John Arch McGill

WWII Veteran John Arch McGill peacefully entered eternal rest on Oct. 29, 2022, at home in Houston, Texas. He was born Aug. 2, 1923, in Okolona, Ark., firstborn of Archibald McGill and Florie Elvira Peters McGill. Preceding him in death was his wife of 74 years, Cornelia Roberta Mellard McGill during the 2021 COVID-2 pandemic; his sister, Jean Anne McGill; and brother, Robert Lee McGill. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Frances Clark McGill of Little Rock, Ark.; his children, John Robert McGill (wife Grace) of Alva, Fla., Marci McGill Alvis (husband Steve) of Houston; and Jan McGill Elmore (husband "Chip" Miller) of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas; seven grandchildren, Brad Elmore (wife Rebecca) of Houston, Russell Elmore (wife Ann Clark) of Houston, Jill Kraft (husband "JR") of Austin, John Elmore of Austin, Austin Alvis (wife Holly) of Houston, Andrew Alvis (wife Paige) of Houston, and Londell Aberdeen of Portland, Ore.; and 17 great-grandchildren. John joined the Army Air Corps following graduation from Okolona HS in 1942. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and following the war a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. John attended Henderson State College in Arkadelphia, Ark., where he met his sweetheart, Cornelia (Connie). He always said, "it was love at first sight!" After transferring to UT Austin Connie and John were married in 1946. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1949 on the GI bill. Following a brief stint with Union Carbide at Port Lavaca, Texxas, he began a long-term employment relationship with E. I du Pont de Nemours beginning in Orange, Texas. He worked for du Pont in the following cities: Orange, Texas, Victoria, Texas, Wilmington, Del., and Old Hickory Lake, Tenn. During the 1960's he and Connie raised their three children on an 18-acre ranchette in Victoria. As an expert carpenter, he built a red barn and crossed fenced the property. Weekends found him in his workshop or on his Ford 8N tractor. John served on the Board of the Methodist Church and was involved with youth ministries as well as a Gideon for Gideon's International. At age 55, he completed his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot and purchased a Piper Cherokee! As a prolific inventor, he was awarded a United States Patent on an airless wheel/tire design (US Patent No. 10,889,148) when he was 97 years old! On Nov. 7, 2022, he was laid to rest in the McGill family plot in the Dobyville Cemetery at Okolona, Ark., with full military honors. We are so proud of our father/grandfather/great-grandfather and will miss him dearly. Visit ruggleswilcox.com for memorial video. Donations can be made to Gideons.org for the distribution of Bibles.