Averill Harley (TEX) Holloway, Orion, IL, passed away on Tuesday, December 2 at Trinity West Hospital in Rock Island, IL. Averill was 24 days short of his 92nd birthday. The visitation for Averill will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 7th, at Wheelan-Pressley Funeral Home, 201 E. 4th Ave., Milan, IL. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 8th, at the funeral home. Pastor Cory Gonyo of First Baptist Church, Bettendorf, IA will officiate. Burial, with military honors, will be at Chapel Grove Cemetery, Taylor Ridge, IL.

Averill was born on December 26, 1922 in Corsicana, TX to Eva & Rueben Holloway. When he was a young man he worked at the Corsicana Cotton Mills and for a time in Phoenix, AZ. He served during WWII in the Army Air Corp (Now the U.S. Air Force) from 1943 – 1946, stationed in San Antonio at Kelly Airfield. There was a fellow soldier stationed with Averill in Texas, which coincidentally was the brother of one Hazel Albertson. Glen Albertson brought Averill, whom he had nicknamed TEX, home on leave and in July of 1945 Averill married Glen's sister Hazel of Taylor Ridge, IL in San Antonio, TX. After his time in the service was over they moved to Rock Island, IL where they were for many years and had their 3 children, moving out to Orion when their youngest was in her teens.

Averill worked for Torrance Electric for a time and then the Rock Island Railroad at the Silvis Freight yard. Taking advantage of the GI bill he went back to school and obtained a position at Lock & Dam 15 as an Electrical Engineer where he worked until he retired. Averill was an avid woodworker making all the cabinets and several of the furniture pieces in his home as well as his children's homes. In his younger years he was part of a country-western band playing guitar and singing. He very much enjoyed gardening and canning. Until these past years there was very seldom anything but fresh vegetables and peaches from his peach tree on their table. He holds the CB tag KB9EO, was a Ham radio buff and was always inventing things. More than any of these endeavors though, he loved spending time with his family, especially the grandkids. They could talk their grandpa into most anything and got away with a lot while he napped on the bench while they played at the park (something Grandma never knew)! Family holidays were the joy of his life – having the whole family around the table for every holiday, birthday or big occasion. As a carpenter he added leaf after leaf onto that table so that everyone could gather around it, where he would never fail to say the blessing he is known for, "Thank you Lord for the food before us, in Jesus name. Amen." Simple, but straight and to the point, just like he was.

Yes, Averill was a God-fearing man who knew the Lord as his Savior and is now up in Heaven just waiting for the day when all his family will be gathered about him once again. I'm sure he has already started his garden and is building the biggest mansion for us when we get there. It tells us in God's Word, "In my house there are many mansions, if it were not true I would not have told you so." Now they have Averill to help to build them up there.

Averill is survived by his wife of 69 years, Hazel, his daughter, Linda (Holloway) & Gus Taets, Coal Valley, IL; son, Allen and Kathy Holloway, Bettendorf, IA; and, daughter, Karen (Holloway) & Bruce Sturm, Moline, IL. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren, Jay & Christine Taets, Chris & Anne Taets, and Brandy & Mary Taets; Misty Holloway and Jennifer (Holloway) Kress; and, Amber (Sturm) & Jeff Rice, Jason Sturm, and Brittney Sturm as well as 10 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Eva Murel, California & Barbara Pool, Texas & and his cat, HeShe. Preceding him in death was his mother, father and a sister, Pauline.