Wesley Truman Westmoreland

WESLEY (WES/SONNY) WESTMORELAND, SR.

WITH GREAT SADNESS, WESLEY COMFORTABLY PASSED AWAY ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND, 2022, AT HOPE CREEK CARE CENTER IN EAST MOLINE, IL. HE WAS ALMOST 92 YEARS OLD, HIS DAUGHTER, JAYME BY HIS SIDE.  A BIG THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AT HOPE CREEK AND GENESIS HOSPICE FOR YOUR CARE AND SUPPORT.

WESLEY WAS A LOVING MAN THAT CARED FOR ALL OF HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS VERY MUCH. HIS KINDHEARTED SPIRIT WILL LIVE IN EVERYONE THAT KNEW HIM. HE WAS BORN ON JULY 19TH, 1930, IN SIKESTON, MO. HE SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN 1955. WES LOVED TO PLAY GUITAR AND SING. HE CO-OWNED A TAVERN YEARS AGO CALLED: ”THE AVALON NITE CLUB" IN ROCK ISLAND. HE WROTE AN INSTRUMENTAL HE NAMED "THE AVALON BOOGIE", "THE STRING KINGS" WAS ONE OF THE BANDS HE PLAYED IN LOCALLY WITH HIS BEST FRIENDS, HE WAS IN OTHER BANDS OVER THE YEARS AS WELL. HE WAS A PAST PRESIDENT AT THE ROCK ISLAND EAGLES CLUB FOE AERIE 956, A MEMBER OF THE VFW AND THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION. EVERY YEAR HE WOULD PLAY MUSIC FOR MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, WITH ALL PROCEEDS GOING TO THE MDA FOUNDATION. HE DREW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER, INSTEAD OF SAYING HE PLAYED ON STAGE, HE CALLED IT "THE BAND STAND". SONNY WAS A TRUCK DRIVER FOR YELLOW FREIGHT FOR OVER 20 YEARS, RETIRING IN 1992. HE WORKED HIS WHOLE LIFE, FROM THE AGE OF 12, HIS MOTHER PASSED AWAY WHEN HE WAS 9 AND TIMES WERE VERY TOUGH FOR HIM. HE WAS ON HIS OWN A LOT. THIS MAN WAS SELF TAUGHT IN ALMOST EVERYTHING, NOT HAVING MUCH SCHOOLING. HE CARRIED A POCKET DICTIONARY WITH HIM EVERYWHERE HE WENT. 

WESLEY WAS MARRIED 4 TIMES IN HIS LIFE. HE MARRIED THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, LUZELLA YOUNT ON DECEMBER 25TH, 1978. LEFT TO HONOR HIS MEMORY ARE HIS CHILDREN, JAYME WESTMORELAND-KROUTH (RYAN) OF EAST MOLINE, DANNY WESTMORELAND (TERRI) OF MOLINE, JANET WINGERT (HER LATE HUSBAND GALE) OF ROCK ISLAND, GARY WESTMORELAND OF ROCK ISLAND, DOUGLAS WESTMORELAND OF ROCK ISLAND, GALE COLE IN IOWA, TAMARA HARPER OF MOLINE, RANDY HACKER OF MOLINE, GARY HACKER IN GEORGIA, LINDA/SUSIE (CHUCK) STREETS IN IOWA, LARRY SANDERS IN COLORADO AND WAYNE SANDERS IN ILLINOIS. HIS LIST OF GRANDCHILDREN, GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN IS A LONG ONE. HE CREATED 5 GENERATIONS MORE THAN ONCE, HIS LEGACY LIVES ON THROUGH ALL OF US.  

WESLEY WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS, EDNA DAVIS/REYNOLDS AND WILLIAM WILLARD WESTMORELAND, HIS WIFE LUZELLA WESTMORELAND, SON WESLEY (BUTCH) WESTMORELAND, JR., HIS DAUGHTER VICKI WINTERS, DAUGHTERS LINDA, SHERRY, DONNA AND SON MIKE. ALL OF HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND ALL OF HIS FRIENDS EXCEPT ONE. HE ALSO LOST HIS VERY SPECIAL GRANDSON, RYAN HACKER. HIS DOG SKEETER WILL BE SO HAPPY TO SEE HIM AGAIN. WE WILL ALL REUNITE ONE DAY, SEE YOU LATER…NEVER GOODBYE. DEROO FUNERAL HOME IN MOLINE WILL BE HANDLING THE CREMATION PER HIS WISHES. HE WILL BE RESTING IN PEACE NEXT TO HIS BELOVED WIFE ON THE ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL. PRIVATE COMMITTAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT 1 PM WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022, AT NATION AL CEMETERY, ROCK ISLAND. A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD IMMEDIATELY AFTER FOR FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY AT THE ROCK ISLAND EAGLES CLUB, 5103 11TH STREET, ROCK ISLAND, IL, 61201.

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