Obituary of Dr. William E. Werner Jr.

William E. "Bill" Werner Jr., 91 of Carlinville, passed away Sunday morning, April 16, 2017, at Cedar Hurst in Edwardsville, IL. Bill was born June 30, 1925, in Mt. Marion NY, the only son of William E. and Mabel (Bogart) Werner Sr. Bill graduated from Saugerties High School in New York with the class of 1942. He served his country in the US Army during W.W.#2 from 1943-1946. Bill was a Private First Class serving in the glider and infantry division. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes and several European Theatres. Soon after serving his country, Bill married Grace Gray on September 6, 1947 in Poughkeepsie, NY and enjoyed 65 years of marriage before her death on December 7, 2012. Bill attended New York State College for Teachers and received his BA in 1950 and Masters degree in 1951. Bill received his PHD in 1954 from Cornell University. Bill taught and was Chairman of the Biology Department at Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL. from 1954 to 1989. His publications include Field Biology and Ecology in 1958 (with revisions in 1965 and 1973), Life Lore of Illinois Wildflowers in 1988, and was best known for his weekly publications in the local newspapers called Macoupin Naturalist from 1977 to 2010. His memberships include; Federated Church and Carlinville Lions Club where he had served as President. Bills hobbies included birding, travel, photography, singing, playing bridge and he was a great cook. He loved to spend time with his grand and great grandchildren teaching them about nature and the outdoors . Bill was preceded in death by his parents, wife and sister, Marion Frisenda. Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 19, 2017 from 4:00 to 7:00 at Davis-Anderson Funeral Home in Carlinville, Il. Funeral Services will be conducted Thursday, April 20, 2017, 10:00 am, at the Federated Church in Carlinville, IL. Burial will follow in Moore Cemetery where the Guy Baird American Legion Post #554 will provide military rites. Bill is survived by son, James N. Werner of Port Charlotte, FL, daughter, Mary L. (Lynn) Loveless of Carlinville, IL, grandsons, Kenneth (Laurie) Loveless of San Francisco, CA and Barrett (Ely) Loveless of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, granddaughters, Genevieve (Joe) Werner-Hann of Seattle, WA and Alison (Brandon) Reiher of Carlinville, IL, great-grandsons; Cooper and Chase Loveless and Finn Reiher, great granddaughters; Evelyn and Audrey Hann. Memorials may be made to the Carlinville Lions Club or Blackburn Biology Department. Please visit www.davisandersonfuneralhome.com to leave condolences or light a candle in memory. Davis-Anderson Funeral Home, Carlinville is in charge of arrangements.