- Date Of Birth: December 2, 1922
- Date Of Death: August 13, 2017
- State: Illinois
Willard Stelling, 94, of Ottawa, died on Sunday afternoon, August 13, 2017, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
Willard was born on December 2, 1922, in Chicago to Rev. Harry J. and Elizabeth F. (Smith) Stelling. He was a 1940 graduate of Naperville High School and attended LPO Junior College. During WWII he served with the Army Air Corp in England with the 34th Bomb Group, and with the 391st Squadron as a ball turret gunner on B-24 and B-17 bombers. He flew 34 missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 3 clusters, and the European Theater Ribbon with 4 battle stars. Recently he was the recipient of the French Legion of Honor Medal, the highest honor France can bestow. He married Mary E. Bellrose on December 23, 1944, at the home of her father. She died on August 2, 2002. He graduated from North Central College in 1947 with a B.S in Accounting and Business Administration. He was an accountant for Union Carbide / American Hoechst and retired after 40 years. He was an active member of Evangelical United Methodist Church for many years, served on various committees, sang in the choir, and was a Sunday School teacher and Scout Troup leader. He was a member of the American Legion Post 33, the Eighth Air Force Historical Society, the American Air Museum in Britain, and the National WWII Museum. Mr. Stelling helped start the Ottawa Food Pantry, and also served as an election judge. Willard was a man of quiet strength, wisdom, and rock-solid faith. He enjoyed traveling, reading WWII history/biographies, and appreciating the beauty and history of Ottawa and the Illinois River Valley.
He is survived by a daughter Linda Mindak, of Ottawa, 3 nephews, Douglas, Harry Jr., and Kurt Stelling, and 3 nieces Jill Bellrose, Pamela Sawyer, and Lisa Jokisch.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Mary, and 2 brothers, Paul and Harry Stelling. Memorials may be directed to the church.
