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William Courtney
WILLIAM COURTNEY
Cedar Rapids
William "Bill" Courtney, 91, of Clear Lake, died Sunday, May 3, 2015, at the Muse-Norris Hospice In-Patient Unit in Mason City. Services will be at Brosh Chapel, 2121 Bowling St. SW, Cedar Rapids, on Saturday,
May 16, at 10:30 a.m., followed by a gathering for family and friends at the American Legion, Lisbon.
Bill Courtney, the son of Thomas and Anna Lulu (LeHew) Courtney, was born March 27, 1924, in Cedar Rapids. In 1928, Bill and his siblings were moved to the Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home in Davenport. In 1938, he went to live with his aunt and uncle, Bessie and Kenneth Pepins, in Cedar Rapids. On March 27, 1941 (Bill's 17th birthday), he joined the U.S. Navy and was discharged Jan. 4, 1944. He drove a truck from 1944 to 1955 in Cedar Rapids until moving to Reno, Nev., where he worked as a laborer from 1955 to 1983, when he retired and moved to a two-acre ranch in Corvallis, Mont., in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. In 1993, he moved to Clear Lake.
In February 1946, Bill married Kathleen Bevins, which later ended in divorced. Three children were born to this union. On July 16, 1955, Bill married Millie (Butteris) Brokel, and they were together until her death on July 4, 2008. One daughter was born to this marriage. He spent the last six years with his companion, Dorothy Wonsmos.
Bill enjoyed gatherings with family and friends, fishing, camping, going to the casinos and walking. Until this last year he walked almost two miles every day.
Left to cherish his memory are his companion, Dorothy Wonsmos of Clear Lake; his sister, Virgina VanDyke of Chicago; his daughter, Judy (Lew) Gorden of Lucas; son, Michael Courtney of Anamosa; son, Pat (Linda) Courtney of Cedar Rapids; daughter, Terri (Bill) Biggs of Hurricane, Utah; and daughter, Jackie (Cliff) Wells of Las Vegas, Nev.; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Anna Lulu Courtney; his wife, Millie; his brother, Don; his grandson, Derek; and great-grandson, Tyler.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com.
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