Robert “Bob” Koonce, 99, of Morris, died on Thursday afternoon, April 30, 2022, exactly one month after his birthday.
A memorial visitation will be held Friday, May 5, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Assalley-Young Funeral Home in Greenville. Following a brief graveside service at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Greenville, a luncheon reception will be held at Greenville Country Club, beginning at 12 p.m.
Mr. Koonce was born March 30, 1923, in rural Mulberry Grove, the youngest and last surviving child of Theodore and Hannah (Wehrle) Koonce. He married Doris Breuchaud on Oct. 13, 1945, and they were married for over 61 years. She preceded him in death in December 2006.
He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Mulberry Grove High School in 1942. In addition to farming in his youth, he also played in an amateur baseball league as a catcher. On one occasion, he traveled to Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, MO, and tried out for the Cardinals, where he “could hit but wasn’t a fast enough runner” to make the team.
Meanwhile, Mr. Koonce continued to farm in rural Mulberry Grove until 1947, when at age 24, he became the owner and operator of Koonce Standard Service in Greenville. He later worked in sales at Ross Edwards car dealership in Greenville, and in the early 60s became the proprietor of the Bel Air Motel at the junction of Rt. 127 and Hwy 40, south of Greenville.
In later years, he owned the Uptown Motel in Greenville and was a Teamster until his early retirement in the 70s. At that time, his avocations included maintaining and selling golf carts and serving as greenskeeper at Greenville Country Club, where he had been a longtime member.
Besides golf, Mr. Koonce’s other passions were watching all sports on TV, especially his Cardinals. He probably attended at least 100 Cardinal games in his lfietime and at one game, caught a foul ball. He was still able to watch the first few series of the current 2022 season, and remarked, “I wonder how old you have to get to be, to no longer be a baseball fan?”
He and his wife wintered in Arizona and Florida for many years, where hundreds of rounds of golf were played, much delicious seafood consumed and many lifelong friendships were made.
Mr. Koonce lived independently in his own home in Greenville, where he continued to mow his lawn until age 97. In February of that year, he slipped on his icy driveway, retrieving his beloved St. Louis Post-Dispatch and broke his right thighbone. After undergoing surgery and rehabilitation in southern Illinois, he moved to Park Pointe Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Morris, the town in which his daughter Kay and her husband reside.
He is survived by his daughters, Kay (Greg Olson) Koonce Holsted of Morris and Dr. Lisa (Mark Bader) Koonce of Austin, TX; son-in-law, Charlie Porter; three grandchildren, Robin (Mike) Smith Stephens of Edwardsville, Ben Holsted of Chicago and Jon Holstead of Harrison, AR; and five great-grandchildren, Trey, Taryn, Tucker and Tressa Stephens, all of Edwardsville, and Justin Miller of Burlington, NC.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Koonce was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Kathy Porter in January 2017; granddaughter, Melinda Rose Smith in 1974; and siblings, Ira Koonce, Kenneth Koonce, Woodrow Koonce, Geraldine McElmurray and Evelyn Walker.
Memorials may be directed to Bond County Senior Center, 1001 E. Harris Ave., Greenville, IL 62246.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com.
