William Scott McIlrath Jr.

William S. "Bill" McIlrath, Jr., a former college admissions officer who later served as Director of College Counseling at the Cranbrook/Kingswood schools near Detroit, died at home October 4, 2017. The Bloomfield Township, Mich. resident was 85. Born in Rochester, N.Y., Mr. McIlrath was the son of William Scott McIlrath, Sr., and Hazel Richmond McIlrath, who together owned and operated a small meat and food market. His father was a butcher, and his mother kept the books. Mr. McIlrath attended Rochester public schools and graduated in 1950 from the James Monroe High School. In 1954, after receiving a Bachelor's degree in sociology from Oberlin College, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served until 1956, training with the Army Security Agency, then the service's Signals Intelligence Agency, and was later posted to Fort Huachuca, in Arizona. After his discharge from the Army, Mr. McIlrath returned to Oberlin College, where he earned a Master's degree in English. "He worked for a while trying to write short stories and doing odd jobs around Oberlin," his wife, Pauline R. McIlrath, recalled. "But he got tired of the Bohemian life and was hired in 1960 as an admissions rep for Oberlin." He was serving as an admissions officer in 1962 when he interviewed an Oberlin applicant who, following her graduation, became his wife. He was later named Associate Director of Admissions. After leaving Oberlin College in 1972, Mr. McIlrath became the banquet manager at Presti's, a family-owned Italian Restaurant in Oberlin. In 1975, he returned to college administration, accepting a post as Director of Admissions at Knox College, in Galesburg, Ill. He left Galesburg six years later to become the Director of College Counseling at the private Cranbrook/Kingswood schools, in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where he assisted graduating seniors with their college selections and applications. "He gained the respect of his working peers at other schools, particularly for his written recommendations of Cranbrook/Kingswood students," Mrs. McIlrath said. He retired from Cranbrook/Kingswood in 1998. Friends and family remembered Mr. McIlrath as a modest, kind and friendly man, with a ready laugh. He often greeted passing strangers with a smile, a hearty greeting or a humorous quip, usually eliciting a warm reply. He loved animals and, on his daily walks got to know "every dog within a two-mile radius," his wife said. A supporter of the arts, Mr. McIlrath enjoyed music and theater. He also loved gardening and reading, favoring current events and histories, particularly books on World War II. He spent many hours working - and constructing - crossword puzzles. One of his proudest achievements was having several of his puzzles published by The New York Times. He contributed others to Simon and Schuster's crossword collections. In addition to his wife, Mr. McIlrath is survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws and friends. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 2:00 pm at the Wm. Sullivan and Son Funeral Home, 705 W 11 Mile Road (4 blocks E of Woodward), Royal Oak, MI 48067. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Bill's memory to the following organizations: International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation Make check payable to "IWMF" Mail to: IWMF 6144 Clark Center Avenue Sarasota, FL 34238 Beaumont Hospice Make check payable to "Beaumont Foundation" Note on memo line "Beaumont Hospice" Mail to: Beaumont Foundation PO Box 5802 Troy, MI 48007-9627 Cane and Able Stroke Club Make check payable to "Beaumont Foundation" Note on memo line "Cane and Able Stroke Club" Mail to: Beaumont Foundation PO Box 5802 Troy, MI 48007-9627

William Scott McIlrath Jr.

May 25, 1932 - October 4, 2017