William "Bill" Smith

William “Bill” Smith, Sr., 77, of New Boston, Illinois died Friday, December 14, 2012 at his home.

Funeral services are 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at Dennison Funeral Home, Aledo.  Burial will be in Eliza Creek Cemetery with graveside military rites by Mercer County V.F.W. Post 1571.  Visitation is Monday, December 17, 2012 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  Memorials may be left for Camp Courageous in Monticello, IA or Eliza Methodist Church.

William Donald Smith was born April 27, 1935 in Hopkinton, Iowa the son of William Kenneth Murray and Helen Laura DeShaw.  He was raised by his mother and adopted father, Dean B. Smith.  On December 29, 1962, he married Dorothy Marie Carter in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  After high school, he worked at Edgar Farms – Bay Island, until he was drafted to the Army in March 1958, serving until March 1960.  While in the Army, one of those years he was stationed in Germany.  After the Army, he ran an ice cream route in East Central Iowa for Sanitary Dairy.  In 1969, he moved back to Mercer County where he farmed the rest of his life.  From 1982-1984 Bill worked at Dellitt Ag.  Then, in 1985, he went to HJ Heinz and worked there until retiring in 1997.

He loved spending time with his family and farming.  Bill enjoyed history, old tractors and family genealogy.  He had a love of nature and enjoyed watching birds and deer.

The family was just getting ready to celebrate 50 years of marriage between Bill and Dorothy.  Those left to cherish his memory are his wife: Dorothy Smith, New Boston, IL; 5 Children: Bill Jr. (Janet) Smith, New Boston, IL, John Smith, Clark, MO, Bruce Smith, New Boston, IL, Jodi (Jeff) O’Leary, Joy, IL and Chet (Brigette) Smith, St. Charles, IL; 7 Grandchildren: Kelli Smith, Ryan O’Leary, Aidan Smith, Peyton Smith, Tatum Smith, Heather Adams and Travis Adams; 3 great grandchildren; sisters: Joyce Melvin, Donna Brislawn and Lois Lawrence; sisters-in-law: Virginia Smith, Mary Smith and Carol Sayre and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a grandchild and brothers Gary and Dean.