William “Bill” Eugene Heilman, 77, of rural Marshall, died Friday, November 29, 2024, at his home.
Memorial services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, December 6, 2024, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall, with Fr. Francis Doyle officiating. Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Inurnment with military rites will be held in Sunset Gardens Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to family choice. Friends may sign the online register book at www.campbell-lewis.com
Born May 11, 1947, in Marshall, Bill was the first son born to the late Lloyd Daniel Heilman and Betty May North Heilman. Bill attended Chappel School, a one room school house through the 8th grade. He graduated from Mercy Academy in 1965 where he played football and earned the nickname “Windy”. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla. In 1968, he married Nancy Belko and together they were blessed with three sons and one daughter. Bill was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1969, with deployment to Vietnam where he was a radio operator, changing radio signals every night. He received three medals: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He was a member of the V.F.W. Post. Bill retired from AG Edwards in St. Louis as a stock broker. Upon retiring, he returned to Marshall to aid with the care of his mother. He worked for the Marshall Sanitation Department in various capacities during this time.
Bill loved hosting the yearly hay rides and wiener roasts at the family farm for his grandkids and many relatives and friends. He was an avid fisherman, enjoyed deer hunting with his father and brothers and loved the yearly trout fishing event with his family in Branson. There were many adventures “gigging” for frogs on Salt Fork Creek with his brothers, Ray and John, brother-in-law, Carl, and his dad.
Survivors include three sons, Bryan Heilman, Daniel (JoEllen) Heilman and Ben (Emily) Heilman, all of the St. Louis area; one daughter, Carrie (Bryan) Harris of Lee’s Summit; six grandchildren, Emily, Spencer, Isaac, Elliot, Xavier and Annie; two brothers, Raymond (Vickie) Heilman of St. Louis and John (Kristy) Heilman of Marshall; three sisters, Anne Thorp of Marshall, Mary Jo Barnett (Larry) of Wooster, OH and Julia (Mark) Doering of Lexington, KY; and nieces and nephews.