William Vernon Ittner

Mr. William Vernon Ittner, age 77, of Carbondale, died at 8:09 p.m. Saturday, August 20, 2011 at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Bill's death was caused by Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.He was born in Highland, Illinois, the son of Vernon William and Estelle Hagneur Ittner. He married Dorothy Anne "Dede" Lingle on June 24, 1961, at the First Presbyterian Church in Carbondale.Bill is survived by his wife, Dede Ittner of Carbondale; three children, De Lou (Brian) De Jong of Sheboygan,Wisconsin, Jonathan Robert (Peggy) Ittner of Carbondale, and Kay Susanne (Brent) Newell of Carbondale; seven grandchildren; Samantha De Jong (Rodney) Nyhof, Ian De Jong, Grace De Jong, Cameron De Jong, Christian De Jong, all of Sheboygan Wisconsin, Stephen Newell of Carbondale; other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; father and mother in law, Leland P. "Doc" and Dorothy Furr Lingle of Carbondale and one brother, Ted Ittner.Bill was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Carbondale and Olney. He served as elder and usher for the church and an outreach ministry to SIU students and visitors. He proudly served in the U. S. Army from 1954 to 1956 in the Panama Canal Zone, Thirty-Third infantry; 504th Field Artillery Unit. After his 1961 graduation from SIU, Bill began his professional involvement as a Traffic Technician for General Telephone in Illinois. (Jacksonville, Bloomington Normal, Marion and Olney) before his retirement in 1991. During this period he received his teacher certificate at Illinois State University, teaching and coaching for several years at Lexington, Illinois Jr. High School. Mr. Ittner was very community service oriented. He was involved in Boy Scouting in Olney, the Buffalo Trace Council of Boy Scouts of America. Bill served as a Cubmaster Webelos Leader, Boy Scout Committee Member. He was an Adult Leadership Trainer. He received the Woodbadge Training, District Award of Merit and Silver Beaver. He was a long time member of the Olney Kiwanis Club with deep interest in youth activities. Sharing many interests with his wife, he became an associate member of the Carbondale Preservation Commission as a part of the "Carbondale Remembered" Oral History Project. Upon retirement the Ittners returned to Carbondale where, as Life Members of the SIU Alumni Association, Bill became involved in Alumni work with the Jackson County Alumni Chapter and in a support role with the Student Alumni Council. Mr. Ittner provided nearly a decade of tutoring services in math and science for the John A. Logan Adult Literacy Program. Family funeral services for Mr. William Vernon Ittner will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 26, 2011 at the Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Cobden with Rev. Janice C. West and Rev. Brian De Jong officiating. Interment will be in the Cobden Cemetery. Friends may call after 9:00 a.m. and until the funeral hour on Friday, August 26, 2011 at the Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Cobden. A celebration of William's life will be planned at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the SIU Foundation Legacy Scholarships; Leland and Dorothy Lingle Memorial Scholarship; and the Presbyterian Church of Carbondale. Envelopes will be available at the Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Cobden.