One of a kind, William James Callahan Jr. passed away Friday, September 25 at home surrounded by his wife and children.

Bill was born August 5, 1939 at St. Francis Hospital in Macomb. He was raised first on a farm east of Bushnell and after 1948 on the farm west of Blandinsville where he passed. Bill attended Western Illinois University Laboratory School (Western High), where he met the love of his life, Jacquelyne Crouse.

Bill and Jackie married in 1959 and moved to Dubuque, Iowa where he was employed by the John Deere company. Their first three children were born in Dubuque but Bill didn't take much to factory work so in 1964 Bill and Jackie started farming with his dad, and moved to a farm south of Blandinsville where later that year their fourth child was born, delivered at St. Francis in Macomb by the same nun who had delivered Bill 25 years before.

Bill taught Jackie how to farm; she taught him pretty much everything else, to his everlasting joy and pleasure. For the next 30 years they farmed and raised their four kids around and in Blandinsville. Which may be the least interesting part of Bill's story.

Bill was a real original, as everyone who knew him can attest.

In his time on earth he raised champion Poland China hogs and champion sheep. Bill served on the Northwestern School District Board for many years, serving as Board President for much of that time. Bill was a licensed pilot, flying Cessna 150s, 172s and a classic Piper Colt club plane, and took great joy in "buzzing" friends. As a part time gig, Bill drove a semi tractor-trailer for Vermillion Trucking through the 1990's into the early Oughts.

After leaving farming Bill was elected Blandinsville Township Road Commissioner in 1997, serving the people of the Township until 2017. Bill took immense pride as commissioner, making a part-time job a full time calling.

Bill and Jackie's true passion, though, was traveling North America by Harley Davidson motorcycle. The earliest known photograph of Bill's oldest child is of him holding the infant seated on a Harley in 1960. Once the kids were out of the house in the 1980's, from their home base in Blandinsville Bill and Jack rode--no trailering for them--from Alaska to Nova Scotia and from the north shore of Lake Superior to southern California and everywhere in-between, going through six Harley touring bikes and, in their 70's, a Harley Trike. They had a special love for and many trips to their honeymoon destination, the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Over, literally, hundreds of thousands of miles over more than 35 years Bill and Jackie made friends across the continent, as a large motorcycle, brilliant smiles and Bill's gift of the gab irresistibly attracted complete strangers into their friends circle. The kids and their mom are going to have quite a task reaching out to the vast number of people who came to know and love them in every corner of the country.

Bill is survived by "his buddy" and partner in all things Jackie, children Bill III (Eliana), Terri (Jeff Grieve), Mike (Renee Cranson) and Angie (Jeff Pike), siblings Marilyn, Pat (Peg), Shelly (Michael Moore) and Dan (Cecelia). Bill was immensely proud of his grandkids Natalie, Jim (William J IV), Lauren, Scott, Anna, Jack, Justin and great-grandchild Theo.

At Bill's specific request, there will be no funeral or visitation, but a big party. Details about the date of that party will be distributed widely once known.

Please make donations in Bill's name to one, two or all three of the most amazing organizations, in McDonough County and beyond, the Blandinsville-Hire Fire Department, McDonough District Hospital Home Health Care or McDonough District Hospital Hospice. They can all use your help. The donations may be sent to Jackie Callahan, 435 North 1950th Road, Blandinsville, Illinois 61420.

It's impossible for Bill's family to adequately express our level of gratitude for the professionalism, compassion and dedication these three organizations and staff have shown Bill and the family over the past five years. Thank you all.

Cremation has been entrusted to Banks & Beals Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence for the family, please visit Bill’s obituary at banksandbeals.com.