William Venter Jr.

William Venter Jr.

WADSWORTH William Ven ter Jr., 71, died Friday, April 30, 2004, at the Cleveland Clinic, after an eight-month illness.

Born in New Kensing ton, Pa., Mr. Venter resided in New Kensington and Wadsworth, Ohio. He was a graduate of the University of Maryland, where he played on the 1953 National Championship football team. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Kore an War and a member of the Dairy Tech. Society of Ohio, Toledo Sportsman's Club, and the United Methodist Church. Mr. Venter was employed in the dairy industry as a sales consultant, plant manager, and food broker his entire career. He en joyed hunting, fishing, and spending time with his grandchildren.

Mr. Venter is survived by wife, Betty L. (nee Burns); children, Janet Ryland and husband, Ed, of Wadsworth, Beverly Moore and husband, Mike, of Suffield, Ohio, Billie Hoag and husband, John, of Columbus, Ohio, Barbara Schweitzer and husband, Glenn, of Burke, Va., William Venter III and wife, Beth, of Strongsville, Ohio; eight grand children, two stepgrandchildren, three stepgreat-grandchildren; sister, Barbara Jean Howard of New Kensington; brothers, Ray mond of Costa Mesa, Calif., and David of New Kensington. He was preceded in death by parents, William and Theresa Ostroski Venter Sr.; brother, Robert; and sister, Carolyn Ven ter.

The family will receive friends Sunday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., at the Hilliard & Mullaney Fu neral Home, 174 N. Lyman St., Wadsworth, where funeral serv ices will be held Monday at 11 a.m. Interment at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Heart Association. (Hilliard & Mullaney, 330-334-1501.)