Rose V. Van Billiard, 94, of 1520 Thrush Rd., Crestline, OH, died at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, June 27, 2002 at Crestwood Care Center, Shelby. She was born in Chicago, IL on May 5, 1908 to the late Jack and Anna, nee Gurka, Frank. On June 1, 1946, she married Harry W. Van Billiard and he preceded her in 1963. Mrs. Van Billiard resided in Chicago until the age of 5 and then lived with her family in Bosnia Hercegovino, Brcko on the river Sava from 1913 until 1921, when she returned to Chicago. She was employed by the Illinois Bell Telephone Company for 35 years. She was in the United States Navy for 1-1 1/2 years during WWII. She moved to Naples, FL in 1959 where she was employed by the Tides Motor Inn and LaPlaya Hotel as night auditor in 1986. For 45 years she was with the American Red Cross as a volunteer. She was Director of Water Safety in Collier County, where she also taught swimming to people of all ages. She moved to Crestline in 1986. She was active in the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program and on the Advisory Board of Senior Center, Bucyrus. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Crestline. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Harry and Jody Van Billiard, Pensacola, FL; two daughters and sons-in-law, Nancy and Bill Wenzel, Pensacola, FL and Julie and Roy David, Crestline; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren; and two cousins, Violet Krichbaum, Crestline and Ginny Burke, MO. She was preceded in death by a brother, John Frank. Private services will be held for the immediate family. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Crestline. The Mark A. Schneider Funeral Home, Crestline is handling the arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Joseph Catholic Church in care of the funeral home.
