Billy Hastings

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Mr. Billy Hastings, age 81, Metropolis, died at 12:50 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, 2008, at Southgate Nursing and Rehab.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008, at the Metropolis First United Methodist Church. The Rev. Gary Motta will officiate. Burial will follow in the Metropolis Memorial Gardens with military rites conducted by the American Legion Post 306 and VFW. Visitation will be held 11 a.m. to service time Thursday at the church.

Mr. Hastings was retired after 25 years of service with Allied Signal. He was a member of the Metropolis First United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 306, lifetime member of the VFW, Moose Lodge No. 282, Masonic Lodge No. 91 and a US Army veteran serving during World War II.

He is survived by his wife, Ernestine Hastings of Metropolis; stepson, Stephen Woods and wife Karen of Paducah, Ky.; two stepgrandchildren, Dr. Dustin Woods of Louisville, Ky., and Natalie Woods of Paducah, Ky.; one sister, Tooter Milstead and husband Jake of Raleigh; and one nephew, Mike Milstead of Harrisburg.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Ora (Guye) Hastings; a daughter, Tonya Hastings; a stepson, Doug Woods; and two sisters, Marie Hale and Irene Karnes.

Memorials may be made to the Metropolis First United Methodist Church, 100 E. 5th St., Metropolis, Ill. 62960.