September 12 1932 January 18 2020
William Roger ‘Bill’ Sarver September 12, 1932 – January 18, 2020 Share this obituary Send Flowers Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card| Memorial Donation William Roger ‘Bill’ Sarver passed away in Holdenville, Oklahoma on Saturday, January 18, 2020, at the age of 87 years. Bill was born in Pontiac, Illinois on September 12, 1932, to Lloyd & Hazel Sarver. The family moved to Bloomington soon after, and when Bill finished Kindergarten they moved to the small farming community of Chenoa, where he attended schools from first grade to twelfth grade and graduated Chenoa Community High School with the Class of 1950. He attended Illinois State Normal University from 1950 to 1954, and earned a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Education on June 12, 1954. Bill was a star basketball player in high school, and in college he was a phenomenal athlete who “broke all existing scoring records at Normal and in the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference” in basketball, and was also co-captain of the baseball team and a quarterback on the football team. He was scouted and was to sign with the Minnesota Lakers to play pro basketball. However, the Korean War was taking place and he was either to be drafted or enlist. He joined the U.S. Army in 1954. He was stationed at Camp Chaffee in Arkansas, and won the All-Army basketball championship for the Camp Chaffee team with two free throws sank in the final three seconds of the game. He was one of ten players to represent the Army in the 1956 Olympic Trials. Bill met Audrey Carveth in college, and she joined him at Camp Chaffee following their marriage in August of 1955. Upon his discharge from the Army in 1956, Bill went to work as a purchasing agent for the Allen-Bradley Company of Milwaukee. They were blessed with two sons, Douglas and Daniel, and one daughter, Sandra. Bill represented Allen-Bradley playing National Industrial League Basketball from 1956 to 1962. He was inducted in 1974 into the Illinois State Basketball University Hall of Fame, and inducted in 1979 into the Illinois State Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1979, he was promoted to Purchasing Manager of a new Allen-Bradley plant in El Paso, Texas, and moved there. He met Mary Paul and they were married on September 3, 1981. He retired from Allen-Bradley in 1986 and went to work soon after for Mercury Marine, retiring in 1998 to Llano, Texas, where he and Mary enjoyed raising chickens and geese, planting a vegetable garden, flowers, and trees. Mary passed away on January 27, 2012. Bill has made his home in Holdenville since April, 2015, when he moved to be near his daughter and her family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd & Hazel Sarver; one sister, Shirley Davies, one half-brother, Wayne Sarver; his wife of 31 years, Mary Paul Sarver; the mother of his children, Audrey Carveth; one stepson, John Paul. He is survived by three children: Douglas Sarver, Daniel Sarver (Jenny), and Sandra Odum (Mark); grandchildren: Elizabeth Miller, Natania Darnell, Nathaniel Odum, Bryce Sarver, Brett Sarver, and Blake Sarver; great grandchildren: Evan, Tyler, Sam, and Zac; one stepdaughter, Cindy Eiland (Mark); one step granddaughter, Hailey Eiland; two nieces, Bonnie Overstreet and Kathy Kiger; other family members and many friends. SERVICES Family Gathering Monday, January 27, 2020 10:00 AM Duffy-Pils Memorial Home Chenoa, Illinois Get Directions on Google Maps Print Obituary Sign Guestbook Name: Location: Video: Image: Light A Candle Candle 1 Candle 2 Candle 3 Candle 4 Email: Please keep my message private Personal Message: Personal Message (required) Confirm: Submit Guestbook entry
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of William Roger ‘Bill’ Sarver September 12 1932 January 18 2020.
Death notice for the town of: Holdenville, state: Oklahoma