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Willard T. "Bill" Waugh

July 20, 1926 January 10, 2017
Willard T. "Bill" Waugh
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Obituary for Willard T. "Bill" Waugh
Peoria- Willard T. “Bill” Waugh, age 90, passed away 4:31 PM, Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL.

Born July 20, 1926, in Peoria, a son of Willard M. and Marie (O’Connor) Waugh.

In his youth, growing up in Peoria, he was an avid sailor and speedboater spending many days navigating up and down the Illinois River. In the mid-1940’s, he answered his country’s call, proudly serving in the US Navy during WWII in the South Pacific. Academically, Bill graduated from Spalding High School in 1944 and attended Bradley for 2 years before moving on to The University of Miami where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. For most of his career, Bill worked as an architectural engineer, designing and installing automated doorways for The Stanley Works and some of its subsidiary franchises in Southern California and later in Arizona and the Southwest, from 1964 until his retirement in 1998, returning to Peoria in 2000.

His lifelong fascinations were with automobiles of every kind and all things Hollywood. During his time in LA, he got to know a few luminaries in the entertainment business and regaled many over the years with his stories of those brushes with celebrity. At one particular Thanksgiving dinner in 1970, while spinning yarns of his windswept youth, pig farms and gila monsters in late 50s Arizona and those entertainment friends, he caught the attention of a wide-eyed young thirteen year old, Lex Passaris, who would go on to be his adopted son. Through Lex’s chosen field of television production, Bill stayed in touch with many in the Hollywood community.

In addition to his adopted son, Lex Passaris, and his wife, Lulu Leszczynski, of Los Angeles, CA; Bill is survived by his three sisters; Jeanne Runkle of Peoria, Barbara Woodward of Peoria, and Rosie Dersch of Dunlap and many loving nephews and nieces.

One sister, Mary Lou Waugh, preceded him in death.

Funeral Service will be held at 5:00 PM Saturday, January 14, 2017 at Wright & Salmon Mortuary. Visitation is from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at the mortuary. He will be buried at a later date in Hollywood, CA at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Memorials may be made, in Bill’s name, to the Greater Peoria Honor Flight.

Friends and family may sign the online guestbook or send private condolences by logging onto www.wrightandsalmon.com
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Previous Events

Visitation

Saturday

14

Jan

3:00 PM 1/14/2017 3:00:00 PM - 5:00 PM 1/14/2017 5:00:00 PM
Wright & Salmon Mortuary

2416 N North St
Peoria, IL 61604

Wright & Salmon Mortuary
2416 N North St Peoria 61604 IL
United States

Funeral Service

Saturday

14

Jan

5:00 PM 1/14/2017 5:00:00 PM
Wright & Salmon Mortuary

2416 N North St
Peoria, IL 61604

Wright & Salmon Mortuary
2416 N North St Peoria 61604 IL
United States

Cemetery Details

Location

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Final Resting Place

6000 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90038

6000 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles 90038 CA
United States

Memorial Contribution

Greater Peoria Honor Flight

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