OTTAWA — William A. Luther, 83, of Ottawa, died Sunday, Aug. 3, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa, surrounded by his loving family.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at Epworth United Methodist Church in Ottawa, with the Rev. Nancy Rethford and the Rev. Rich Fassig co-officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa with full military honors. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ottawa Funeral Home.
Born April 7, 1931, in Collinsville, he was the son of Durward B. and Thelma Mae (Laythrop) Luther. He was united in marriage to Linda Jane Murphey on Oct. 21, 1950, at Christ Episcopal Church in Collinsville.
A 1949 graduate of Collinsville High School, Bill enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in 1948 and served until 1951 when he joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in the Marines during the Korean conflict and was discharged in 1953.
He attended the University of Miami, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1956. He later attended and graduated from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, in 1964 where he attained a master's degree in liberal arts. He was in the first graduating class of the Edwardsville Campus.
He taught English at New Athens High School from 1960 to 1962. He moved to Ottawa in 1962 and began teaching English at Streator Township High School.
Throughout his years at Streator, he also taught speech and dramatics and served as the speech team coach, drama coach and auditorium manager until his retirement in 1993.
Bill was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church for more than 50 years and the Illinois Retired Teacher's Association. He was an avid Chicago White Sox fan and enjoyed watching professional sports on television and bowling.
He took several trips to London, England, with his students and toured the theaters there.
He enjoyed working in his yard and playing cards with friends. His passion and love for animals didn't go unnoticed, especially with his many canine and feline companions throughout the years.
He was honored by his former students on different occasions for his love and dedication to his profession. Even after retirement many of his former students kept in touch with him. During his career as a teacher he never knew a stranger and was never known so much as Mr. Luther but fondly as "Pops" by many of his students.
He is survived by his wife of almost 64 years, Linda; two daughters, Elizabeth Luther and Nancy (Lauren) Endres; two sons, William Luther, of Ottawa, and Thomas (Matthew Claeys) Luther; three grandchildren, Patricia Endres, Ryan (Katelyn) Claeys and Allison Claeys; and one great grandchild, Maverick Theodore Claeys (born November 20, 2021) of whom he would be so proud; and a brother, Drue Luther. This memorial was updated in 2022 to reflect the recent additions to the family including Dad's brother, Drue, whom we were just able to discover and meet. He would be so happy to know he had a brother and was not an only child as we had originally thought. Lauren Endres passed away in 2016 as did our mother Linda.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial has been established in his memory to Epworth United Methodist Church or Pet Project.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at Epworth United Methodist Church in Ottawa, with the Rev. Nancy Rethford and the Rev. Rich Fassig co-officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa with full military honors. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ottawa Funeral Home.
Born April 7, 1931, in Collinsville, he was the son of Durward B. and Thelma Mae (Laythrop) Luther. He was united in marriage to Linda Jane Murphey on Oct. 21, 1950, at Christ Episcopal Church in Collinsville.
A 1949 graduate of Collinsville High School, Bill enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in 1948 and served until 1951 when he joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in the Marines during the Korean conflict and was discharged in 1953.
He attended the University of Miami, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1956. He later attended and graduated from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, in 1964 where he attained a master's degree in liberal arts. He was in the first graduating class of the Edwardsville Campus.
He taught English at New Athens High School from 1960 to 1962. He moved to Ottawa in 1962 and began teaching English at Streator Township High School.
Throughout his years at Streator, he also taught speech and dramatics and served as the speech team coach, drama coach and auditorium manager until his retirement in 1993.
Bill was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church for more than 50 years and the Illinois Retired Teacher's Association. He was an avid Chicago White Sox fan and enjoyed watching professional sports on television and bowling.
He took several trips to London, England, with his students and toured the theaters there.
He enjoyed working in his yard and playing cards with friends. His passion and love for animals didn't go unnoticed, especially with his many canine and feline companions throughout the years.
He was honored by his former students on different occasions for his love and dedication to his profession. Even after retirement many of his former students kept in touch with him. During his career as a teacher he never knew a stranger and was never known so much as Mr. Luther but fondly as "Pops" by many of his students.
He is survived by his wife of almost 64 years, Linda; two daughters, Elizabeth Luther and Nancy (Lauren) Endres; two sons, William Luther, of Ottawa, and Thomas (Matthew Claeys) Luther; three grandchildren, Patricia Endres, Ryan (Katelyn) Claeys and Allison Claeys; and one great grandchild, Maverick Theodore Claeys (born November 20, 2021) of whom he would be so proud; and a brother, Drue Luther. This memorial was updated in 2022 to reflect the recent additions to the family including Dad's brother, Drue, whom we were just able to discover and meet. He would be so happy to know he had a brother and was not an only child as we had originally thought. Lauren Endres passed away in 2016 as did our mother Linda.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial has been established in his memory to Epworth United Methodist Church or Pet Project.
