William L Tyree, 79, of Cass Street, Niles, died at 1:06 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Center, following an extended illness.
The family is gathering privately at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. John D. Criswell of New Harvest Church of God, officiating.
Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.
There will be no public visitation.
He was born on Jan. 10, 1930, in Linn, Mo., to William Franklin Tyree and Cleo Latterman Tyree.
He attended school in Linn, Mo. and had lived in Niles since 1968.
He retired from A.M. General.
Tyree was a member of New Harvest Church of God on Yankee Street.
He served in the United States Marine Corps during peacetime. He was previously employed as a truck driver for Mayflower Van Lines.
He was well known as “Papa” throughout the community. He enjoyed watching gameshows, especially the Wheel of Fortune.
On Dec. 10, 1948, in Tennessee, he married Lillian I. “Nanny” (Meredith) Tyree, who survives.
Additional surviving family include, a daughter, paula Diana (Bill) Stewart of Niles; a son, William “Larry” (Marsha) Tyree of Niles; eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren and a sister, Dorothy Bauer.
He was preceded in death  by a daughter, Patricia Kay Rucker, who died on Nov. 14, 2005; a brother, Donald Tyree and a sister, Norma Dean Helmig.
Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.