Aug. 30, 1922-June 21, 2006

Wallace C. "Wally" Etcheson, 83, El Paso, Ill., died Wednesday at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal, Ill.

Born in Putnam County, he was the son of Claude and Laurel (Morris) Etcheson.

A 1946 graduate of DePauw University, he earned a master's degree from Indiana University in 1950. He served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He taught high school and coached sports in Indiana for five years, and retired in 1986 after a 32-year career managing propane distribution plants in Indiana and Illinois. He served on the El Paso School Board for nine years, with four as president. He was a Boy Scout leader, president of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, a 50-year member of American Legion Post 143 and VFW Post 6026 in El Paso, and was affiliated with Grace Fellowship Church.

He married Marian Lewman on May 8, 1945 in Cambridge City. She survives.

Also surviving are four children Jon Etcheson and wife Kathy, Normal, Jane Heinke and husband Tom, Bartlett, Tenn., Jerry Etcheson, Gridley, and Jay Etcheson, El Paso; two sisters Jean Scobee and husband Will, Greencastle, and Raquel Hueber and husband Bill, Pittsboro; and seven grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Calvert and Froelich Memorial Home, El Paso, with Rev. Andrew Lucas officiating. Burial with military rites will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, El Paso.

Visitation will be 5-7:30 p.m. Friday.