Charles Bussone

Born July 27, 1926 in Panama, IL to Charles Joseph and Marie Theresa (Scotti) Bussone, Sr., he married Jo Ann Hayes on September 14, 1947 at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul. She died July 6, 2012 in Pekin. He was also preceded in death by his father and step-mother, Charles and Lena Bussone; mother and step-father, Marie and Dominic Gelmi; one brother, Jim Bussone; and one step-sister, Joyce Durand.

Surviving are one daughter, Tomi (Pete) Ault of Pekin; two sons, Michael (Patricia) Bussone and Timothy Bussone, both of Pekin; five grandchildren, Matt (Shannon) Moran of Louisville, KY, Joey Bussone of Pekin, Jordan (Chelsey Hillyer) Ault of Glendale, MO, Anthony Ault of Peoria and Katie Bussone of Pekin; five great-grandchildren, Jack Moran, Ajay Bussone, Molly Moran, Maggie Moran, and Jo Ault; and one sister, Uldine Morris of Carlinville. He also leaves two foreign exchange students that he and his wife hosted, Sonia “Sunny” Sancio Landrith of Brazil and Thomas Gutleben of Switzerland.

A United States Army veteran of World War II, he served from January 22, 1945 to November 18, 1946. He was assigned to the 24 Signal Company 24th Infantry Division. He was grateful to be a part of an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2012.

Charles worked for Illinois Farm Supply and Growmark in Kingston Mines for many years. After his retirement, he was a bailiff at the Tazewell County Courthouse for several years

Charles was a devoted family man and was proud of his Italian heritage and was known to say, famiglia e’ tutto (family is everything).

He and his wife loved to travel. He also enjoyed listening to his “oldies” music and spending time with his other “kids”, his dogs Sadie and Sammy.

He attended First United Methodist Church in Pekin and First United Methodist Church in Peoria.

His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, September 11, 2014 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin, where military rites will be accorded.

Memorial contributions may be made to Tazewell Animal Protective Society, 100 Taps Lane, Pekin, IL 61554; Pekin Union Mission, Post Office Box 1027, Pekin, IL 61555-1027 or to the Greater Peoria Honor Flight, Post Office Box 5072, Peoria, IL 61601-5072.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com