William E. "Bill" Crabtree

William E. "Bill" Crabtree, 96, of Dover and formerly of Roodhouse, Illinois peacefully entered His eternal home on the morning of Saturday, March 14, 2015.

Born September 29, 1918 in White Hall, Illinois he was a son of the late Ernest and Hattie Book Crabtree. Bill was also preceded in death by his wife Gladys Crabtree on June 5, 2006; stepmother, Maude Book Crabtree; grandson and a brother and a sister.

Bill retired from AMTRACK with 30 years of service in the railroad industry. He attended Community Baptist Church in Dover and sang in the church choir. Bill was an outgoing person, who never met a stranger; he was also an excellent story teller who loved talking about his life adventures. Bill had a curious mind; he enjoyed taking machines apart just to see how they worked. In his spare time he loved listening to gospel music, singing his favorite hymns and woodworking.

A loving father and grandfather, Bill will be missed by his daughter, Shirley (Robert) Cleeton of Dover; brother, Donald Crabtree; sister, Gertrude Bruce both of Illinois; grandchildren, Robert (Madonna) Cleeton of Illinois, Timothy (Cindi) Cleeton of Florida, Debra (Jim) Rhodes of New Philadelphia; five great grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00 pm in the Community Baptist Church at Dover with Pastor Andy McClung officiating. Following the service, a funeral dinner will be held in the church social hall. Interment will be in the Pine Tree Cemetery at Patterson, Illinois. Friends can call at the church one hour prior to the service on Wednesday. The Toland-Herzig Funeral Home and Crematory at Dover is handling arrangements. Those wishing to express their fondest memories of Bill may do so by visiting the online obituaries and flowers link on the funeral homes website.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice at 716 Commercial Avenue SW, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663 or to Community Baptist Church Building Fund at PO Box 221, Dover, Ohio 44622.