William S. "Bill" Blumberg, 61, of Collinsville, Ill., born April 6, 1950, in East St. Louis, Ill., died at 3:49 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, at Anderson Hospital, Maryville, Ill.



Bill was very active in the Collinsville community. He was a community leader, being involved with many organizations and charities. He created and founded Williamsburg Mercantile Mini Mall and also Flintlock Forge. He had a long history of working for the Preservation and Restoration of downtown. Bill was a prolific writer of poems and short stories. He was on the Anderson Hospital Board of Trustees and a board member of the Collinsville Historical Museum. Along with his wife Shelley, he was an avid horseman, loved all of his animals and a supporter of the former Collinsville Humane Society and ARRF of S.W.I.L. Bill graduated with honors from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., majoring in political science. He will be remembered with love for his strong sense of family, friends, faith, his classic sense of style and a good hat.



He was preceded in death by his parents, William H. and Fay C., nee Blackwell, Blumberg; his grandparents, William H. and Lucile Blumberg and Stephen and Flossie Blackwell; and his great-grandfather, John Henry Blum, who was founder of the Blum Bell Factory in Collinsville, Ill.



Surviving are his wife, Shelley, nee Smith, Blumberg whom he married on Sept. 22, 1973; mother-in-law, Shirley M. Smith; sisters-in-law, Sharon Campbell and Susan (Danny) Farris; two aunts, Frances (Robert) Olbrich and Floy Hartman; and two uncles, Ellis Blackwell and Stephen Blackwell.



Memorials may be made to the Animal Rescue & Relief Foundation or Collinsville Historical Museum. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.herrfuneral.com



Visitation: Friends may call from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011, at Herr Funeral Home, Collinsville, Ill.



Funeral: Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Karen Landwehr and Rev. Elmer Bowman officiating.





Postscript from Shelley Smith Blumberg



Bill was President of his fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee from 1971 to 1972. During Bill's leadership as President, this Chapter stopped the practice of hazing. Eventually the other fraternities followed suit.



This past April 2011, he attended the 50th Anniversary Reunion of the founding of the Chapter at Sewanee (U. of the South). He love his fraternity brothers and was so happy to re-connect with many of them.



Thank you to all who sent their condolences both online and in the many sympathy cards I have recieved. Bill had a deep and abiding faith in God and is at peace beyond all understanding. He was my love and my life. Your prayers have kept me going during this extremely difficult time.



A special thanks to Rev. Karen Landwehr of Christ Unity Church, Collinsville and to Rev. Elmer Bowman, United Church of Christ. Thank you, more than words can ever say, to Robert and Judy Herr; Ryan; Pam and all the Staff at Herr's. Their kindness; support; and professionalism made this difficult time bearable.





He will cover you with his feathers

and under his wings you shall trust,

his truth shall be your shield and buckler.

Psalm 91