Bill Votaw

William 'Bill' B. Votaw, 100, of North Platte, NE, passed away Monday, July 27, 2015, at the Grand Island Veteran's Home. During W.W.I Bill was born on June 9, 1915, to Eli B., Sr. and Grace Votaw at Wellfleet, NE. He grew up on a farm northeast of Wellfleet and graduated from Curtis High School. Following his education he farmed with his family. Bill was united in marriage to Opal Wisner on November 15, 1942, at North Platte. Bill served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1945 during W.W.II. After his discharge, Bill returned to Nebraska. He and Opal settled in a home north of North Platte and that is where he resided until 2013 when he moved to the Grand Island Veteran's Home. After nearly 68 years of marriage Opal passed away in 2010. Bill farmed, drove a truck, was a mechanic and hired on with the Union Pacific Railroad where he worked in the Round House and later in the Car Department. Bill was a member of P.R. Halligan Post #163 American Legion and the First Christian Church. He loved his family and thoroughly enjoyed his grandkids and great-grandkids. Bill was an all-round handy man who could fix anything and loved to create something new out of something old. He leaves behind his children, Jim (Shirley) Votaw, of Anderson, SC, Carolyn (Richard) Weekly and Judy McConnaughey, all of North Platte, and Belinda (Mickey) Miller, of Tryon, NE; sister-in-law, Bette Votaw, of Lincoln, NE; 13 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews and other family. Along with his wife Opal, Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Eli and Grace; four brothers, Eli B. 'Bus' Jr., John, Abner and Delmar Votaw; four sisters, Lillie Mae Shanafelt, Janet Zezula and Ella and Amy Votaw; and a grandson, Charles W. Johnston. Funeral service will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday, August 1, 2015, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Pastor Cindy Ballard officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in the Wellfleet Cemetery. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore which is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Memorials are suggested to the First Christian Church Youth Fund.