- Date Of Birth: July 31, 1945
- Date Of Death: January 5, 2010
- State: Illinois
William J. Logsdon, 64, of Ottawa, died Tuesday morning, January 5, 2010 at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
Bill was born July 31, 1945 in Ottawa to John and Elvia A. (Peterson) Fahler Logsdon. He was a proud Honorary Fireman for the Ottawa Fire Department.
He is survived by two sisters, Marilyn Fahler Vermeland of Nocona, Texas and Suzanne (Wayne) Robinson of Ottawa; 5 nieces and nephews, Patti (Bronc) Willoughby of Nocona, Texas, Nancy (Rick) Geeslin of Bowie, Texas, Connie (John) Franzen of Ottawa, Donna (Kevin Hammer) Amadon, Ellsworth, IL, and Wayne Tag Robinson of Ottawa.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother-in-law, Richard Vermeland and a nephew, Michael Amadon.
Pallbearers will be Ottawa Fire Chief Jim Duback, Retired Chief Robert Pillion, Retired Lt. Dave Larson, Firefighter Chris Saar, Retired Captain Dennis Leamy and Retired Captain Don Armstrong. Honorary pallbearers will be active and retired members of the Ottawa Fire Department.
Bill Logsdon entered this world given little or no chance to survive. He was dealt a number of severe health issues that would linger with him all his life, a life saved and nurtured by his loving mother, Elvia. How great and strong is a mother’s love, that she defied all medical recommendations and took him home. She fed him with an eye dropper so that he might live and dedicated her life to his care. One of god’s greatest gifts to our family, besides “nana”, was Bill. His unconditional love for his sisters, Marilyn and Sue, was heaven sent, as was their love for him. His life will continue to impact their lives well beyond his passing, as it will to the rest of his family and his friends. Special are those who could look beyond Bill’s physical challenges and special needs, and into his heart; most notably his nieces, Nancy, Patty, Donna, Connie, and his nephew Tag, their children, and their children’s children. Who all proudly called him “Uncle Bill “.
All of those who came to know him were truly blessed. For someone who found it extremely difficult to get around, he touched many lives. He had a special place for his friends and they were remembered as he was reminded of them until the end. The most obvious of his relationships was his love for “his boys”, the Ottawa Fire Department and the feeling was mutual. He was officially granted Honorary Fireman status by Arthur Cunningham and Robert Pillion and that would change his life. Ottawa’s finest, both police and fire departments, took Bill under their wing and it would soon define his life. They gave him a reason to love life and perhaps a reason to go on each day, as difficult as it must have been for him. The Fire Department got him out of the house and gave “nana” a well deserved break! He was so proud to be their friend and that they would take the time to talk with him and make him feel special and important. He had little else to occupy his time.
He was a frequent visitor to the old police and fire stations, and a fixture at the new one that would be right across the street from where he lived. You may remember him patrolling Washington Park on his scooter, a scooter that would regularly need some repair from all that weight on those tiny wheels. Fireman Jim, now chief Duback, managed somehow to keep Bill rolling along. You may also remember seeing a large man on an electric bike, perhaps wearing a cowboy hat, and there was a red flag sticking up in the air on the back of the bike and a hand squeezed horn to announce his arrival. You would see a big pair of cowboy boots, a huge belt buckle, his honorary fire department uniform with a badge, and perhaps two great nieces standing and smiling as he proudly gave them a ride down the sidewalk on the 900 block of Clinton St.
