Obituary of Bill McKeough
TO VIEW THE LIVESTREAM OF THE SERVICE FOR DR. BILL McKEOUGH CLICK HERE
Dr. William Paul (Bill) McKeough
July 10, 1956 – March 28, 2026
Bill died peacefully at home, surrounded by love and family, due to multiple system atrophy. Bill was born in London, ON, the youngest of William and Dorothy McKeough’s three children. Elder sisters Maureen and Cathy doted on him from day one. Bill was a proud alumnus of St. Peter’s Choir School—where he met his best friend Frank—and Catholic Central High School. He was student council president at CCH and was delighted to dust off his letterman jacket in 2022 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of CCH football’s city conference championship. After an undergraduate at the University of Western Ontario, he completed his medical education at University of Toronto (“Canada’s flagship medical school”, as he would jokingly remind the other doctors in the family) where he was elected valedictorian of his medical class. He cherished friendships from his school days throughout his life. It was at U of T that he met Nancy, his wife of 42 years and love of his life. Bill practiced briefly in Burlington while Nancy was completing her medical education. They then returned to London and welcomed their children Rob, Meredith, and Tom. Bill established a broad-scope family medicine practice at Carling Heights Medical Centre, subsequently moving to Stoney Creek Medical Centre. Bill’s patients will remember his compassion, humour, and clinical acumen; his younger patients—many of whom he delivered—will remember the “butterfly kisses” that helped ease the sting of their immunizations. His colleagues will remember him as a steady and dedicated leader. He served as Chief of both Family Practice and Palliative Care at St. Joseph’s and later University Hospital, and took on several leadership roles in the London Family Health Team. The many learners who benefited from Bill’s clinical teaching carry his legacy forward with them into their practice. He was ever grateful to his patients for their role in educating the next generation of physicians. A man of diverse interests, Bill cultivated many friendships through golf, tennis, and several different choirs throughout his life. He had an abundant curiosity about the world and always had a book, podcast, or documentary on the go. We cherished time together at the cottage, watching sunsets and enjoying the company of family and friends. There were endless laughs, beach bocce, and “ice-cream-o’clock” at any time. He was a devout Catholic, inspired by his faith to do good in the world. He listened intently and without judgement and provided wise and compassionate counsel to all who sought it.Bill’s warmth, humour, and wit will be lovingly remembered by his adored wife Nancy; his children Rob (Liz), Meredith (Mitch), and Tom (Una); grandchildren (current and pending); sisters Maureen Guichelaar (Adrian) and Cathy Brudenell; sisters-in-law Deb Schram (Bob), Patty Allen (Larry), and Martha Cram (Stefan Nowak); and many nephews, nieces, friends, and colleagues. We are very grateful to Dr. George Kim; Dr. Mary Jenkins; nurse Carrie Ielapi; the staffs of Medical Priorities, Closing the Gap/Paramed, and Ontario Health at Home; and Fr. John Comiskey for the care they provided Bill throughout his lengthy illness and his final days.
Visitors will be received at John T. Donohue Funeral Home, 362 Waterloo St. at King St., on Tuesday March 31 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Parish, 777 Valetta St., on Wednesday, April 1, at 1 p.m. To join the livestream please CLICK HERE Inurnment at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
We wish his time with us had been longer, but it could not have been better spent. In his memory, share a laugh and a bowl of ice cream with somebody you love. In lieu of flowers, donations to a charity of your choice would be gratefully received.
