Wendell Holmes Botkin

Wendell Holmes Botkin Jr. died in Kingwood, TX on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013. He was born on August 20, 1922 in Springfield, OH, a son of Wendell Sr. and Roxie Botkin. Wendell graduated from Westville High School in 1940, and Ohio State University with a degree in Dairy Technology in 1945. He lived in the "Stadium Dorms" under the OSU football stadium and was later on the board of the Dormitory Alumni Society. He married Eleanor Myler in 1945 and worked for Bordens while living in Springfield, OH, Fort Wayne, IN, and Indianapolis, IN at which time, as he liked to put it, he and Elsie (the cow) got a divorce and he went to work briefly for Bessire and Co. in both Columbus, OH and Pittsburgh, PA. He then worked for Sealright Inc., a subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum in Pittsburgh until he retired. He and Eleanor later returned to Columbus (where they could attend the OSU football games!) and then finally moved to the Houston area to be closer to two of his children who lived there. Wendell was a Mason, a Shriner, and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. Once he retired, he worked as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, was Chairman of the Columbus-area SCORE chapter, and read for the Central Ohio Reading Service. In Texas, he participated in the Full Circle Literacy program where he helped teach children at the Sally Ride School to read. Wendell is survived by his loving wife Eleanor, his three children Alice Sanchez, Douglas Botkin and Betsy McKellar. He has 7 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren in all parts of the country and another on the way. A graveside service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 17, 2013 in Terre Haute Cemetery and he will be buried next to his mother. The family is being served by the WALTER & SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 642 S. Main St., Urbana. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.walterfunerals.com.