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Recent Obituaries: Morris Luck

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Morris D. Luck, 87, of Bethany, passed away at 3:00 a.m. Thursday, June 19, 2025 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur.

Celebration of Life services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 23, 2025 at the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Adam McReynolds officiating. Burial will be in the Marrowbone Twp. Cemetery, Bethany. Visitation will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Bethany. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

Morris was born on May 23, 1938 in Farmer City, Illinois, the son of Cleo M. and Dorthea B. Dolberts Luck. He married Marjorie A. McReynolds on September 11, 1960 in Bethany and she preceded him in death on December 24, 2020.

Survivors include his children Cynthia ‘Cindy’ (Tom) Burch of Westervelt, Illinois, David (Diolil) Luck of Bethany and Daniel ‘Danny’ (Marissa) Luck of Sullivan; grandchildren Wade Burch, Sarah Burch (fiancé Matt Harford), Kinley Luck (fiancé Drew Heffley), Madison (Trevor) Blackburn, Hallie (Bryce) Burks-Chavira, Landyn (Preston) Richardson and Mason Luck; great grandchildren Brenna Howell, Annie Harford, Cora Blackburn, Thea Heffley, Levi Richardson and another great granddaughter to be born in September.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, daughter Jeanne Luck, one brother and one sister.

Morris had a love for animals especially Angus cattle. This passion was evident early in his life when he participated in the cattle show at the Illinois State Fair at the age of 8. As an adult, visiting the Illinois State Fair to watch the Angus show was a highlight of his summer. Morris was a University of Illinois graduate where he was a member of the 1959 U of I Livestock Judging team. He was the Moultrie County 4-H summer assistant during his college years. During that time he met the love of his life Marjorie McReynolds. Morris managed several Angus cattle farms during his working career including farms in Brewster, New York, Ontario, Canada, Appleton City, Missouri and Olathe, Kansas In his latter years he found employment with Moorman Feeds, as a truck driver for Agri-Fab and a school bus driver. Morris was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Bethany. In his retirement years, Morris could be seen sitting on his front porch watching his grandkids or visiting with friends and neighbors, sharing a story or laugh. Morris touched many lives and will be missed and remembered by those who knew him.

Scott State Bank 25th

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•June 18, 2025•

Photo by DM Williamee

On Thursday, June 12th, Scott State Bank in Sullivan celebrated its appreciation for their clients and customers, grateful for their patronage in the community for the past 25 years. Locals turned out en masse, enjoying a free lunch, beverages, and the sense of community shared at the event.

Sullivan Dash n’ Bash’ a hit

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•June 18, 2025•

On Saturday the 14th, locals turned out despite iffy weather for  Sullivan American Legion Post 68’s Dash n’ Bash fundraiser for St. Jude’s, despite the Car Show cancellation due to an early morning drizzle. Festivities included a raffle, beer tent, food and beverage services, duck derby, 5 K walk/run, slow-pitch tournament, and a late afternoon ‘Kids Korner’, which consisted of inflatables and a dunk tank. 

Pictured above is Harley Turner, whose money was well spent as she hit the target, sending good-natured SES 5th-grade teacher Mrs. Hendry into the water at the dunk tank. “It’s cold while you are in it, but you warm up pretty fast once you are out,” she shared as she came up from the water and gave a thumbs-up of approval.
Pictured is Emmalynn Crafton, 11, enjoying her slide down one of the inflatables in the ‘Kids Korner’.

Panther’s Pride break-in

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•June 18, 2025•

On Monday, June 9th, two individuals broke into Panther’s Pride Gaming Parlor in Lovington at approximately 12:30 a.m. and attempted to remove money from the gaming machines, but were unsuccessful. No machines were damaged, but this is the fourth such break in they have experienced this year. Both front glass doors were damaged beyond repair, requiring extensive cleanup and replacement of the doors. The two individuals responsible are described as riding bicycles and wearing white Nike tennis shoes. Anyone having information is encouraged to call the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Department at (217) 728-4386.

Free laundry days in Sullivan announced 

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•June 18, 2025•

Free laundry days in Moultrie County at Sullivan Wash n’ Fold, presented by Moultrie and Shelby County’s ROSC and individual sponsors, are as follows: Thursday, June 26th from 9:00 a.m. to noon, sponsored by Ace, and Thursday, July 24th from 9:00 a.m. to noon and sponsored by Ace and the Couve family. If you would like more information or to sponsor, contact Skyler Miller at skylark@hourhouserecovery.org, or call (217) 549-7427. Funding for this project is provided in whole or part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery.

OV Academic Foundation golf outing

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•June 18, 2025•

On July 11th, the Okaw Valley Academic Foundation will be holding its 30th annual Golf Outing at Eagle Creek Golf Course in Findlay. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. Cost is $80.00 per person. Includes 18 holes of golf with a cart, one meal, three drink tickets, and bottled water on the course. Hole sponsorship is $50.00/hole, cart sponsorship is $25.00/cart. All money raised is used to purchase academic and technology supplies for Okaw Valley Schools. For more information or to register, contact Greg Dickens at (217) 972-5245 or email at gregd@agri-fab.com.

LLC TRIO students honored at banquet

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•June 18, 2025•

The players of the 2024-2025 Lake Land College Lakers Baseball Team. Clay Seal, # 11, top row, second from left, and Jake Stewart, #43, bottom row, far left.

Lake Land College TRIO students were recently honored at an annual banquet. During the event, several students received awards.

The Leadership Award was presented to Emma Skowronski, Sullivan, for leading student involvement and serving as a TRIO ambassador. Katherine Carlson, Shumway; Jasmine Gast, Charleston; Eric Stanley, Charleston; and Aleah Wallis, Shelbyville, also received recognition as nominees for the Leadership Award.

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Remembering Who We Are………63

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More Big Kitties


•June 18, 2025

by Janet Roney

Cala Sawyer Graham’s story about panthers screaming all night long from the top of the old well at their Half-Way House Inn on the old Charleston Road captivated me, especially after hearing more and more stories about recent cougar sightings in the county like this one from my friend, Sue. 

One early morning in 2005, Sue watched a cougar for two or three minutes as it moved along a deer trail in a wooded area across the road from her house. When it turned so she could see its full length, there was no doubt. Its long tail stretched behind it “in full glory”. Sue lives near where muddy big cat and baby cat footprints were seen on the road. 

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