Chuck Searcy 1936-2015
Charles K. “Chuck” Searcy, 78, Peoria, Ill., died Saturday, July 18, 2015, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Ill.
He was born Dec. 9, 1936, in Rock Island, Ill., the son of Glen R. and Saraphina Marasco Searcy. He graduated from Rock Island High School and was awarded an associate degree in applied science in mechanical design technology on May 18, 1997.
Mr. Searcy served in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1959, serving as Airman First Class. After his military service, he worked at International Harvester, John Deere Parts Depot, Reynolds Engineering, Quad Cities Engineering and Caterpillar Tractor Co. in the Quad Cities. He transferred to Caterpillar in Peoria, Ill., in 1987 as a tool designer, retiring in March 2002.
He was a member of First Baptist Church of Peoria and served on the board of trustees. He worked with the American Baptist Men, serving with the Disaster Relief Organization, and worked on various church buildings and conference centers, and helped plan and serve the AB Men’s Breakfast.
He married Beverly Brown on Sept. 6, 1959, in Whiting. She survives.
Other survivors include two daughters, Teresa Palmer and husband Rex, Moline, Ill., and Tanya Jones and husband Earl, Downs, Ill.; a son, Ted Searcy and wife Christy, Downers Grove, Ill.; seven grandchildren, Jacob and Jonathon Palmer, Rayven, Matthew, Michael and Mia Searcy and Gabriel Blancaflor; a great-grandson, Joel Palmer; three stepgrandchildren, Jacque and William Jones and Josh Palmer; three sisters, Frances Paxton and husband Hale, Loma Linda, Calif., and Mary Schwab and Lorraine Morgan and husband William, all of Galesburg, Ill.; and two brothers, Gary Hendren and wife Joyce, Rock Island, Ill., and Royce Bandle, Las Cruces, N.M. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Robert and William Searcy and Gary Carlson.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Peoria, Ill., with a visitation one hour prior to the services at the church. Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria, Ill., is in charge of those services. Graveside funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Springhill Cemetery in Whiting, with Mercer Funeral Home in charge of local arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, Peoria, Ill., or Habitat for Humanity.