William "Bill" H. Grant, 93, of Urbana, passed away at 12:45 a.m., Thursday, May 5th, 2016 at Presence-Covenant Medical Center, Urbana. A visitation will be held Monday, May 9th, 2016 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at Renner-Wikoff Chapel and Crematory, 1900 S. Philo Rd., Urbana. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., immediately following the visitation. Pastor Chuck Carlson will officiate. Burial will be held at Mt. Olive Cemetery with the Urbana V.F.W. Post #5520 performing military rites.

Mr. Grant was born April 24th, 1923 in Urbana, Illinois to parents William and Lenora (Fitzsimmons) Grant. They preceded him in death. He married Marjorie Mae Jury on August 21st, 1948 in Rockford, Illinois; she survives. Also surviving are six nephews. Bill was preceded in death by three sisters: Josephine Brown, Martha Cate, and Virginia Suttles. Bill was a member of the Professional Golfers Association and Urbana V.F.W. Post #5520. Bill's father was Superintendent of Urbana Parks for several decades, so Bill and his three sisters grew up with Crystal Lake Park in their backyard. They enjoyed pick-up games of hockey on the lake and summertime swimming at the pool. During the Depression, Bill would caddie for 35 cents per round at the nearby Urbana Golf and Country Club.

At Urbana High School, Bill was captain of the golf team and played football and basketball. In his senior year of 1941, he played on the Tigers basketball team that went to the state championships at Huff Hall, taking second place to Morton by one point.

During World War II, Bill was a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army Air Corps, serving as a medical technician tending to the wounded on evacuation flights from North Africa. After the war, he re-enlisted and went to West Point for a year before returning to take up golf again.

As assistant pro at Forest Hills Country Club in Rockford, he met his future bride Marge on the No. 4 fairway. They returned to Urbana where Bill earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois and studied Labor Relations for a year in graduate school. He worked briefly in the insurance industry, but soon was back on the golf course. He trained with the PGA as a golf professional and played in many area tournaments, winning the UI Open in 1961. He was the pro at Urbana Golf and Country Club for 21 years, keeping so busy he complained there was little time for golf.

Bill's retirement years gave him time for golfing again and volunteer opportunities. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and was a valued mentor to his nephews and close friends the Williamson family. He is fondly remembered for his friendly demeanor, colorful stories of local history, lifelong intellectual curiosity, and willingness to help others. In recent years, he continued to play golf at the UI course in Savoy. He also made lasting and supportive friendships as a regular at the McDonald's coffee group.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cunningham Children's Home or the American Cancer Society. Condolences may be offered online at www.rennerwikoffchapel.com.