William H. Bean

William Howard “Bill” Bean, 98, of Geneseo, passed away on July 28, 2017, at OSF Hospital, Peoria, IL, surrounded by his family. Cremation rites have been accorded. A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at the First Congregational Church, Geneseo, on September 16^th at 2:00 p.m. Memorials may be made to First Congregational Church, Geneseo, or to the Mayo Clinic, for the benefit of the Cardiac Surgery Department, Rochester, MN.  

Bill was born on August 28, 1918, in Rock Falls, IL, to Clare Lavern and Lora Ellen (Downey) Bean.  When he was three, his family moved to Geneseo.  He graduated from Geneseo High School in 1936 and served in the Army Air Corps during WWII.  He played the tuba and bass drum in the Maple City Band and sang in the First Congregational Church choir for over 75 years.  On June 7, 1946, he married the love of his life, Eunice P. Smallwood, at First Congregational Church in Geneseo.  Bill worked at Farmer’s National Bank, retiring in 1984 as a Vice-President.  He was the last surviving, founding member of the Geneseo Rotary Club, and served in that organization for many years.  He loved music and he and Eunice took the family to the Quad City Symphony concerts regularly.  He was a devoted Christian and faithfully served his church.  Bill and Eunice loved camping and traveled with their family all over the United States and Canada.

Survivors include his sister, Carol Maplethorpe, Antioch, IL; his brother, James (Hedi) Bean, Audubon, PA; daughters, Sue Fuelling, Gaylord, MI, and Carol (Gregg) Neuleib, Geneseo; sons, John (Vicky) Bean, Geneseo, and David (Ann Li) Bean, Morrison, IL. His grandchildren are Andrew DeGroot, Jennifer (Brian) Williams, Peter Neuleib, Mary Bean (Marco Penaloza), William (Brittany) Bean, Arthur (Rachele) Neuleib, and Laura Li Bean. His great-grandchildren are Jonathan and Logan Williams, Carter Neuleib, Arya and Eden Bean, Tristan and Rylan Neuleib. Bill's sisters-in-law are Manie Jeckel, Carol “Penny” Bean, and Dorothy Bean. He had many nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Eunice and his brothers, Herbert and Paul Bean. He was also preceded by his brothers-in-law, Charles Maplethorpe, John V. Smallwood and Ed Jeckel, his sister-in-law, Jean Bean, his son-in-law, Larry Fuelling and nephews, Lawrence Bean and Richard Bean.

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