Willie Webster

CAIRO, Ill. -- Willie "Bill" Webster, 84, of Cairo died Sunday, Aug. 22, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Feb. 15, 1920, in Lauderdale County, Tenn., son of Josie Mae Webster.

Webster moved from Tennessee to Future City, Ill. He worked in the river rail industry in Urbandale, Ill., and later worked for Illinois Highway Department.

Survivors include his wife, Jessie Mae Webster; a daughter, Janie Montgomery of Ripley, Tenn.; two sons, Willie Webster Jr. of Ripley, Joseph Jones of Atlanta, Ga.; eight stepchildren, Carolyn Cranford of Howardville, Mo., Jimmy Aveary Jr. and Jamal Aveary of Cairo, Ferlindia Pruitt and Vonda Broyles of Nashville, Tenn., Leon Aveary of Tulsa, Okla., Loretta Olojugba of Paducah, Ky., Brenda Gladney of Hermitage, Tenn.; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter and a brother.

Friends may call at Christ Holy Temple Church of God Anchored in Christ at Cairo from 6 to 8 p.m. today.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church, with Otis Walker officiating. Burial will be in Spencer Heights Cemetery in Mounds, Ill.