Funeral services for William Page Sr., were held Saturday, July 2, in the Craig-Hurtt-Bradley Chapel, Mtn. Grove, with the Revs. Wayne Russell and Danny Douglas officiating.
Full military honors were provided at the cemetery by American Legion Post 30 with Jared Moore serving as bugler. Burial was in Brushy Knob Cemetery, under the direction of Craig-Hurtt-Bradley.
William Latham Page Sr., eldest child of the late Luther Allen and Pearlie Emaline (Freeman) Page, was born March 20, 1936, in Brushy Knob, in Douglas County. He weighed 1 1/2 pounds at birth.
He departed this life on June 26, 2005, in Cox Medical Center South, Springfield, following a courageous battle with a lung illness.
William grew up and attended school at Brushy Knob where he made many longtime friends. He served his country in the United States Army and was honorably discharged on March 18, 1960.
He was united in marriage to Jessie Mitchell on Aug. 24, 1960. Two sons were born to this union.
They made their home in the Aurora, Ill., area for 44 years where William was employed as a mechanic by the Caterpillar Tractor Company for over 30 years. He retired in 1996. He was a member of the United Auto Workers in Aurora.
William had a home in Missouri, south of Norwood near his parents’ farm, where he enjoyed spending time with his extended family.
He was saved at an early age and was a member of the Brushy Knob Baptist Church since 1950.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant brother, Willard Page; one sister, Maxine King, in July 2003; and by a grandson, Larry Melton in 1992.
He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Jessie Page, of their home in Aurora, Ill.; two sons, David Allen Page, of Aurora, Ill., and William “Latham” Page Jr., and his wife, Joy, of Hanover Park, Ill.; one daughter, Vernabeth Raney and her husband, Steve, of Mtn. Grove; two brothers, Daniel Page and his wife, Beverly, of Norwood, and Rickey Page and his wife, Roberta, of Macomb; three sisters, Norma James and her husband Charles, Susie Parmenter and her husband Bill, and Nancy Hopper, all of Norwood; his brother-in-law, George “Junior” King, of Aurora, Ill.; five grandchildren, Michael Page, Amber Page, Rory Faith Page, Nichole Page, and Shanda Melton; four great-grandchildren, Hailey, Tyler, Latham and Braden; nieces and nephews; great nieces and nephews; aunts, uncles, cousins, and a host of other relatives and friends.
