William Wyatt Eddy Sr., 90, retired Osawatomie funeral director and former mayor, died Tuesday, Feb. 29, 2000, at Olathe Medical Center.

Mr. Eddy, who was known as "Bill", was affiliated with Eddy Funeral Home in Osawatomie from 1929 until it was sold in 1973.

He was born Nov. 3, 1909, in Kansas City, Mo., the son of Leonard Jonathan and Beulah May Porter Eddy. He moved to Osawatomie in 1917 with his family, attended school there and was a 1928 graduate of Osawatomie High School.

After his graduation, he attended Williams Institute in Kansas City, graduating in 1929. At that time, he began working with his father at the Eddy Funeral Home and purchased the business from his father , in 1947.

He and Mary Nadine Demastus were married Nov. 3, 1931, at Osawatomie. Mr. Eddy and his wife operated the funeral home until selling it in 1973 and then retired in 1975.

Mr. and Mrs. Eddy lived all their years together in Osawatomie and became the parents of one son. She preceded him in death on Dec. 26, 1988.

Mr. Eddy was very active in the Osawatomie community as long as his health permitted. He served as mayor from 1977 until 1979. He was instrumental in the development of Holiday Manor Nursing Home in Osawatomie, which opened in 1967. The facility now is known as Heritage Manor, where he had been a resident since December.

He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Osawatomie, where he was a member of the choir and served on many church committees. He also was a member of Osage Valley Masonic Lodge No. 24 A.F.&A.M. of Osawatomie. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and member of the York Rite Royal Arch Masons, Scottish Rite and Abdallah Shrine of Kansas City. He was a member of the Order of DeMolay, where he was an advisor and a recipient of the DeMolay Legion of Honor degree.

Mr. Eddy was a member of the Osawatomie Chapter No. 26 of the Order of the Eastern Star, where he and his wife had served as worthy patron and matron. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 921 of Osawatomie and the Osawatomie Rotary Club, of which he had served as president and secretary and was a Paul Harris Fellow.

He had served as Kaw Valley Heart Association director. He was a member of the Osawatomie Chamber of Commerce and had served as president in 1952, 1953 and 1959. He served on the Osawatomie school district board of education for eight years and had held the position of president. Mr. Eddy was a charter member of the Osawatomie Golf Course and was a 17-year board member and past president of First Federal Savings and Loan Association in Osawatomie.

He had been president of the Osawatomie Alumni Association in 1932 and in 1951. He had never missed an alumni gathering since graduating in 1928. It is believed that he holds the record for having attended the most consecutive alumni celebrations, 72 years.

His professional memberships included the Kansas Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association, the National Funeral Directors Association and the Associated Funeral Directors Service.

Mr. Eddy moved to Lawrence in November 1996 and resided in the Brandonwoods Retirement Village until returning to Osawatomie in December.

Others preceding him in death were a brother, Leonard J. Eddy Jr., a sister, Louise Henry, and a granddaughter, Elizabeth Diane Eddy, who died in 1963.

Survivors include his son, William Wyatt Eddy Jr. of Lawrence; a sister, Eleanor Budke of Mesa, Ariz.; two grandchildren; one great-grandson; and three step-great-grandchildren.

Viewing will be after 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home in Osawatomie. A visitation will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the chapel. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church of Osawatomie. Burial will be in Osawatomie Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the church.