PITTSFIELD, IL

Eldon R. Atwood, 89, of Pittsfield, IL  passed away Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at Liberty Village in Pittsfield, IL.

Eldon was born October 24, 1919 to Ray and Alice Sigler Atwood of Pittsfield, IL. He married Alberta “Bertie” May Bullard October 18, 1941 in Jefferson City, MO in a double wedding ceremony with his sister Martha and Jay Thomas.

He graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1937, earned a Masters Degree from Western Illinois College, and worked on his PhD for one summer at the University of Illinois. Eldon is a member of the Sports Hall of Fame at Western Illinois University where he lettered in four sports each year of college and was the Outstanding Athlete of the year at WIU in 1940-1941.  He also played baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals farm team in Springfield, IL; played for the Macomb, IL baseball team and the Griggsville Night Hawks for several years.

Eldon was an educator for 38 years and was a teacher and coach at Owaneco, IL; teacher, coach and principal at Chambersburg, IL and teacher, coach  and principal at Milton, IL.  He was elected the Pike County Superintendent of Schools,  later designated Regional Superintendent of Schools for a total of 27 years, with his wife Bertie serving as his secretary for 25 years.  He was also a past president of the Pittsfield High Schools PTA and past president of Region III county superintendents of schools.

He was a life long member of the First Christian Church of Pittsfield and was awarded the Elder Emeritus award.  He served the First Christian Church as Board Chairman, trustee, deacon, elder, Sunday school superintendent, teacher of the Ward S. Humphrey class and secretary of the Sunday school.

He was also a loyal supporter and leader of the Saukee Area Council of the Boy Scouts of American since 1931 and  served as president of the Saukee Area Council as well. He was the recipient of the Award of Merit, the Silver Beaver Award and was a member of the Order of the Arrow.  He and his son Elmer Ray both earned their Eagle Scouts award.

Eldon served in the Masons for fifty plus years; serving for eleven years as the executive secretary of the Valley of Quincy Scottish Rite Bodies with the office in the Masonic Temple in Quincy, IL; he was the Past Master of the Pittsfield Masonic Lodge 790; Past Thrice Illustrious Master of Jacksonville Council; Past High Priest of Union Chapter 10, Pittsfield; Past Commander of Ascalon Commandery, Pittsfield; Member of Knight York Cross of Honor, Member of Ansar Shrine Temple of Springfield; Thirty-third degree Mason, Member of Red Cross of Constantine, Area Deputy Grand Master of Grand Lodge of Illinois and Grand Lecturer.

Eldon was an active member of the Pike County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, serving as county chairperson, county Crusade chairperson and member of the local cancer board and had forty-eight years of perfect attendance as a Rotarian in the Pittsfield Rotary Club and was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow award.

He greatly enjoyed the game of golf and served for 27 years as the secretary of Old Orchard Country Club and had the honor of hitting two hole-in-one at OOCC.  He was an avid hunter and fisherman and he and wife Bertie were active square dancers and Eldon loved calling the square dances.

Eldon was a World War II Army combat veteran and the European Theatre Most Valuable Player in basketball.  He was Director of the Civil Defense in Pike County for several years and a member of the American Legion Post #152.

For the past eight years, Eldon and Bertie traveled between Long Beach, Ca. and Pittsfield.  While in California Eldon and Bertie stayed with Bertie’s sister Ann O’Brien.  Eldon especially loved walking on the beaches of southern California and collecting seashells and sand dollars.  He had an extensive collection of shells and  collected nearly 300 plus different caps and hats from all over the world.

Eldon is survived by his wife Alberta “Bertie” of Pittsfield, one son Elmer Ray “Butch” and wife Deborah Jean of Greenville, IL and one daughter, Carol Jane and husband David Ellis of Pittsfield.  Also surviving are two sisters, Wilma Crosson of Wheatland, IA, and Martha Thomas of Louisiana MO. along with five grandsons, five great grandsons, five great granddaughters, three great, great grandsons and one great, great granddaughter. 

A brother Leroy Paul and sisters Naomi Curfman and Dale Webel and one great great grandson, Kyden Montgomery preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be Friday, July 17,  at 11 a.m. at the Pittsfield First Christian Church with Michael TenEyck officiating.  Burial will be in the Pittsfield West Cemetery with military rites being accorded by the Pittsfield American Legion Post #152. Friends may call Thursday, July 16,  after 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield.  Masonic services will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. by the Pittsfield Lodge #790 A.F. & A.M.

In lieu of flowers,  family requests that memorials be made to The First Christian Church of Pittsfield, Pittsfield Lodge #790 A.F. & A.M. Scholarship Fund or Shriners Hospital for Children or Saukee Area Council of Boy Scouts of American.