Richard J. (Dick) McKinlay, 87, died on May 27, 2024, in Oak Park, from complications of COPD. Born on April 11, 1937 to John Forsyth McKinlay and Vivian (Johnson) McKinlay in Chicago, he grew up on the North Side of the city until high school, when his family moved to Niles.
He met his wife, Peg, when they were students at the University of Illinois, and they married in 1959. He went on to get a master’s degree in Sociology at the University of Chicago, where he was involved at the National Opinion Research Center. He and Peg lived in Hyde Park before moving to Oak Park in 1970.
He worked as a marketing consultant in the banking industry, and for many years had his own firm, McKinlay Marketing. Family was important to him, and during the years his daughter was young he worked from home, which was a very rare arrangement at the time. He went on to work in various administrative positions at banks and savings & loans, in addition to serving on boards, and he retired as a regulatory compliance consultant.
He was president of the Mental Health Association of Greater Chicago and was active in the Oak Park community, including serving as president of the Parks Foundation of Oak Park. He was proud to be involved in establishing dog parks in the village as well as the renovation of Ridgeland Common. His family remembers fondly all the times spent at the cottage in Door County, Wisconsin, and attending family reunions.
Dick is survived by Peg (Margaret Malm) McKinlay, his wife of 65 years; his daughter, Kristin McKinlay and husband, Hugh French, and his granddaughter, Winnie McKinlay French; his sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Patrick Wnek; his sister-in-law Sandra Malm; his nephews Michael (Niki) and John (Julie) Wnek; his nieces Karen (Joe) DiMario and Susan Malm; two great-nieces and three great-nephews, many cousins, and dear friends.