William E Powers

He was born November 22, 1926 in Peoria to George A. and Laura (Westphal) Powers. He married Eileen White on May 10, 1949, in Peoria. She passed away on March 26, 1963 in Peoria. He later married Rose Lehman on April 10, 1964. She died on July 26, 1976 in Peoria.

Surviving are two daughters, Loree E. (Jerry) Carter of Bartonville, and Janelle M. (Dale) Voss of Chatham; one sister, Jean Hietter of O’Fallon, Missouri, one brother, Richard (Jo) Powers of Peoria; eleven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two stepsons, Scott (Jackie) Lehman of Mountain Home, Texas, and Carl (Sue) Lehman of Washington, Illinois; and six step-grandchildren.

His parents, three brothers and one sister preceded him in death.

Bill, as family and friends knew him, graduated from St. Patrick’s Grade School and Manual Training High School in Peoria. He was a WWII Navy veteran, serving with the Seabees on Okinawa. He was a plumber by trade, retiring from Plumbers Local 63 in 1983. He was a member of the Bartonville American Legion Post 979.

Recipients of Bill’s homemade greeting cards and envelopes will miss his handiwork, as will the mail clerks at the utility companies. He often decorated the envelopes before he mailed off their payments. Bill had a knack for making something from nothing. Anything could be recycled. Old T-shirts became pillow- cases, and tin cans evolved into flowers. He was the best “fix-it” guy. We could always depend on him to come up with a solution, complete with blueprints. His unique talents and his quick wit will truly be missed but never forgotten.

 In addition to his creative endeavors, Bill enjoyed passing his retirement years by reading. He must have read a majority of the paperback Westerns in the library, so it seems only fitting that any memorials be made to Alpha Park Library in Bartonville.

At his request, there will be no services. His family will hold a memorial at a later date. Davison-Fulton Bartonville Chapel is in charge of arrangements.