Community comes together to honor centenarian Bill Gossett

[October 29, 2023]     On Saturday, October 28th one of Logan County’s most beloved senior citizens celebrated a milestone birthday. To commemorate the 100th birthday of Bill Gossett a large celebration was held at the Lincoln Christian Village Congregate building.

Gossett with his wife Jean close by at all times, humbly received congratulations from a large number of guests including Illinois Senator Sally Turner and retired Illinois Senator Larry Bomke and wife Sally.

Others who were on hand to join in the celebration included Jim Ash, manager of the WLCN Radio station where Gossett and Judy Busby for years hosted a Wednesday morning talk show and Dara Entwistle who has recently be selected to co-host that same show since Gossett and Busby have decided to retire from it.

Also on hand was Judy Busby who along side her late husband Buzz, began the close friendship with the Gossetts when they were all quite young and raising their families. The Busby’s and the Gossetts became so close that the children in the family often considered they had two sets of parents they could count on at all times.

 Senator Turner read a proclamation from the Illinois Senate, again noting Gossett’s military service to our country.

Logan County Board member Kathy Schmidt was on hand and read aloud a proclamation from the county recognizing Gossett’s contributions to the community and our country through his military service, business ownership and wide variety of community service organizations and clubs.

Gossett enjoyed seeing the Bomkes and was presented with an extra-large gift, a photo of Bill in the cockpit of a vintage open airplane. The photo was inscribed with “The sky is the limit!!!” with a postscript of “God is my co-pilot; Jean is the boss.”

The Bomkes also provided small prints of the photo with an open invitation for guests to take one if they chose.

Gossett spoke to Lincoln Daily News saying that he was happy and doing well. He and Jean receive a lot of attention from their daughter-in-law who stops in and checks in on them at the Christian Village apartments on a daily basis. He says they are healthy, and he feels they are quite fortunate to have what they have and be able to enjoy it. He says the years have been good to him. Of course, there have been upsets and tough times along the way but with his wife of 70-plus years beside him and remarkable friends and family, he has lived a very blessed life.

Guests shuffled in throughout the afternoon, some bringing gifts, others dropping birthday cards in a large bowl for Bill to open and enjoy at a later time.

The party included a large birthday cake and a huge variety of sweets along with tea and coffee.

Outside the Congregate building at Lincoln’s Christian Village, a large sign delivered the message of the day, “Happy 100th Birthday.”

[Nila Smith]