Willis "Bill" Joseph Bilbrey (K9YSR), 88, of Eau Claire died Tuesday, October 19, 2010, surrounded by his family at Luther Hospital in Eau Claire. A resident of Eau Claire since 1957, Bill lived at Orchard Hills Assisted Living at the time of his death.\r\nBill was born April 7, 1922, in East St. Louis, IL to Joseph and Helen (Spady) Bilbrey. He moved with his family to Collinsville, IL and graduated from Collinsville High School. Bill served as an apprentice electrician before moving to Richmond, CA, where he worked as a foreman and instructor for the wire control panels on the liberty ships in California shipyards. While attending San Francisco Junior College, Bill was called into active duty in the US Army on May 29, 1945. He earned the rank of E-5 Technician 5th Class and was stationed at the POW camps in Milwaukee, WI. He was granted an honorable discharge on November 19, 1946.\r\nBill graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1948 with an associate degree in HVAC. He was a career employee of Johnson Controls, first in Milwaukee and then Eau Claire. He specialized in commercial heating and cooling systems and was a proud member of the Steamfitters' Union. Bill retired from Johnson Controls in 1984.\r\nIn his younger years, Bill played drums in a polka band called the Rhythm Rascals and was a minor league pitcher for the River Rascals in the St. Louis area. Bill always had a love of radios and operated Viking Radio Repairs in Milwaukee in the 1950's. He got his ham radio license in 1956 and operated under the call name of K9YSR. Bill was a long-time member and past-president of the Eau Claire Amateur Radio Club. Bill held the Advanced ham radio license and continued to talk with people world-wide on his ham radio until the time of his death. He loved to rebuild and refurbish old tube-style radios and buy and sell radios and parts on E-Bay. Bill was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Green Bay Packers.\r\nBill married Cecelia Knuese on May 4, 1946, in Milwaukee. They had four children: three sons and a daughter. Cecelia preceded him in death in 2001. On April 2, 1971, Bill married Margaret (Marge) Anderson in Las Vegas. Marge preceded him in death in 2006. Bill was also preceded in death by his parents.\r\nBill is survived by his four children; Michael (Sara) Bilbrey of Stevens Point, Patrick (Debra) Bilbrey of River Falls, Timothy Bilbrey of Eau Claire, and Mary Bilbrey of Zion, IL; two grandsons Jeffrey (Hilary) Bilbrey of Stevens Point, and Jason (Jennifer) Bilbrey of Plover; seven great-grandchildren, Eryn, Breck, Jake, Ethan, Faith, Zachary, and Matthew; a niece Cheryl (Fred) Poss of Augusta; and a cousin George (Loraine) Lewis of Belleville, IL.\r\nGraveside services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 23, 2010, at Lutheran Church Cemetery in Eau Claire with Rev. Rolf Nestingen officiating. American Legion Post #53 will present Military Graveside Honors.

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