Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Benson. Rev. William Hecht will officiate. Interment will be in Roanoke Township Cemetery, and graveside military rites will be conducted by Benson American Legion Post 454.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Knapp-Johnson-Harris Funeral Home, Roanoke, and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Memorials may be made to St. Peter Lutheran Church, Roanoke Apostolic Christian Home or Roanoke Ambulance.

He was born Nov. 30, 1914, in Roanoke to Herman and Ella M. Tesch Moritz. He married Mauriese E. Reents Lippens on April 23, 1947, in Washburn. She died Oct 6, 1990 in Roanoke.

He is survived by one daughter, Michele (Dan) McCullough, Roanoke; four grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; four stepgreat-grandchildren; one brother William (Jean) Moritz, Streator.

He was preceded in death by four brothers, one sister, one stepbrother, and four stepsisters.

He was a decorated Army veteran. He enlisted in the Army before the beginning of WWII as a medic, and was among the first waves of invaders into Africa. He was severely wounded in Sicily. Despite life-threatening wounds he continued to care for the other soldiers. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for valor by General George Patton who was quoted as saying he knew of none more deserving. He was also awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster.

After the war he was a farmer in the Roanoke area for many years. He was the first Veterans Assistant Representative for Woodford County, where he helped returning veterans back into everyday life. He also was a founder of the Benson American Legion Post 454 and the Spring Bay Post. He built and operated the Roanoke Theatre from the late 1940s until 1958. He was the former owner of the Eureka Roller Rink, and the Gridley popcorn processing plant. He was a Republican Precinct Committeeman for more than 30 years, and in 1950 ran for state senate. He later worked as a security guard for Sangamon State College.