Obituary of William E McQuaid

After a long, courageous fight with cancer, William (“Bill”) E. McQuaid passed away in his home, surrounded by the love of his family, on April 15, 2021 at the age of 69. The same grit and sense of humor that persevered throughout Bill’s life never subsided during his battle with cancer. No one understood this more than his partner in life, his loving wife, Sandy.  

 
The son of Jack and Betsy McQuaid, Bill grew up in Carbon Hill, Ohio alongside his brother, Jackie and his aunt,  Jane Levins Taggart, who was more like a sister to him. His childhood passions included racing anything gas powered from go-karts to dirt bikes. Bill always used to say that, “If I wasn’t first, it means that I crashed”.  At the age of 17, he enlisted in the Navy and started his 21-year career in the military from 1969-1990.  While on deployment in Maine, he met the love of his life, Sandy Berube. With the help of his dance moves, he swept her off her feet and they soon were married in 1972. Together, they raised their two children, Billy McQuaid and Sherry Bruening, and traveled the globe while in the service for the Navy. He retired as Senior Chief and continued his government service as a civilian employee at SPAWAR, which led Bill and Sandy to Summerville, South Carolina.   
 
After retiring from civil service, Bill enjoyed every day to the fullest. He found much happiness on the golf course, hitting balls long and hard (but not always straight) with his close friends.  Bill and Sandy also would spend many summers up in Maine on David Pond, fishing for bass in his favorite fishing holes.  Above all else, “Grandpa” cherished his time spent with his family: his beloved wife, his son, Billy (bonus daughter Kerry) McQuaid and daughter, Sherry (bonus son Joey) Bruening and grandchildren, Maddox, Brady, and Danica.  His “Grandpa jokes” were legendary and will forever be remembered by his grandkids.  
 
Surviving, in addition to his immediate family, are his brother Jackie McQuaid and his wife Gloria, and his aunt, Jane Levins Taggart and her husband Terry. 
 
Due to current COVID restrictions, friends and family are welcome to attend a celebration of his life at a time and place to be determined that will allow us to truly celebrate his life in the way Bill would have wanted.