William Sanders, 77, co-owner of the historic Sprague’s Super Service gas station on Route 66 in Normal, Ill., with his wife Terri Ryburn, died Thursday in an area hospital, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph.
Sanders’ death was announced Sunday by Cathie Stevanovich, president of the Illinois Route 66 Association.
Stevanovich wrote:
Terri and Bill were in the process of restoring the Sprague’s Super Service in Normal. At one time this was the most beautiful service station in Central Illinois. Terri has been working nonstop to raise funds to repair the building to make it a Route 66 Info center. Working on the 2 story gas station, she “unretired” and went back to teaching at Illinois State, and was caring for her husband, and hitting the lecture and comedy circuits to raise funds for her preservation dream.
Sanders married Terri in 1998. These parts of the obituary made me smile:
A light lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 16, followed by a celebration of life service at Laughs Comedy Club, 108 E. Market St., Bloomington. […]
He was an avid golfer in which one of his greatest accomplishments was getting three holes-in-one.
The Sprague Super Service station dates to 1931, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ryburn and her husband were working to rehabilitate the property so it can be used as a visitor center, restaurant, tea room, and meeting and performance space.
Beck Memorial Home in Bloomington is in charge of arrangements, including cremation. Memorials can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.