East Alton--William C. "Bill" Fair, 95, passed away Sunday, August 21, 2022 at his home.

Born March 18, 1927 in Decatur, IL, he was a son of James Miller and Lydia Mary (Hatfield) Fair.

A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, Bill worked as an operating engineer for Wood River Refinery for 20 years and SIUE for another 20 years.  He was a lifetime member of the Wood River Moose Lodge as well as the Alton Eagles and the Sportsman's Club.  A lifetime Cardinal Baseball fan, he also was an avid golfer and 20-year volunteer ranger at Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River.  He enjoyed fishing and hunting and doing home projects.  Family was most important, and he loved spending time with them.

He married Helen C. Mitchell Sept. 4, 1948 in West Alton.  She survives.  Also surviving are his children, Jennifer (Greg) McCalley of East Alton, Mike Fair of Alton, Mark (Amy) Fair of Bethalto, and Tim (Susan) Fair of Dallas, TX; grandchildren, Ryan (Pamela) Fair of Loganville, GA, Chris (Casey Sue) Fair and Chelsi (Tim) Owens, all of Bethalto, Casey Fair of Collinsville, Mitchell (Erin) Fair of Fulshear, TX, Braden (Leanna) Fair of Midland TX, Morgan (Michael) Dudley of Bethalto, and Nathan McCalley of East Alton; 11 great grandchildren; and his sister, Connie Port Vick, his nieces and nephews, and Connie's  husband Greg Vick of Highland.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, James Earl Fair; and a daughter-in-law, Janis Fair.

Memorial visitation will be Saturday, Sept. 3 at Paynic Home for Funerals, beginning at 10 a.m., followed by a short service at 12:30 p.m.  A Celebration of Bill's Life will then be held from 1-4 p.m. at the East Alton American Legion.

Private burial will be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital or to the American Heart Association.

An online guestbook is available at www.paynicfh.com