francis McGuire, Bill to his friends, passed away January 20, 2016, at LewisGale Hospital-Pulaski in Pulaski. Born April 22, 1924, in Clifton Forge, he was the son of Lawrence Cornelius and Clara Maude Powell McGuire.
Dr. McGuire attended Virginia Tech for two years before joining the United States Navy where he served for three years as a radar technician on Destroyer Escort 213, USS William T. Powell, in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean waters.
After the Navy, he completed his education at the University of Virginia, graduating from the University of Virginia Medical School in 1951. After interning in St. Louis, Mo., and completing a residency in Urology at Bowman-Gray in Winston-Salem, N.C., he moved with his wife and two young children to Pulaski. Given several choices of places to live, he said that it was Claytor Lake that drew him to the area.
Dr. McGuire was instrumental in the growth of medical service in Pulaski and Southwest Virginia. For 20 years, he was the only urologist between Bristol and Roanoke. He worked with other area physicians to spearhead the construction of the Pulaski Community Hospital. He was a past president of both the Southwestern Virginia Medical Society and the Virginia Urological Society. Dr. McGuire served on the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Malpractice Review Panel for several years. He was a member of the American Medical Association and the Medical Society of Virginia.
When he was not at work, Dr. McGuire spent as much time as possible at his cabin on Claytor Lake. He loved water sports, especially boating, water skiing and teaching others to ski. He also enjoyed piloting a small airplane, snow skiing, traveling, amateur carpentry, repair work in his workshop and learning about computers. He was active in the First United Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir for many years, and also in the Rotary Club of Pulaski.
In 1974 Bill married his second wife, Carolyn, and together they built a permanent home on Claytor Lake. He said that he was always happiest when he was at the lake and sharing his favorite place with his family and friends.
Dr. McGuire practiced medicine for 48 years until his retirement in 2003 at age 79. He continued water and snow skiing and proudly accepted his free lift tickets after turning 75. He began mentoring children at Claremont Elementary school and said that he felt he learned more from the children than they learned from him.
Dr. McGuire was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Courtney; sister, Dorothy Bunch; and stepson, Haney Hodges. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; daughter and son-in-law, Jamie and Ed Kirby of Greenville, N.C.; and son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Donna McGuire of Houston, Texas. His granddaughter and her husband, Anna and Ethan Malykont, and their two daughters live in Los Angeles, Calif. His grandson and wife, Will and Hayden Kirby, and their daughter live in Chapel Hill, N.C. He has three stepsons, Kenny, Tim and Rob (wife, Misty) Hodges, all of Pulaski. His other grandchildren include Jeb Hodges(wife, Sarah) of Bland, and Abby and Rachel Hodges of Pulaski. He had five great-grandchildren.
The family would like to express gratitude to Ann Vaught and Marie Lester for their personal care and attention in the home during recent years. They would also like to commend the medical staff members at LewisGale Hospital-Pulaski for their professional and compassionate attention to Dr. McGuire and his family.
A celebration of life will be held at First United Methodist Church in Pulaski on Wednesday, January 27. Visitation will begin 1 p.m. and the service will begin at 3 p.m.In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to First United Methodist Church of Pulaski or to the Friends of Claytor Lake.
Arrangements by Stevens Funeral Home, Pulaski.