William Franklin Ervin
August 17, 1947 ~ September 11, 2020
William Franklin Ervin (fondly known by immediate family as “UB”) was born in Vincennes, IN on August 17, 1947 and passed away from non-COVID declining health at The Greens in Pinehurst, NC on September 11, 2020.
Bill graduated from Newton Community High School in May of 1966 and attended Eastern Illinois University and Olney Central College. He worked at various industries locally but his favorite employment was working as a disk jockey at radio stations in Casey and Olney.
He moved to Springfield and worked for Western Union, which was bought by AT&T. He later moved to Chicago and settled in Midlothian. He retired from AT&T for health reasons and moved to Rockingham, NC, to enjoy a warmer clime and be near family. For several years, he spun the vinyl at WAYN radio station in Rockingham, augmenting the music from his own extensive collection.
Bill was a life-long St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Bears fan, news junkie, foreign car enthusiast and self-taught musicologist.
Bill was preceded in death by his father, Oda William Ervin; mother, Ruby Geraldine Wilson Ervin; stepmother Rachel Dorothy Kruger Ervin; brothers Doyt Houser and Larry Eugene Ervin. He is survived by a sister, Martha LeMay; a step-brother, James Kruger; nieces Melissa LeMay, Karen Martinez, Beth Hodges; nephew William Joseph Ervin and numerous cousins in the Jasper County and greater Chicagoland areas.
Per his wishes, Bill’s body was cremated. A memorial service will be held in Hidalgo, IL when COVID permits.
Wow….Where do i start, Bill was such a lively soul. I came to know him through a Facebook post wanting a caregiver and i think that was one of the best decisions i ever made. He loved to talk and we had so much in common.We talked about family, life , careers, music, and how it was living in Illinois compared to North Carolina.Bill was very thoughtful and warm hearted, he always treated me like family. One of my favorite memories is actually a voicemail he left me. We were having a conversation on the band Journey and there was some information that i wasn’t sure of and after my visit with him i missed his call and he left me a message after he investigated the topic we discussed just to give me the info. Bill had to be one of the most lively, giving, loving, funny, and caring people i have met. And loved music. Anytime i walked in there was usually music playing on the tv.It was truly an honor to have the time i was able with him. He will always be an important part of my life and hold a special place in my heart.You will be greatly missed and loved always Bill.