Mr. Henry G. River of The Villages, Florida, died Monday, January 1st at the age of 92. He is survived by his wife Janet, also of The Villages; one son, Keith River (Jayne) of Water Valley, Mississippi; two granddaughters and three great-grandchildren; two stepdaughters and four step-grandsons.
He was born on June 28, 1931 in East St. Louis, Illinois, to the late Garrett Henry River and Velma Mae Harrison. Also preceding him in death was his former wife Patricia Ann Murphy, to whom he was married for 58 years.
After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and subsequently was selected to attend Officer Candidate School, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Korea as an artillery officer from 1951-53. Following the war, he returned home to begin his career.
His lifelong career was in the banking industry. He began as an examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and from there was employed with several banks in the greater St.Louis area. In 1985, he became President and Chief Executive Officer of First National Bank in Pinckneyville, Illinois. He served in this position until his retirement in 2004. He continued to serve as a member of the Board of Directors until 2012.
Mr. River held many prestigious positions and honors. He was a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis for six years, was a 33° Mason, an Outstanding Citizen award winner and Chairman of the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce, President of the Belleville Optimist Club, a member of the Fifty Year Club of the Illinois Bankers Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the Pinckneyville Community Hospital District, and an American Legion member for 50+ years.
He was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, and attended games in old Sportsman's Park to Busch Stadium III. He also was an avid golfer with 3 holes-in-one to his credit.
He leaves many wonderful friends at The Villages, especially his “Nine and Dine” golf group. He was preceded in death by brothers Kenneth, Melvin and Charles, and a sister, Linda. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
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