Bill Maher

William "Bill" Maher (1927-2007) served in the Merchant Marines.

Bill was a 1945 graduate of Woodruff High School in Peoria. He attended Bradley University and graduated from Butler University College of Pharmacy in August 1952.

He worked as a pharmacist for two independents and, in 1960, purchased a small store in Sunnyland, which became known as Bill Maher Drugs, which he sold in 1992. As the owner/operator of a community pharmacy, Bill was asked to and was glad to participate in any endeavor that would benefit the community.

He was a past president and secretary of the Central Illinois Pharmacists Association. He received the Bowl of Hygeia Award for Illinois in 1995, the Pharmacist of the Year in 1972, and the Hall of Fame award in 1993.

In his community, Bill served in many capacities. He was an incorporating member of the Board of Directors of Sunnyland Bank and an incorporating member and past president of the Sunnyland Business Association. He served as a board member and officer of the East Peoria Chamber of Commerce, was an incorporating member of the Board of Directors of Pine Lakes Golf Club, and was an incorporating member and past president of the Sunnyland Lions Club. He was a Tri-County Regional Planning Commission member, served on the Board of Directors of the Northern Tazewell Public Water District, formed a steering committee to annex part of Sunnyland into the city of East Peoria, and served as an auditor of Washington Township.

He was also active in area schools and churches. He was a member of the Father Sweeney School Board in Peoria. He was a building committee member for St. Patrick Catholic Church in Washington, where he also served as a volunteer school bus driver from 1962 to 1972. He was a St. Monica Catholic Church member in East Peoria for many years, serving on their Parish Advisory Council and as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist and a Sacristan. He also served on several committees to pass local grade and high school referendums. He was a member of the St. Brendan's Society and was currently a member of Sacred Heart Church in Peoria, where he was an active volunteer in their food pantry.

Throughout the years, Bill was also proud to sponsor baseball, little league football, golf, and bowling teams. He worked on and participated in fundraisers for the Northern Tazewell Recreation Association. Bill was awarded the Volunteer of the Year by Heartland Community Clinic in 1996 and various other awards, such as the City Award for Landscaping and Beautification.

Over the years, he was recognized by organizations such as Kiwanis, the Northern Tazewell Rescue Squad, the Phoenix Action Group (AA), the Washington Helps Its People (WHIP) food pantry, the East Peoria Festival of Lights Commission, and the American Legion.

In the words of Bill's wise father, "Bill, if you want to be a big frog, find a small enough pond." Sunnyland was Bill's pond. Bill commented, "The little pond in which we've spent the last 42 years has been very good to us and we, in turn, have attempted to reciprocate."