William "Bill" McLain

William “Bill” McLain passed away peacefully on February 7, 2025, at the age of 82, surrounded by his loving family after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Bill lived his life on his own terms. Born in Chicago, IL to Rex and Wilma McLain, Bill served honorably in the U.S. Army before furthering his education. He had so much fun, he experienced the offerings of several colleges before earning degrees from the Southern Illinois University and Loyola University Chicago School of Law. As an attorney specializing in property tax and litigation, he built a distinguished career. For over 30 years he was a respected and effective lobbyist at the Colorado State Capitol, which brought him immense pride and featured in many stories for the remainder of his life.

Bill was a man of deep integrity, unwavering courage, and abiding faith. He believed strongly in the rule of law, justice, and fairness — principles that were evident to anyone who knew him. One of his gifts was that he treated all people with the same level of respect and care regardless of who they were, whether they were a state senator or the wait staff at a restaurant. This quality, and many others, made him much loved and respected by those around him. He was also an avid parishioner who always loved to sing. His love for the hymns of his youth made him one the most ardent - and certainly one of the loudest - parishioners. For 15 years, he fought Parkinson’s disease with determination and without complaint, participating in numerous studies to advance the understanding of the disease.

Bill embraced any adventure that came his way, becoming a private pilot, sailor, motorcycle tourer, sports car driver, horseman, and actor in the Screen Actors Guild. He read countless books about the sordid history of gangster Chicago, and travelled extensively by land and sea, developing a particular love of Italian cars, culture, and coffee. Above all, Bill was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who cherished time with his

family and took great joy in sharing stories, laughter, karaoke, and wisdom with those he loved.

Bill leaves behind his beloved wife Kris McLain, his sister, Kathryn (Charles), his brothers, David (Pam) and Bruce McLain; his children Allen (Emma), David (Jll), Heather (Lauren), his stepson, Court (Alyx) and his cherished grandchildren Adelaide, Alastair, Dagny, Magnolia, Joseph, Micah, Kaiya, Mylee, and Cole.

A mass will be held in his honor at the Church of the Risen Christ on February 25 at 10 am followed by an interment at Ft. Logan National Cemetery.

In keeping with Bill’s generous spirit and commitment to helping others, donations in his honor may be made to the Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies, an organization dedicated to supporting research and care for those facing this disease. ****https://parkinsonrockies.org/get-involved/donate/