Robert E. Bilyeu, 94, of Assumption, died August 14, 2019, in his home.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 17, 2019 in Assumption First United Methodist Church.  Masonic services will begin at 9:00 a.m. with visitation to follow until service time. Burial, with full military honors, will be in Pleasant View Cemetery, Assumption.  Memorials may be made to Assumption First United Methodist Church or Bromwell Lodge AF & AM #451.

Robert was born October 14, 1924 in Assumption, IL, the son of Earl P. Mary A. (Thurn) Bilyeu.  He married Helen Foley November 19, 1946 in Chicago., IL. She preceded him in death June 18, 2018.

Robert received his honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant from the 108 ^th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army November 25, 1946.  Robert was born and raised on a farm near Assumption.  After graduating from Assumption Township High School, he worked the night shift at an Illiopolis Defense plant until his enlistment in the Army in December of 1944.  After basic training, he was shipped out to Leyte and Panay in the Philippine Islands, where he served until the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in August of 1945.  At that time he was sent into Kwangju, Korea, with the Army of Occupation.

Robert was active in civic affairs serving for a number of years, on the school board for Assumption Community School District #9, also as a director on the Assumption Cooperative Elevator Board, a past director of the Assumption Mutual Insurance Co., and served on the board of directors of the First Trust & Savings Bank of Taylorville, IL (which has since become the US Bank) and the Christian County YMCA.  He was a member of the Assumption First United Methodist Church, Bromwell Lodge AF & AM #451, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Springfield, Ansar Shrine, and the Christian County Shrine Club, a member of the Assumption American Legion Post #284 and the VFW Post #6577, a member of the Christian County Farm Bureau.

Surviving are his daughters: Michelle Mullendore of Chicago, IL, Ramona (Lon) Stalets and Lesia (Tom) Adcock all of Assumption, IL; six grandchildren: Sasha (Chad) Schaive, Allegra (Michael) Muellner, Adam (Kim) Stalets, Luke (Mandy) Stalets, Adrian (Adam) Kuffel and Weston Adcock; six great-grandchildren: Kaylin Cunningham, Eva and Alex Stalets, Max and Avery Muellner, and Tighe Kuffel; and one sister, Estella Sterling of Decatur, IL.

Preceding him in death are his wife; parents; four brothers: Wallace, Alfred, Donald and Dwayne; and four sisters: Kathryn Kirkbride, Mary Virginia Kaufman, Dorothy Brown and Gladys Anderson.