OTTAWA — William A. Luther, 83, of Ottawa, died Sunday, Aug. 3, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa, surrounded by his loving family.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at Epworth United Methodist Church in Ottawa, with the Rev. Nancy Rethford and the Rev. Rich Fassig co-officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa with full military honors. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ottawa Funeral Home.
Born April 7, 1931, in Collinsville, he was the son of Durward B. and Thelma Mae (Laythrop) Luther. He was united in marriage to Linda Jane Murphey on Oct. 21, 1950, at Christ Episcopal Church in Collinsville.
A 1949 graduate of Collinsville High School, Bill enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in 1948 and served until 1951 when he joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in the Marines during the Korean conflict and was discharged in 1953.
He attended the University of Miami, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1956. He later attended and graduated from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, in 1964 where he attained a master's degree in liberal arts. He was in the first graduating class of the Edwardsville Campus.
He taught English at New Athens High School from 1960 to 1962. He moved to Ottawa in 1962 and began teaching English at Streator Township High School.
Throughout his years at Streator, he also taught speech and dramatics and served as the speech team coach, drama coach and auditorium manager until his retirement in 1993.
Bill was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church for more than 50 years and the Illinois Retired Teacher's Association. He was an avid Chicago White Sox fan and enjoyed watching professional sports on television and bowling.
He took several trips to London, England, with his students and toured the theaters there.
He enjoyed working in his yard and playing cards with friends. His passion and love for animals didn't go unnoticed, especially with his many canine and feline companions throughout the years.
He was honored by his former students on different occasions for his love and dedication to his profession. Even after retirement many of his former students kept in touch with him. During his career as a teacher he never knew a stranger and was never known so much as Mr. Luther but fondly as "Pops" by many of his students.
He is survived by his wife of almost 64 years, Linda; two daughters, Elizabeth Luther and Nancy (Lauren) Endres; two sons, William Luther, of Ottawa, and Thomas (Matthew Claeys) Luther; three grandchildren, Patricia Endres, Ryan (Katelyn) Claeys and Allison Claeys; and one great grandchild, Maverick Theodore Claeys (born November 20, 2021) of whom he would be so proud; and a brother, Drue Luther. This memorial was updated in 2022 to reflect the recent additions to the family including Dad's brother, Drue, whom we were just able to discover and meet. He would be so happy to know he had a brother and was not an only child as we had originally thought. Lauren Endres passed away in 2016 as did our mother Linda.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial has been established in his memory to Epworth United Methodist Church or Pet Project.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at Epworth United Methodist Church in Ottawa, with the Rev. Nancy Rethford and the Rev. Rich Fassig co-officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa with full military honors. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ottawa Funeral Home.
Born April 7, 1931, in Collinsville, he was the son of Durward B. and Thelma Mae (Laythrop) Luther. He was united in marriage to Linda Jane Murphey on Oct. 21, 1950, at Christ Episcopal Church in Collinsville.
A 1949 graduate of Collinsville High School, Bill enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in 1948 and served until 1951 when he joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in the Marines during the Korean conflict and was discharged in 1953.
He attended the University of Miami, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1956. He later attended and graduated from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, in 1964 where he attained a master's degree in liberal arts. He was in the first graduating class of the Edwardsville Campus.
He taught English at New Athens High School from 1960 to 1962. He moved to Ottawa in 1962 and began teaching English at Streator Township High School.
Throughout his years at Streator, he also taught speech and dramatics and served as the speech team coach, drama coach and auditorium manager until his retirement in 1993.
Bill was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church for more than 50 years and the Illinois Retired Teacher's Association. He was an avid Chicago White Sox fan and enjoyed watching professional sports on television and bowling.
He took several trips to London, England, with his students and toured the theaters there.
He enjoyed working in his yard and playing cards with friends. His passion and love for animals didn't go unnoticed, especially with his many canine and feline companions throughout the years.
He was honored by his former students on different occasions for his love and dedication to his profession. Even after retirement many of his former students kept in touch with him. During his career as a teacher he never knew a stranger and was never known so much as Mr. Luther but fondly as "Pops" by many of his students.
He is survived by his wife of almost 64 years, Linda; two daughters, Elizabeth Luther and Nancy (Lauren) Endres; two sons, William Luther, of Ottawa, and Thomas (Matthew Claeys) Luther; three grandchildren, Patricia Endres, Ryan (Katelyn) Claeys and Allison Claeys; and one great grandchild, Maverick Theodore Claeys (born November 20, 2021) of whom he would be so proud; and a brother, Drue Luther. This memorial was updated in 2022 to reflect the recent additions to the family including Dad's brother, Drue, whom we were just able to discover and meet. He would be so happy to know he had a brother and was not an only child as we had originally thought. Lauren Endres passed away in 2016 as did our mother Linda.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial has been established in his memory to Epworth United Methodist Church or Pet Project.
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