Born: July 2, 1929

Died: June 6, 2013

William Robert Day, 83, formerly of Niles, Mich., died at 7:43 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, 2013 at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Fla., following a brief illness.

He was born on July 2, 1929 in South Bend, Ind., to Robert O. and Faye (Roenbaugh) Day.  He attended Niles schools, and lived here until moving to Florida in 2007.  He drove trucks, and was retired from Hover Trucking.

Bill was a veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict, having served two tours of duty in the United States Army.  Among his decorations and medals was the Purple Heart Medal for injuries in action on Feb. 15, 1951, and an Oak Leaf Cluster for injuries on April 11, 1951.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #9226 in Ellenton, Fla.  He enjoyed gardening, and caring for his cars.  He was also a fan of NASCAR, paying attention to the results on the weekend before his death.

On June 5, 1948 in Niles he married the former Darlyne Rae Gordon with whom he celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their wedding just months prior to her death on September 3, 2008.  He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Gerald Day and Russell Day, and sisters, Helen Maxedon and Martha Robinson.

Surviving family includes his children, Carol Bourn of Palmetto, Fla., Darla (and Greg) Brock of Elkhart, Ind., and John (and Kathy) Day of Devil’s Lake, Mich.; grandchildren Gina (and Edward) Kramer, Wendi (and Jason) Scoles, Todd (and Nancy) Kujawa, Ryan (and Tammy) Day, Bill (and Jillian) Speybroeck, and Captain Stephen (and Stacey) Prosyniuk, U.S. Army; great-grandchildren, Blake, Holli, Emily, Chloe, Nicholas, Olivia, Audrey, Brenden, Dominic, Carson, and Kali; and many nieces and nephews.

Services for William Day will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 17, 2013 at the Graveside at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens in Niles with the Rev. Randy Pearman of Bethel Baptist Church in Niles officiating.  The service will conclude with Full Military Honors by the United States Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post #51 of Buchanan, Mich.

Contributions in memory of Bill Day may be made to American Legion Post #51.  Arrangements were made at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

www.halbritterfunerals.com