John F Orton
(August 12, 1945 – October 28, 2019)
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 5, 2019 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL with Rev. David Hutton officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Monday, November 4, 2019. Burial will be in Tower Hill Cemetery, Tower Hill, IL with military rites by the Pana Veterans Honor Guard. Memorials may be given to the church or charity of the donor’s choice.
John was born on August 12, 1945 in El Dorado, KS, the son of Frank Rush and Bernice Delora (Cousins) Orton. He served in the U. S. Army National Guard from 1970-1976. John was an OTR truck driver for 52 years and traveled over 5.2 million miles in his career. He was better known on the road by his CB handle, “Free Spirit”. John owned and operated John Orton Truck Service in Tower Hill, IL and drove for several companies, including J & R Schugel of Urbana, IL, and Branna Tire of Assumption, IL. John was a member of the former Tower Hill United Methodist Church and strongly followed in the path of Jesus. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and the Masonic Lodge in Tuscola, IL. He married Denise Marie Hardsaw Hower on September 22, 1989.
He is survived by his wife, Denise and her children, which John considered as his own, Lisa Marie Hower Wilham (Matthew) of Kenney, IL and Steven Michael Hower (Samantha) of Tower Hill, IL; sisters, Norma Oldham of Pueblo, CO and Marty Orton of Mission, TX; and grandchildren, Haley Marie Wilham, Darrell Jonathon Hower and Dalton Logue.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
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