Dr. William Ray Stinnett
In Memoriam
Life and Service
Dr. William Ray Stinnett of Carlinville, Illinois, passed away in the evening on November 4, 2023, at his home at the age of one hundred years. Born on August 20, 1923, in Benld, he was the son of James and Pearl (Trioni) Stinnett.
William's education took him from Benld to Illinois College in Jacksonville, and then to Northwestern Dental School in Chicago. He established his first dental practice in Barry, Illinois, where he practiced for five years. His professional life was interrupted by the Korean War, during which he served as a dentist in the United States Air Force, holding the rank of Captain and stationed at Tachikawa Airbase in Japan. Following his military service, he established a dental practice in Carlinville that he maintained for more than forty years.
On June 21, 1946, William married Olga Zebrun at the Holy Dormition Orthodox Church in Benld. Olga predeceased him on November 18, 2011, after sixty-five years of marriage. He was also preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Myrle and Earl Stinnett.
At the time of his death, William was survived by his son, William Ray Stinnett, Jr., of St. Louis, Missouri, and his daughter, Jeanne Stinnett Hughes, of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was also survived by three grandchildren — Kristen, Sarah, and Richard — and four great-grandchildren: Sophia, Isabelle, Hudson, and Eloise.
Outside of his dental practice, William pursued a range of interests. He was an avid reader, fisherman, and duck hunter, and he took particular pleasure in woodcarving and woodworking. He was a member of the United Methodist Church and the Rotary Club, both in Carlinville.
His funeral service was held on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at Kravanya Funeral Home in Gillespie, Illinois. Burial followed at Holy Dormition Cemetery in Benld.
Memory Eternal — вѣ́чнаѧ па́мѧть
Notes
- Centennial birthday photo made available by Dr. Stinnett's niece, Olga Zebrun Kramer Rives.
Basic Information
| Full Name: | Stinnett, William |
| Birth Date: | 20 August 1923 |
| Death Date: | 04 November 2023 |
| Veteran: | CAPT USAF KOREA DENTIST |
| Marriage Date: | 21 June 1946 |
| Marriage Place: | Holy Dormition Church, Benld, IL |
| Place of Death: | Carlinville, IL |
| Service Place: | Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie, IL |
| Service Date In this Orthodox context, most commonly the Service listed here would be a funeral service, which typically occurs in church, and is followed on the same day by the burial service that occurs at the grave site. In some cases, this term 'Service' might refer more generally to a memorial service. | 18 November 2023 |
| Burial Place: | Holy Dormition Cemetery, Benld, IL |
| Burial Date: | 18 November 2023 |
The above information originates from historical/archival content, and is published for memorial and preservation purposes.
Photos of cemetery stones can be found here, or specifically in the Holy Dormition cemetery here.