Samuel Joseph Whitlow, 75, of Hillsboro, died Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, at 8:42 a.m. at Hillsboro Area Hospital.
Visitation will be held Friday, Aug. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Bass Patton Dean Funeral Home in Hillsboro. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Aug. 14, at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Roy Eller, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be held in Wares Grove Cemetery in Butler.
Mr. Whitlow was born Oct. 26, 1945, in Nokomis, the son of John and Agnes (Haggarty) Whitlow. He married Dorothy Garvin, and she preceded him in death in 1998. He later married Barbara Pegg on April 23, 1999, in Hillsboro, and she survives.
During his lifetime, he lived in Nokomis, Fillmore and Hillsboro. He was a 1963 graduate of Nokomis High School, and was a truck driver for 37 years. For 19 years, he worked for the city of Hillsboro and as a police officer in Coffeen for four years. He was the village of Schram City trustee for 18 years, and owned a car detailing business since 2010.
A member of New Hope Baptist Church in Litchfield, the Wolf Pack Car Club, Old Settlers Committee and 2000 and Beyond, he was a volunteer for the Hillsboro Easter egg hunt and the Schram City Fall Festival, and always loved playing Santa Claus, which he did for 30 years during Christmas.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Bradley Whitlow of Litchfield; stepchildren, Jill Durbin of Coffeen, Art Durbin, Rodney Durbin, Scott Durbin and Joe Durbin, all of Quad Cities, Candy (husband Randy) Jones Hoppes of Hillsboro, Cathy (husband Mike) Burke of Hillsboro, Larry (wife Marie) Simmons of Vandalia and Kenneth (wife Connie) of St. Cloud, MN; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and siblings, Guy (wife Norma) Whitlow of Nokomis and Grace “Sally” Schuerman of Nokomis.
In addition to his parents and first wife, Dorothy, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathy Whitlow; and siblings, Rosemary “Rosie” Hopwood, on March 31, 2021.
Memorials may be made to the Hillsboro Auxiliary Police or to the family.
Online condolences may be left at www.basspattondeanfh.com.
