William J. Horton

 

William J. Horton, 82 of Carlinville, passed away Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, at his residence in Carlinville.

Bill was born Dec. 4, 1940, in Garden City, KS, a son of Robert Louis and Lena Thomas Horton.

He married Susan Thompson on Oct. 31, 1964, in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Princeton, IN.

Bill graduated from Pierceville High School in Pierceville, KS in 1958.

Bill was a concrete slip-form specialist and worked all over the United States and sometimes abroad building grain elevators, flour mills, and feed mills. He started working for Jarvis Construction in 1958 and was given his first project as Construction Superintendent in Princeton, Indiana where he met Susan Thompson. They married in 1964. In 1966, Bill was assigned a project in Kingston, Jamaica.

After much travel, he and Susan settled the family in Albion, where they lived for 21 years. All five of their children graduated from Edwards County High School.

A few of Bill’s many achievements included job superintendent for the Barilla pasta plant in Ames, Iowa, the largest single pour concrete building at that time in the United States for which he appeared on the cover of Concrete magazine. He managed the addition to the grain facility in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and led construction for multiple other projects throughout the United States. Susan and Bill traveled for work but owned a home in Camdenton, MO on the Lake of the Ozarks from 1994 to 2004.

In 2004, Bill and Susan moved to Carlinville. Bill retired in August 2006.

He coached little league baseball and junior league football when his boys played.  He loved collecting coins, antiquing, yard sales, and auctions.

Bill is survived by his spouse, Susan Horton of Carlinville; daughters, Denise (Jimmy) Watkins of Stoneville, NC, Dana (Marty) Tieman of Carlinville; sons, David  (Pamela) Horton of Groveland, Darren (Laura) Horton of Williamsville, Doug Horton of Carlinville; nine grandchildren; one great grandchild; brother, Louis Horton of Annandale, MN; several nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his father, Robert Louis Horton; mother, Lena Horton; sisters, Ruby Davis,  Roberta Allen,  Mary Erker, and Betty Wells.

Private funeral services will be conducted  Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at Davis-Anderson Funeral Home, Carlinville.

Memorials may be made to Carlinville High School Baseball Boosters and can be sent in care of Jen Enrietta at Carlinville High School, and to Ronald McDonald House.

Visit davisandersonfuneralhome.com to leave condolences or light a candle in his memory.

Davis-Anderson Funeral Home, Carlinville is in charge of arrangements.