William Rouse

BRADFORD — William “Bill” Andrew Rouse, 73, of Bradford passed away Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

He was born on May 16, 1938, in Princeton to Charles and Bernadine (Butte) Rouse. He married Marlene (Marti) Row on Aug. 31, 1957, in Kewanee.

He served in the Army Reserves for six years. He farmed in the Bradford area for 15 years and was co-owner of R&S trucking. He was sales manager at the Ford dealership in Wyoming for 15 years. In the 1980’s he founded his family’s business, Green Gables Inc. He expanded Green Gables to eight locations. In 2001 it evolved into a wholesale furniture and manufacturing facility, that is still in operation in Bradford today and employs 35 people. He enjoyed coin collecting, hunting, woodworking, bird watching and gardening. He loved being surrounded by his family and especially his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Marti of Bradford; two sons, Bill Rouse of Wyoming and Bob (Tricia) Rouse of Bradford; two brothers, Raymond (Carol) Rouse of Bradford and Richard (Mary Jo) Rouse of Kewanee; one sister, Rose (Joe) Poindexter of Hot Springs, Ark.; and five grandchildren, Billy, Kaley, Jared, Robert and Sam.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Marlene Tumbleson; and one brother, Norman Rouse.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Bradford. Burial will be in the Bradford Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Grant-Johnson Funeral Home, Bradford, where a rosary will be recited at 8 p.m.

Contributions may be directed to the Bradford Rescue or the donor's choice.

Pallbearers will be Charles Rouse, Ron Elliott, Jeff Galyean, Brad Galyean, David Rouse and Philip Rouse. Honorary pallbearers are Don Stone and Gary Werkheiser.

Online condolences may be left at www.grant-johnsonfh.com.