Bob McKillip
Born: March 15, 1932
Died: March 5, 2011
Robert S. McKillip was the son of Howard and Mary Donovan McKillip of 22 Ampersand Avenue. He attended Saranac Lake High School, where he played string bass in a local orchestra and dance band. He graduated in 1949.
He graduated from Paul Smith’s College with a degree in resort management in 1952, and then attended Michigan State, graduating in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management.
Following graduation, he worked in food service at Michigan State until 1958 when he became food service manager at Georgetown University Hospital, and later at Bowling Green University.
In 1960, he returned to Saranac Lake to become the first manager of the Hotel Saranac for Paul Smith’s College, which had just purchased the hotel to use as a practicum site for it’s hotel and restaurant students. He also supervised students at Disney World. He became head of the college’s program in 1968, and later instituted a Travel and Tourism program, and a Business Administration program. In 1977, he became the business manager of the college, while continuing to teach part time.
He earned a master’s degree in education from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1970.
He retired from Paul Smith’s College in 1984 and then became food service manager at the Saranac Lake General Hospital, where he worked until 1988.
He worked as an Election Day official and inspector for many years, and was named Franklin County Democrat of the Year.
He worked as a volunteer in the Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library for thirteen years, selecting pictures and writing captions for the historical pictures that have been published weekly in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Many authors used his historical knowledge of the area in books and magazine articles.
He was on the Board of Directors of the Saranac Lake Golf Club, and he served as an official of the DeChantal Tenants Association, as treasurer of the Saranac Lake Lions Club, on the St. Bernard’s Parish Council and as an usher for St. Bernard’s Church. He was an official at the Lake Placid cross country track and ski jumps from 1963 to 2004.
He was a member of the Saranac Lake Knights of Columbus for 36 years and was awarded an honorary Life Membership. Bob was involved in many charity projects and ran the bingo program for the Saranac Lake Council. From 1997 to 2008 he was grand knight and held many other offices over the years. The Saranac Lake Order of the Elks gave him an honorary life membership three years ago. He was North District Chairman of youth activities and community activities for eight years, and was elected state Vice President of the North District.
Source: Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 16, 2011
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 18. 2011
Robert S. McKillip
SARANAC LAKE —
Robert S. McKillip, the son of Howard and Mary Donovan McKillip, died on Saturday, March 5, 2011.
He was born March 15, 1932.
He graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1949, where he was a string bass player in a local band, orchestra and dance band.
In 1952, he graduated from Paul Smith’s College with a degree in resort management. He then went to Michigan State, where he graduated in 1954 with a bachelors degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management. In 1970, he received his master’s degree in education from SUNY Plattsburgh.
Bob spent 34 years in food service. He worked at Michigan State from 1954 to 1958. In 1958, he became food service manager at Georgetown University Hospital. Bowling Green was his next stop. In 1960 he supervised students at Disneyland and worked part time for Ron Butler at Howard Johnson. Bob left Disney to become the first manager of the Hotel Saranac and student instruction. He was proud of the many successful students he taught who went on to work for Holiday Inns, Howard Johnson’s, Marriotts, Hiltons, Sheratons, Stouffers, Days Inns, Walt Disney World and Red Lobster. He retired from Paul Smith’s College in 1984 and then became food service manager at the General Hospital of Saranac Lake. Not able to sit still, he also worked part-time at the Blue Line Sports Shop.
Bob was a third-generation Democrat. He spent more than 30 years attending Democratic meetings and functions. His family was such stout Democrats that Geraldine Ferraro stopped at his house to see his mother and him the year prior to her run for vice president. He has worked as an Election Day official and inspector for longer than anyone can remember. He was named Franklin County Democrat of the Year, where they had a golf tournament at the Malone Country Golf Club in his honor.
He worked as a volunteer in the Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library. For 13 years he selected pictures and did the captions for the historical pictures that have been published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Many authors used his historical knowledge of the area in books and magazine articles. His name is mentioned several times.
Golf was a sport he played since 1968. He was on the Board of Directors of the Saranac Lake Golf Club, played in the couples’ league on Monday nights and was a spotter for Interclub Play.
Bob was an official of the Dechantel Tenants Association, the treasurer of the Saranac Lake Lions Club, served on the St. Bernard’s Parish Council and was an usher for St. Bernard’s Church. He was a calculation official at the Lake Placid cross-country track and ski jumps from 1963 to 2004. He was a member of the Saranac Lake Knights of Columbus for 36 years and was awarded an honorary Life Membership. Bob was involved in many charity projects and ran the bingo program for the Saranac Lake Council. From 1997 to 2008 he was grand knight and held many other offices over the years. The Saranac Lake Order of the Elks gave him an honorary life membership three years ago. He was North District Chairman of youth activities and community activities for eight years, and was elected state Vice President of the North District. He organized the Elks’ tag day for a scholarship every year, cooked and worked most dinners, did all the paperwork at the Elks “Hoop Shoot” and “Soccer Shoot,” and served as esquire for the past 10 years. The local Elks gave him a roast eight months ago, which was attended by three past state presidents. Survivors include his brother Richard and his wife Claire of Madison, Conn.; aunt Eleanor McKillip of Saranac Lake; and cousins: Elizabeth Boken of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Peg and Kerry Kelly of Saranac Lake, Phil McKillip of Illinois, Jim and Nancy McKillip of Albany and Mike and Sue McKillip of Rainbow Lake.
Calling hours will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 20, at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. An Elks service will take place at 6:45 p.m. Friday at the Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial at will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at St. Bernard’s Church. Burial will follow in St. Bernard’s Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be sent to High Peaks Hospice or purchase a Mass card. Family and friends can also share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com