Edward S. Bott
Edward S. Bott, 89, of Belleville, Illinois, born Sunday, December 10, 1922, in East St. Louis, IL, died Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, Illinois.
Ed was raised in East St. Louis, Illinois and graduated from East St. Louis High School in 1940. He then attended Duke University in Durham, N.C. from 1940 through 1942 before he was called into service in the United States Army Air Corps. Ed served in the field of military intelligence with the 20th Bomber Command of the Air Corps, participating in campaigns in China, India and Japan, was decorated with 5 Bronze Stars, and was instrumental in the communication of reconnaissance photos before and after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When the war ended, Ed returned to Duke and later graduated in June 1947, with a B.A. degree in Business Administration. During his last two years at Duke, Ed served as President of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, and was a Member of the YMCA Cabinet, the Men's Student center, and Pan-Hel Council. It was also at Duke where he met his wife, Peggy Wiley, whom he married November 26, 1948.
Ed and Peggy made their home in Belleville and Ed began work as a Vice President of the family business, Corn Belt Laboratories in East St. Louis where he worked alongside his father and brother. The business was later sold to Rohm & Haas Company of Pennsylvania and Ed changed careers to banking, first as an investment banker with Newhard Cook in Belleville, and then, in 1971 as Vice President of Bankers Trust which later merged into Mark Twain Bank of St. Louis. Ed retired as President of Mark Twain Bank, Belleville, in June 1991.
Next to his family, Ed’s passion was the community in which he lived, devoting his spare time to public service. Ed was a member of the Board of Education of Signal Hill School District #181 from 1960 – 1969, serving as President in 1967 & 1968; a member of the Board of Directors of Memorial Hospital for over 30 years, and President of the Board from 1986 – 1989; a member of the Board of Trustees of McKendree College from 1969 – 1991, Chairman of the Board from 1975 – 1981, and awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letter; served on the Board of Belleville Economic Progress from 1984 – 1990, President from 1986 – 1987; the United Way of Greater St. Louis Board of Directors 1982 – 1985, Chairman of Illinois Division 1984 - 1985; and Board of Directors of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Red Cross from 1989 – 1995. Ed was a member of Signal Hill United Methodist Church, and a lifelong member of St. Clair Country Club where he loved to spend time with his wife, family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his:
- Parents: Anthony E. and Pauline nee Rives Bott
- Stepmother: Ethlyn nee Wisegarver Bott
- Brother: Robert Bott
Surviving are his:
- Wife: Peggy J. neeWiley Bott of Belleville, IL
- Daughters
- Margaret "Peggy" Evans of Phoenix, AZ
- Karen (Dan) Strobo of Belleville, IL
- Son: Edward "Ed" (Lucy) Bott Jr. of Belleville, IL
- Brother: Anthony R. (Lou) Bott of Cornwall, PA
- Sisters
- Betty Shaw of Maitland, FL
- Pauline Davis of Amherst, MA
- Grandchildren
- Becky (Steve) Franson
- Sarah Evans
- Jeff Evans
- Daniel Strobo
- Shannon (Ben) Bevill
- Wylie Bott
- Mary Katherine "Kaky" Bott
- Ben Bott
- Sam Bott
- Step Grandson: Bret (Debbie) Strobe
- 7 Great Grandchildren
Memorials: Memorials may be made to the Memorial Hospital Foundation
Visitation: Friends may call from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, June 1, 2012 at Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville, Illinois and from 9:00 am - 11:00 am Saturday, June 2, 2012 at Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville, Illinois.
Funeral: Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, June 2, 2012 at Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville, with Rev. Jim Wheeler officiating. Private family interment at Valhalla Gardens of Memory, Belleville, Illinois.