Edward C. Orr Jr.

MORTON - Edward C. Orr Jr., 87, of Morton died at 11:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, at his home.

He was born March 21, 1924, in Detroit, Mich., to Edward C. and Genevieve (Jenkins) Orr. He married Mildred Gordon in 1942 in California. He later married Leona Gunther on June 25, 1990, in Morton.

Surviving are his wife, Leona Orr of Morton; two sons, Edward C. (Carol) Orr III and Gary (Judy) Orr, both of Peoria; three daughters, Suzanne (Melvin) Naramore of East Peoria, Yvonne Richards of Wyndmoor, Pa., and Karen (Bob) Lumley of Phoenix, Ariz.; three stepchildren, Larry (Marsha) Eaton of Galesburg, Thomas (Cindy) Eaton III of Morton and Kasandra (Steven) Rickey of Groveland; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; 14 stepgrandchildren; 18 stepgreat-grandchildren; six stepgreat-great-grandchildren; five stepgreat-great-great-grandchildren; and one brother, Raymond Orr of Keokuk, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by two stepsons and one brother.

He was an Army Air Forces veteran of World War II, where he served 64 missions as a bombardier with the 443rd Bomb Squadron. He was the recipient of a Purple Heart Medal and Air Medal with First Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, while serving in the Rome-Arno, Southern France, Rhineland, Central Europe and Air Offensive Europe campaigns.

Edward first worked at Caterpillar Inc. He later worked at Trivoli Bank and then at a bank in Fox Lake, Ill., where he was the executive vice president. He last worked for the First Interstate Bank in Mesa and Apache Junction, Ariz., where he retired in 1984 as the branch manager.

He was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, American Legion Post 318 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5921, all of Morton.

While living in Arizona, he enjoyed walking in the desert, attending the Park-n-Swap flea markets, going to visit the Roosevelt Dam and sightseeing at Tortilla Flats.

His hobbies included boating on Fox Lake, hunting and fishing in Michigan, rock hunting, cave and desert exploring and bird watching in Arizona. He also enjoyed swimming in strip mines, where he taught his children to swim. He loved caring for his beloved cat, Molly.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011, at Knapp-Johnson Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Morton, with Father Mark DeSutter officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, both at the funeral home. Burial will be in Roberts Cemetery in Morton, where military services will be conducted.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, Greater Illinois, 2524 Farragut Drive, Suite A, Springfield, IL 62704.

To view Edward's video tribute or to leave an online condolence for the family, visit www.knappjohnson.com.