Raymond Dill

Raymond G. Dill, 81, of Belleville, IL, born December 22, 1934, in Belleville, IL, died Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Memorial Hospital, Belleville, IL.

Ray retired from the City of Belleville as the director of the Sanitation and Health Department on March 22, 1991, after 31 years of service.  He and his late wife, Alice, owned and operated Alice’s Place on North 11th Street in Belleville.  It was the meeting place for Stag Brewery workers, hunters, and fishermen to tell stories of their trophies.  It also served as a meeting place for politicians from local communities.  Good food and fun times were always had at Alice’s.

Ray enjoyed hunting every kind of animal, including deer, antelope, rabbit, squirrel, duck, bear, moose, and geese.  He had equipment for all kinds of hunting.  He traveled to Europe, to South America for geese, to Alaska for bear, to Canada for moose, or anywhere else a friend wanted to hunt. Whenever possible, Ray would hunt with his brothers and even taught his younger brothers where and how to hunt.  He also loved fishing and would often travel a great distance to catch fish and then host a fish fry at Alice’s for all of his friends.  Ray organized Alice’s Shooting Club and was a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Ducks Unlimited.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years, Alice M., nee Wegescheide, Dill, whom he married on April 22, 1960, and who died on November 12, 2004; his parents, Walter Sr. and Marie, nee Borutta, Dill; a brother, Walter Dill Jr.; a sister and brother-in-law, Rosemarie and John Gambo Sr.; a stepson, John Russell; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bill and Bobbie Wegescheide; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Gloria Jean and John Bechner.

Surviving are his brothers, Wayne Dill of Belleville, IL,
and Ronald (Judy) Dill of New Athens, IL;
a sister-in-law, Dolores Dill of Smithton, IL;
three nephews, Kevin (Jaime) Dill, Mark (Mandy) Dill, and John Gambo;
seven nieces, Connie (Mike) Hill, Susan Dill, Jo Ann Bertelsman,
Jane (Dean) Skaer, Cindy (Dave) Erickson, Lindsey Dill, and Kathy (Robert) Tulipan;
great-nieces; and great-nephews.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois.  Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.

Visitation: Friends may visit with the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 28, 2016, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL.

Funeral:  Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, March 28, 2016, at the funeral home with Rev. Gregory Bouck officiating.  Entombment will be Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at Valhalla Gardens of Memory Mausoleum.

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