William Jon McKivor

William Jon McKivor (Bill)

June 30, 1940 - March 15, 2021

Bill was a collector all his life. Of cars, tokens, historical memorabilia. But what he really loved collecting were stories. His friends and family remember him as someone who always had an interesting, funny or historical story to fit every occasion. And over his life, he sprinkled these stories into his work as a radio announcer, into talks he gave for his various clubs and into everyday conversations he'd have with just about anyone who was interested.

He was a man who threw himself whole-heartedly into whatever he did, and this was certainly true in his work life. He started his 50-year career in the newspaper business at age 9, selling newspapers on a Wallingford street corner until he was old enough to have a paper route... and then two paper routes. As an adult, he became a district manager and then branch manager in the circulation department at the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Later, at the Seattle Times he directed the shift from an afternoon circulation to a morning run.

At 60 he retired from the Times and started his own business selling British tokens. He used his knack for storytelling to give his customers historical context about how the tokens were used before there was a national British currency. He trekked to England every fall to attend conferences and give talks.

To say Bill loved automobiles is to underestimate the lifelong connection he had with them. Over the years, he drove an ever-changing variety of vintage cars, including—but not limited to—Kaisers, Studebakers, Willys, Buicks, Corvairs and even London Taxis. He was a member of several car clubs and enjoyed attending many local and national car meets.

Bill was a kind and loving person who was generous with his time and could always make you smile with a bad pun or silly joke. He is dearly missed by his wife June; daughters Kelly and Kristen; and grandchildren Winter, Oskar and William Alexander.

Please share memories & photos of Bill with his family on the Tribute Wall, located above.

Arrangements Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle

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