Bill Ray Short

He was born on July 13, 1932, in Cobden, Illinois, to Raymond and Ethel (Larrison) Short. Bill married Joan Louise Knisley on April 9, 1955, in Corinth, Mississippi.

Bill is survived by two daughters: Terry (Owen) Lawson of Creve Coeur; Julie Troup of Creve Coeur; two sons: Ronald (Madelyn) Short of Creve Coeur; Phillip (Mary Jo) Short of Green Bay, WI; seven granddaughters: Laura (Jeremiah), Rachel (Jeff), Kimberly (Sean), Jennifer (Tim), Kristin, Cassidy (Dalton) and Erin; nine great-grandchildren: Abigail, Adam, Elijah, Kolten, JJ, Ruthie, Fulton, Adele and Stella.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 68 years.

Bill proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked for Caterpillar for 40 years in Inspections, retiring in February 1990. Bill was a longtime member of the Church of God. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. Bill loved sports and was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

His visitation will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Creve Coeur. Graveside services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026. Pastor John Plunkett will officiate. Burial with full military honors will follow the graveside services at Lakeview Cemetery in Pekin.

Memorial contributions in honor of Bill may be directed to the Greater Peoria Honor Flight, P.O. Box 5072, Peoria, Illinois, 61601.

To express condolences online, visit www.Preston-Hanley.com