Meteorologist, Navigator, Commercial Pilot and Educator, Dr. McKinley Wardlaw, Jr. was born July 24, 1927, in Columbus, Georgia, the fifth of nine children of McKinley Sr. and Rosa P. Wardlaw. Dr. Wardlaw served 16 months in the U.S. Army and was granted an early discharge to attend college. He earned a B.S. degree in Chemistry from Tuskegee University, a B.S. in Meteorology from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.Ed. from Westfield State College in Massachusetts. He did graduate work in Administration at the University of Delaware and received a Doctorate in Education from Temple University in 1981. Dr. Wardlaw served as a Meteorologist and Navigator in the United States Air Force and retired as a Major in 1970 after twenty years of services. After retirement, Dr. Wardlaw obtained employment as a counselor with the Kent County Vocational School District. His students affectionately called him "Cadillac Jack" because of the various Cadillacs he drove when visiting different high schools in Kent County, Delaware to recruit students for the Kent Vo-Tech School District. During his tenure from 1970 to 1977, the Kent Vo-Tech school District grew from one school with 250 students to two schools with over 1700 students. In addition as Chief Examiner for the GED, Dr. Wardlaw assisted over 5000 high school dropouts obtain their high school diplomas. In the spring of 1977, Dr. Wardlaw was selected as State Supervisor of Vocational Education for the Delaware State Department of Education. In that capacity, he compiled a $40 million budget and assisted Delaware State University in establishing an Airway Science Program by approving a proposal to purchase six airplanes to train pilots. His efforts resulted in a multitude of program graduates obtaining flying positions in the military and throughout the United States. In addition to his duties as State Supervisor, Dr. Wardlaw served as Vice President of the Capital District School Board and taught one class each semester in the Graduate Vocational program at the University of Delaware. He retired after 19 years of state service in 1989. Subsequent to his retirement, Dr. Wardlaw served in part-time positions that included Grants Writer for Delaware Technical and Community College and Instructor of Meteorology in the Airway Science Program at Delaware State University. In 1999, the Governor of Delaware appointed him to serve as a commissioner on the Delaware Nursing Home Residents Quality Assurance Commission. Dr. Wardlaw was a commercial pilot, certified flight instructor, and was a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. Dr. McKinley Wardlaw was a 1949 initiate of the Gamma Epsilon Chapter at Tuskegee University, a charter member of the Delta Theta chapter, and a lifelong influential member and role model within the Dover Alumni Chapter. Dr. Wardlaw also served as the North Eastern Province's Province Historian from (1999-2002). On March 27, 1993 Dr. McKinley Wardlaw Jr. was awarded the James M. Kidd Award, the highest honor given by the North Eastern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., for his lifelong service to the fraternity. Some of Dr. Wardlaw's accomplishments included reactivating the Delaware State College Chapter Beta Sigma, establishing a new chapter at Wesley College (Xi Mu), and traveling to Hawaii and England to assist Alumni chapters with the new intake procedures for initiation into the Fraternity. Dr. Wardlaw's hobbies were hunting, fishing, flying, boating, golfing, computers and traveling. He loved people and always tried to assist those in need. Dr. Wardlaw is survived by his wife, Thelma B. Sears, his friend, high school sweetheart, and graduate of Benedict College; his three children, Pamela W. Lynch, M.A., Vanessa D. Morrison, M.Ed., and Marcus K. Wardlaw, Ph.D.; two sons-in-law; one daughter-in-law; five grandchildren; and a godson. A loving husband, father, brother, and friend that will be missed but never forgotten. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Bennie Smith Funeral Home, 717 W. Division Street Dover, DE. where friends may call two hours prior to service. DE-Dr.McKinley-Wardlaw.JPG/