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"In Loving Memory"

William L. Sprick, 1930-2019

William "Bill" L. Sprick, a proud son of Washington Co., NE, died at his home in Peoria, IL, on June 3, 2019. He was 89 years old.

William "Bill" Sprick was born on January 26, 1930, in Tekamah, NE. He was the son of Wilhelm Gustav Sprick and Emma Ruth Eriksen. Bill Sprick grew up on the family farm near Herman, in Washington County, NE. When Bill was sixteen years old, he moved to Fremont with this family. Bill Sprick graduated in 1952 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Nebraska, at Lincoln. Upon graduation, Bill Sprick accepted his career position with the Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria, Illinois.

William L. Sprick married on February 27, 1954, in Peoria, Illinois, to Barbara Rue Armstrong, of Illinois. Soon after they had married, Bill was drafted into the US Army, whereupon he served as a specialist at the Aberdeen "Proving Grounds" in Maryland. Following his military service, Bill returned with his family to Peoria, where he resumed his job at Caterpillar. The family soon grew to include two sons and a daughter.

William Sprick had a long and distinguished career at Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria, where he served as a supervisory design and development project engineer with the company's Engine Division. After more than 40 years of service, Bill retired in 1992 from his role as Supervisor of Engineering at Caterpillar. Following his retirement, Barb and Bill traveled extensively and enjoyed the opportunity to spend more time with family and friends.

In 1996, Bill and Barb resettled to be nearer to two of their children in Tampa, Florida. They quickly adapted to their life in Florida. In 2006, Bill and Barb Sprick returned once more to live in Peoria, Illinois, but they continued to enjoy regular visits to their one-time home in Florida. Always together, Bill and Barb loved nothing more than to share an afternoon, an evening dinner, or a movie with family or friends.

William Sprick was an active member of University Avenue Methodist Church in Peoria, IL. He was a 32nd degree Mason, and a member of the Grand View Lodge No. 1112 in Peoria. He served with several civic groups and professional societies. Bill Sprick was generous with his time and spent much of life volunteering his service to a long list of deserving organizations.

Bill Sprick proudly regarded himself as a "farmer," and he maintained a deep and heartfelt attachment to the family place in Washington Co., NE. Through his diligent attention, and with the indispensable assistance and expertise of his trusted friends and associates in Nebraska, he continued to actively and successfully manage the family farm. The family of William Sprick wishes to express its deep gratitude to the many trusted friends in our Nebraska "family" who helped Bill keep the farm beautiful, healthy, and productive.

His survivors will deeply feel the loss of William L. Sprick, but they are comforted in the faith that he has returned to the loving and miraculous place whence he came and that he dwells, now and forever, in the House of the Lord.

William L. Sprick was preceded in death by both parents and by his sister, Darline Rachael (Sprick) Janzen, last of Grand Island, NE.

William is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Barbara (Armstrong) Sprick of Peoria; his three children: son, William Douglas (Diane) Sprick of Evansville, IN; son, Gary L. Sprick and his spouse, Aaron Greaser, of Tampa, FL; daughter, Nancy (Richard) Daniel of Tampa, FL; granddaughter, Caitlyn; and grandson, Conor.

Visitation is planned for Friday, June 21, from 5-8 pm, at Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria, Illinois. On Saturday, June 22, a short visitation will be followed by the 11:00 am funeral service at the University United Methodist Church, in Peoria, IL. Interment will follow at Swan Lake Cemetery in Peoria.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests any memorial gifts please be made to the University United Methodist Church of Peoria, to any of the Shriners' Children's Hospitals, or the charity of your choice.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clipping on file at the Blair Public Library.~~~