William Rex "Bill" Whitson's Obituary
William Rex "Bill" Whitson, age 70, of Westfield, IL passed away at 4:15 p.m. on Monday, September 5, 2022 at his residence with his loving wife Jess and daughter Lauryl by his side. He was born September 18, 1951 in Charleston, IL, the son of Rexford Whitson and Maude Tracy (Herrington) Whitson.
Bill grew up in Steger, IL and attended Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, IL. In 1969, he transferred to Kansas High School in Kansas, IL for his last semester where he then graduated. On October 8, 2000 he married Jessica Lynn Straka in Palos Park, IL. The Whitson family roots were deeply set in Westfield, IL and they too settled there to build their life together.
Bill and Jess did everything together and spent a lot of their time enjoying the outdoors; hunting, fishing, boating, horseback riding, and participating in many different types of shooting sports. Bill was an auto mechanic his whole life, and in 2010 he opened Crossroads Auto Repair in Westfield; a business he always wanted for himself and truly enjoyed until retiring in 2019. Bill was also a member of the Westfield United Methodist Church, and had no idea that he had touched so many people 's lives throughout his lifetime. Bill met no stranger with his friendly, giving, and caring heart and was loved greatly by so many people. He always lived life to the fullest with a positive attitude, a smile on his face, and a well rounded sense of humor.
Bill leaves behind his loving wife of almost 22 years, Jessica Whitson of Westfield, IL; children, Lauryl Whitson of Westfield, IL; Seth Whitson (Jenny) of Park Forest, IL, Matthew Whitson (Evelyn) of Chicago, IL, Kristy Whitson of Bemidji, MN and William Robert Whitson of Park Forest, IL; six grandchildren; two great grandchildren; sister, Jane McIntyre of Crete, IL; many nephews and nieces; very near and dear friends that Bill and Jessica both consider family; Harold and Cheryl Dobbs of Sullivan, IL and Tom and Carol Dobbs of Mattoon, IL; lifelong friends John and Sherry Darnell of Steger, IL and Larry Lowe of Baton Rouge, LA; and so many more additional close friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Adam David Whitson; brothers, Howard Whitson and Mike Whitson; and sister, Madeline (Whitson) Johnson.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1 pm on Sunday November 13, 2022 at the Westfield United Methodist Church, 225 S. Madison St., Westfield, IL with Pastor Walter Miller officiating. A reception will follow the service in the church basement.
Memorial donations may be made to the NRA Foundation to help ensure the legacy of hunting and shooting sports. Visit www.nrafoundation.org/donate or call 877.NRA.GIVE (877.672.4483) to leave a memorial tribute or make a tax deductible donation in memory of Bill.
Acknowledgements may be sent to The Whitson Family, C/O Markwell Markwell Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Casey, IL 62420
To view the full obituary, send a condolence message, light a candle, or post photos, visit www.markwellfuneralhome.com. Markwell Funeral Home of Casey and Westfield, IL assisted the family with the arrangements.
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