Willard J. "Bill" Wolverton Obituary (2018)

Reverend Bill (Willard J.) Wolverton passed through the gates of heaven at 10:35 am on Friday, December 28, 2018. Arrangements are as follows: Visitation from 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Thursday, January 3, 2019 with the service to follow at 11:00 am to Resurrection Life Church, 1085 W. McKinley Avenue, Decatur, IL 62526. Tanzyus Logan Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements. Bill was born to Daucy and Stella Wolverton in June of 1943. When Bill was in the first grade, he missed quite a lot of school. The doctor diagnosed him with “Schoolitis” due to a desire to stay home with his new baby Sister. He attended Lincoln Grade School, Roosevelt Junior High, and Stephen Decatur High School. Bill married Betty Bolt in August of 1960. He later attended Mt. Vernon College in Ohio. He graduated Magna Cum Laude. Bill was a licensed Pastor and member of The International Foursquare Church. He pastored approximately 48 years of his life, starting at Abilene Foursquare Church in Kansas, then The Fellowship Bible Church on Decatur Street. Later, Bill and his congregation built a new building on Montez Avenue in Decatur. Then Bill and Betty moved to Santa Cruz, CA to pastor The Bay Street Foursquare Church. Next they moved to Fresno, CA to pastor Tower Community Foursquare Church. While there, Bill was a police chaplain, supervised an after school program for Fresno County Department of Education. He pastored there for 28 years and retired in 2007. Bill and his wife, Betty, returned home to Decatur in 2016. Bill leaves to cherish his memory: Wife, Betty; Sons: Daucy (Susan) Wolverton of Clovis, California, Todd Wolverton of Eagle Point, Oregon; Daughters: Debbie Wolverton-Beck and Melody Wolverton, both of Fresno, California; nine Grandchildren; nine Great Grandchildren; brother, Richard (Betty) Wolverton and sister, Debra (Chris) Havener, both of Decatur, Illinois, and Florence Hepworth of Florida, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family. Bill was preceded by his parents, two brothers and one sister. Memorials may be made to the family for assistance with the monument to Tanzyus Logan Funeral Service and Care, 3085 Kandy Lane, Decatur, IL 62526.