Cecil K. "Tuck" Belton
Cecil K. “Tuck” Belton, 91, of Springfield, died at 1:41 pm, Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at Memorial Medical Center. He was born November 2, 1922 in Tallula, to Floyd and Freida Epperley Belton. He married Virginia Atterberry on July 17, 1943 and she preceded him in death on October 23, 2008.
He is survived by one daughter, Linda (John) Ahlen of Little Rock, AR; one son-in-law, Forman Hardwick of Springfield; four grandchildren, Derek (Shanna) and Leah Welker and Alex and Andrew Hardwick and two great grandchildren, Will and Barrett Welker.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; two daughters, Deanna Gail and Jill Belton Hardwick; two sisters and one brother.
Tuck attended school in Tallula and graduated from High School in 1940. He enrolled at the State Teachers College in Normal, IL. He then enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He graduated in May, 1944 receiving his wings and commission. After more training he went overseas as a B-17 pilot and flew missions over Europe. His plane was shot down in January 1945 and he spent the rest of WWII in the Dutch Underground.
He was a very active member of Jerome United Methodist Church for over 60 years. He was a Charter Member and very active with the Illinois Veterans WWII Committee to build the WWII memorial at Oak Ridge Cemetery, was a member of American Legion Post 32; initiated the Illinois Veterans WWII Scholarship; was a life member of Telephone Pioneers; member of 452nd Bomb Group WWII and was involved in the Village of Jerome, where he served on various committees.
He retired from Illinois Bell Telephone Company and prior to that he had worked for Western Electric.
Tuck and Virginia traveled extensively in Europe, the Mediterranean and Caribbean Islands, South America, Mexico, Canada and Hawaii. After more than 65 years of marriage, Virginia went to Heaven October 23, 2008. Tuck currently resided at Concordia Village in Springfield.
Visitation: 3-6 pm, Sunday, January 19, 2014 at Staab Funeral Home.
Additional Visitation: 9-10 am, Monday, January 20, 2014 at Jerome United Methodist Church.
Funeral Service: 10 am, Monday, January 20, 2014 at Jerome United Methodist Church with Reverend Paul Black officiating. Burial will follow at Oakland Cemetery in Petersburg, Illinois where military honors will be conducted by the Menard County Honor Guard.
Memorial contributions may be made to Jerome United Methodist Church.
Denny Kirchgesner posted on 1/19/14
To Tuck's family and friends, When I got home today from LincolnLand Honor Flight annual Board meeting, I saw this obituary. My wife worked at Bell also. My dad, also 91, is a WW11Army vet, I'm a Vietnam Army vet, and our son is an Iraqi Army vet. We appreciate Tuck's service to our country. We will remember him, and all of you, in our thoughts and prayers, and ask you to remember all of us in yours. May he rest in peace. Amen. Denny and Chris Kirchgesner Family, Riverton, Il.