Oscar “Bud” St. Clair Mittermyer, 87, of Canton, Ill., formerly of rural La Harpe, Ill., passed away at 2:29 AM Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014 at Sunset Manor Nursing Home in Canton, Ill.
Bud was born May 20, 1927, in rural Hancock County, Ill., the son of the late Oscar Herman and Bonnie Bess Brown Mittermyer. He married Erice M. Campbell on June 2, 1946. She preceded him in death Jan. 29, 1992.
Bud leaves behind the following to cherish numerous memories: one sister, Velva Jones, of Carthage, Ill.; one granddaughter, Nicole (Chad) Bohanan, of Canton, Ill.; one grandson, Roger Day, of Keokuk, Iowa; and five great-grandchildren, Mitch (Melissa) Worley, of Chatham, Ill., Brad Day, Megan Worley, of Macomb, Ill., Shelby Day, and Marcus Fowler, of Canton, Ill. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter Marlene Day; three sisters, Velera Davis, Louise Campbell, and Peg Carter; and two brothers, Robert and George Mittermyer.
Bud served his country as a member of the United States Navy during World War II, by his account, working mostly on ships touring the Pacific Ocean, specifically near the Mariana Islands. After making the trip half the world away, Bud found his way back to Hancock County and settled on roughly 160 acres along the Fountain Green Blacktop. He farmed for over 50 years, all the while making memories on that same property with the family he loved more than anything else.
Perhaps Bud’s greatest attributes were his free spirit and unconditional love for everyone he knew and encountered. He was always willing to lend a hand to his neighbors with their agricultural endeavors, which they generously reciprocated, and he enjoyed participating in whatever mischief his great-grandchildren and their friends could cook up while at the farm. Bud’s underhand baseball pitching style and preference to light fireworks with a torch will be heralded for generations, as will his ability to tinker with almost anything inoperable until it was back in some type of usable capacity. He will be loved and greatly missed by anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.
Funeral Services for Bud will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, November 15, 2014 at Banks and Beals Funeral Home in LaHarpe. Burial, with military rites, will follow in the LaHarpe Cemetery. Friends may call after 3:00 PM Friday at the funeral home where the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00. A memorial fund has been established for the LaHarpe Ambulance Service. Condolences may be left atwww.banksandbeals.com.
