Also surviving is his brother, Don (Chris), Washington; his nephew, Rob (Julie) Saunders, Chicago; and niece, Beth (Tony) Schofield, Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents.

He grew up in Eureka and after high school, worked for Eureka Autobody and Messer Autobody in East Peoria. He graduated from Southern Illinois Universityâ€Â's Vocational Technical Institute with a degree in commercial art. After working for a couple of area advertising agencies, he retired after 21 years from International Paper in Peoria.

One of his hobbies was restoring cars. He restored an Abarth Italian car, a 1972 Land Rover truck and his 1988 Jaguar sedan won Best of Class D7 for North America in 1996 in the Jaguar Clubs of North America. He was a member of the British Car Club of Central Illinois, Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation, Bloomington Old House Society and supported the preservation of farmland and wildlife.

He was a board member of the Washington Historical Society, where he was the chairman of the building restoration committee for the restoration of the Doctor's Office and the Zinser House for which he had a family connection.

He and his wife worked for 28 years restoring his ancestral home built in 1873 and designated by the State of Illinois as a Centennial Farm and marked by the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation as a significant historical structure.

He enjoyed trading stories with his friends and was a loyal friend and husband who will be sorely missed.

Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Friday at Mason-White Funeral Home, Washington, followed by a graveside service at Glendale Cemetery in Washington.

Memorials may be made to the Washington Historical Society, P.O. Box 54, Washington, IL 61571.

Online condolences may be made at www.masonfuneralhomes.com.