William R. "Bill" Gummere, 76 of Bannock went home to be with the Lord on July 18, 2006.

He was born December 4, 1929 in Bannock, Ohio, a son of the late Roy and Ruth Gummere.

Bill was a retired welder from Ohio River Colliers and Marietta Coal Company, and a member of The House of the Shepherd Church in New Athens.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Linda Jane Gummere.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Jane Bethel Gummere; three sons, William Roy, Jr. and wife Connie of Bannock, Richard Allen and wife Patty of St. Clairsville, and Robert Jay and wife Kathy of Flushing; two brothers, Alan Gummere of Lancaster, Ohio and Thomas Gummere of LaPlata, Maryland; six grandchildren, Scott Gummere and wife Shelley of Bethesda, Greg Gummere and wife Leigh of Belmont, Kevin Gummere of Marietta, Oklahoma, Amy Gummere of St. Clairsville, Becky Pope and husband Bryan of Bloomfield, Ohio and Justin Gummere of Flushing; six great grandchildren, Emily, Brittany, Kyle, Tyler Gummere, and Brynn and Elyse Pope.

Friends and family will be received at Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 2 to 4 & 6 to 8 p.m. where services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday with Pete Tuchek officiating. Bill will be taken from the funeral home to Union Cemetery, St. Clairsville in a covered wagon designed by him which will be pulled by a team of mules.