William Curtis "Bill" Read, 67, of Newton, passed away at 6:21 p.m. Monday, April 29, 2013, at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.  Funeral services at First Baptist Church, Newton. Burial in Trexler Cemetery, rural Newton.

William Curtis, better known as Bill, was born on Oct. 20, 1945, in Olney, the son of Henry Blain and Golda Ellen (Harmon) Read. He married Arnedia Fern Osborn on May 30, 1989, in Wheatland, Ind.

Bill retired from Roadmaster after 32 years of service as a dispatcher. Bill was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Newton. He had served as a trustee, usher and drove the bus for Wonderful Wednesday at church. Bill loved and served his Lord and was always sharing God's word to others. Bill enjoyed hunting, fishing, furniture making and was able to fix anything. He was always willing to lend a helping hand.

Bill is survived by his wife of 23 years, Arnedia Fern Read of Newton; four children, Jimmy Gates of Olney, Billy Read of Olney, Kim (Al) Cross of Effingham, and Tony (Dana) Peacher of Mattoon; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and mother-in-law, Ilene Corso of Newton.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Heather Joy Peacher Brown; two brothers, Robert and Gerald Read; sister, Betty Wright; and two grandsons, Dustin and Mike Lance.

Published in Effingham Daily News, The (IL) - Thursday, May 2, 2013