Obituary for William McCann

William H. McCann, resident of Ponca City, Oklahoma, passed away Saturday, September 12, 2015 in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He was 89.

Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 17, 2015 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father Kevin Ratterman officiating. Burial will then follow at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery. Casketbearers will be Luke McCann, Matthew McCann, Blake Cole, Bryan Cole, Bobby Cole, Ben Cole, Corey Cole, and Jared Harkins. Honorary Casketbearers will be Knights Of Columbus, Noon Lions, and Marine Corp League. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory.

A wake service will be 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 16, 2015 at Trout Funeral Home Chapel.

Bill was born on November 30, 1925 in Nutley, New Jersey to Henry James McCann and Ethel Margaret Rush. He graduated from Nutley High, Nutley, NJ in 1943 and then attended Rutgers University until his call to military service. He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II and participated in the battle at Okinawa, Japan from April 1, 1945 until July 2, 1945. He served in the Asiatic Pacific area from December 27, 1944 to May 16, 1946. Bill also participated in the ceremony at the surrender of the Japanese military forces in the area of Tsingtao, China on October 25, 1945. He married Mary Joan (Conery)McCann on September 13, 1952 and established their first home on Ampier Parkway, Bloomfield, New Jersey, later moving to Edison, New Jersey in 1959 and then to Ponca City, Ok in 1975. He started his career as a Stock Transfer Agent in New York City, working for the Pennsylvania Railroad, which later merged with New York Central Railroad and formed Penn Central Railroad. He worked for the railroad for 26 years. He later joined Conoco as a Stock Transfer Agent in Saddlebrook, New Jersey in 1972 and relocated to Ponca City, Oklahoma in 1975 where he continued to work for them until his retirement in 1985. Bill was passionate about the Green Bay Packers, OSU Cowboy Football, and the New York Yankees. He and Mary traveled here and abroad, enjoying concerts and plays at many different theatres. They often attended the annual Governor’s Ball.

Bill was a member of the Noon Lions for 36 years, served on the board of directors for Hospice of North Central Oklahoma. He was a 3rd degree Knights of Columbus, member of the Marine Corp League, also served as City Commissioner for Ponca City from 1993-1996.

Bill is survived by his son, Robert Morris McCann and wife Viki; son Christopher Steven McCann and wife Cynthia; daughter, Catherine Mary (McCann) Cole and husband Michael; grandchildren, MeganWard and husband Jamie, Bridget Bateman and husband Kevin, Luke McCann, Matthew McCann, Corey Cole and wife Melody, Blake Cole and wife Janet, Bryan Cole and wife Danikka, Robert Cole and wife Cheryll, Molly Cole, and Benjamin Cole. great grandchildren, Alexandra Ward, Preston Bateman, Gabe Bateman, Trenton Cole, Brylee Cole, Nathan Seals, Jamy McSmith, Taylee Slavin, Adam Cole, Matthew Cole, Kevin Cole, Ellyanna Cole, Carson Cole, Gavin Honeycutt, Aiden Cole, Steven Cole, Joseph Vallejo, Derick Cummings, and Coner Cummings; sister Eileen Crane and husband Frank; sister in law, Carolyn McCann and a host of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; grandson, Christopher Cole; great grandson, Bryan Cole; sister, Irene McCann; brother Michael McCann and his wife Helen; brother, Robert McCann.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to Saint Mary’s Catholic School foundation of Ponca City, 415 South 7th Street, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74601.

Source: Trout Funeral Home