William V. "Bill" Mosher, 90, of Bloomington, formerly
of Mendota, Champaign and Shelbyville, died
Dec. 3, 2013, in Heartland Health Care Center, Normal.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday in Merritt Funeral Home,
Mendota. Interment will follow at Restland Cemetery, Mendota.
Visitation will be from noon until the time of services Friday in
the funeral home. Additional visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday
in Carmody Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington.
Bill was born June 10, l923, in Bernadotte Township, Fulton
County to the late Oren and Margaret (Gore) Mosher. He married
Donna Prescott on Oct. 3, l954, in Mendota.
Bill was a graduate of Ipava High School
in the class of 1940. He served in World War
II. In 1942 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps
as an aviation cadet. This led to service in the
European Theater of Operations with the 9th
Air Force, 391st Bomber Group, as a pilot of
twin engine Martin B-26 Marauder medium
bombers and Douglas A-26 Invader attack
bombers. He was awarded the Air Medal
with one silver and two bronze oak leaves, the
Distinguished Unit Citation, the European-
African-Middle East Theatre Medal with four
battle stars including the Battle of the Bulge, the American
Defense Medal and the Victory Medal. After that war he served
as a pilot with Illinois Air National Guard's 169th Fighter
Squadron.
In 1950, he graduated from the Illinois State Police Academy
and joined state police as a trooper. He served through the ranks
and in 1965 was promoted to captain as commander of Pesotum,
District 10. In the course of his state police career he instructed
on various aspects of law enforcement at their academy and
served as chairman of several committees. He was a graduate
of the FBI National Academy and Secret Service Dignitary
Protection School. He retired from the state police at the end of
1978 and immediately joined the Champaign County Sheriff's
Department as chief deputy. He retired in 1983 after more than
33 years in law enforcement to a home he and his beloved wife
Donna built on the shore of Lake Shelbyville. In l998, they
moved to Bloomington to be near family.
Bill was an avid reader and had traveled extensively. He
was a member of United Church of God, Illinois State Police
Heritage Foundation, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and
American Legion Louis E. Davis Post No. 56. He delighted in his
family, friends and church.
Survivors are his wife; one daughter, Jane (Jeff) Turley; two
grandsons, James and Jacob Turley of Bloomington; one sister,
Hazel Nelson of Deer Park, Texas; and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by an infant sister and older brother,
Joe.
Memorials may be made to Heifer International or The
Gideons International.