"Soon And Very Soon, We Are Going To See The King", Will E. McVay, Jr., age 82, resident of Hope, AR formerly of Muskogee, OK slipped the bonds of this earthly realm onto eternity at his residence in Hope, AR.

On July 17, 1940, Will E. McVay, Jr., a bouncing baby boy was the first-born child of Will E. McVay, Sr. and Lequilla Platt McVay. (Look out world, here he comes!!!) Bob confessed his hope in Christ at a young age at Rayfield Baptist Church under the pastorage of the late Reverend E. G. Dyer, Rayfield Baptist Church is where his musical talents originated.

He attended Manual Jr. High (renamed Sadler Junior High) where he learned to play the trumpet in the band, under the tutelage of the iconic Avalon Reece. He loved to play the trumpet and continued to enhance his skills all throughout High School. He was quoted as saying, "Being in the band was an unbelievable experience. I made music a career after leaving Manual and I was shocked at the number of musicians I met who couldn't read music…While in the band, my classmates and I loved to go study hall and rehearse our music so we could get better…" He graduated from Manual Training High School in 1959. His practice paid off after high school. During his early career, he was a backup trumpeter for the famous Ray Charles.

Upon leaving Muskogee, Bob moved to Wichita, Kansas and united with the Progressive Baptist Church. It was here where he met and married Mary M. Hopson from Hope, Arkansas. They were married in 1960 and remained united for 25 years. To this union 3 children were born, Jacqueline, Janis, and Will E. Bobby" III. On January 30, 1994, Bob (with mother, Sherry L. Hamilton of Memphis, TN) became a father to another happy baby boy, named Nathanial. He was a devoted son, husband, and father. He came to visit his mother often in her senior years. He encouraged his children to succeed and was supportive of all their pursuits. He was a very strong advocate for education and teaching, and he urged his children to put the Lord first in their lives.

Bob was an active alumni member of Manual Training High School. He was the keynote speaker for several reunions throughout the years. His last reunion presentation was in 2013. During one of the reunions, his classmates voted him as the "best dancer" and at another reunion, he received recognition as the classmate that had been married the most years.

Bob's love  for music continued to grow and he became a manager/promoter for Ray Overton in Wichita in the 1960's where he also opened and operated his own first record store called, DP&R records. He was the manager for the original group "The Dealers" who started in the 1970's. The group travel along the "New England" coast in the summertime and played at venues in Memphis and all the southern states to the Galveston Island during the winter months. "The Dealers" had opened for such acts as Sister Sledge and Stevie Wonder. Bob promoted musical stars in their early years: The Temptations, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Sly and the Family Stone, The Chi-Lites, Main Ingredient, Teddy Pendergrass, Rufus, featuring Chaka Khan, The Ohio Players, BB King, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnny Taylor, Bobby Womack, The Ojays, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Ike and Tina Turner, Denise LaSalle, The gospel group, the Harmonettes, Rudy Love & The Love family, Brass Construction, Confunkshun, Kool and the Gang, Isaac Hayes, Shirley Brown and Terry Dance and others. He managed a record shop in Muskogee, Oklahoma in the 70's and a shop in Memphis, Tennessee in the 80's. He was also a manager of a Modeling agency in 2006 and a managing partner of a Black Hair Care Product.

Bob's music career expanded over several decades, from the 1960's to 2007. Not only was he a promoter of musical groups, but he also promoted mankind. He was instrumental in encouraging and assisting several radio personalities to go to rehab, become drug free, and improved their lives. Some of these radio personalities are still in the radio entertainment business today because of the positive influence and support of Bob McVay.

Bob was a sincere man with a welcoming and approachable spirit. He "never met a stranger" and was a natural born leader. He had the gift of gab and used it to foster, assist, nurture, and boost the hearts of those around him. In his autumn years he returned to Hope, Arkansas in 2000 to live. He joined and attended the Providence Missionary Baptist Church Full Gospel Ministry, under the leadership of Bishop J.L. Jones. He will be missed deeply by all those he touched during his life and career.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Hopson McVay of Hope, AR, parents Will and Lequilla, a brother, Calvin Brown, sisters, Barbara McVay Lowe, and Catherine McVay, and mother and father-in-law, Mary and Neal Hopson.

Celebrating his life and eternal rest are two daughters, Jacqueline McVay Maxey of Orlando, Florida, Janis McVay Todd (Errol) of Hope, AR, two sons, Will McVay III of Hope, AR, Nathaniel McVay of Jonesboro, AR, one brother Willie McVay of Killeen, TX, granddaughter Mary McVay of Orlando, Florida, grandsons, Cameron McVay of Hope, AR, Errol Todd, Jr. of Memphis, TN, great grandchildren: Miracle and Kavious Sanders of Memphis, TN, foster son, Richard Charles Loudermilk of Wichita, KS, nephew, Elmer Lowe Jr, (Melissa) of Taft, OK, aunts: Natalie McVay of Wichita, KS, Hattie McVay of Arlington, TX, Maxine and Ollie White, sister and brother-in-law of Wichita, KS, Shirley Benton and Betty Harding sisters in-law, Wichita, KS Carolyn and Nathaniel Holland, sister and brother-in-law of Ft. Worth, TX and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation  will be Friday, February 3, 2023 from 1pm to 6 pm in the Precious Memories Chapel of House of Winn Funeral Home -Muskogee located at  2200 Military Blvd, Muskogee, OK.

Homegoing service will he held Saturday, February 4, 2023. 11:00AM, Rayfield Baptist Church, 601 Indianapolis St., Muskogee, OK  74401. Interment will follow at Booker T. Washington Cemetery, Muskogee, OK

The family is being cared for by the House of Winn Funeral Home - Muskogee