William (Bill) Edwin Morter was born in North Hampton, Ohio to Milton T. Morter, Sr. and Grace Evelyn Baker Morter on December 21, 1938. His family later moved to a farm in Rootstown, Ohio.
While Bill was in the seventh grade, his family bought a fishing camp with a lodge and cottages on Bob’s Lake in Ontario, Canada. Bill worked summers at the lake, cleaning boats, cottages and the fish that guest caught. Bill met his first wife Dorothy in high school and they were married after graduation. Bill used the money he saved up from his summers working in Canada to pay his way through Kent State University.
Bill graduated from Kent State in 1960 and became a high school math teacher in Akron, Ohio. He later moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and earned a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Following graduation, the family moved to Wilmington, Delaware where he taught high school math. He and Dorothy were later divorced. While on a trip to the Washington D.C. Temple, he met Yvonne Elzinga. They were married on June 21, 1975 and settled into his home in Wilmington.
They later moved to Ballwin, Missouri where Bill attended and graduated from Logan Chiropractic College and became a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC). After several years practicing in Ballwin, Missouri, he moved to Richland, Missouri. Bill and Yvonne settled on 100 acres and changed the property into a gardener’s paradise. He had flower gardens, vegetable gardens, and fruit trees. They donated much of their harvest to the local community. They ran their small farm raising rabbits, chickens, ducks and turkeys over the years. For over twenty years they held an annual pig roast, inviting friends, family, neighbors and local ward members.
Bill was a man of great faith and attended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in a variety of roles, but he especially enjoyed teaching others. He was an avid college basketball and football fan cheering for his beloved Buckeyes. He is survived by five children he helped raise Julie, Theresa, Sherry, Darlene and Michael; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
He was a loving and dedicated father and will be sorely missed by those who knew him.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, December 12, 2024, at Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Visitation will be from noon-1 p.m. in the funeral home. Burial will be at Mount Rose Memorial Park Mausoleum.
Arrangements are under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Lebanon.
For more information or to visit the website go to www.holmanhowe.com.
