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Recent Obituaries: Cathy Ann Kastning

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Cathy Ann Kastning

Cathy Ann Kastning, 57, of Sullivan, passed away 4:42 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur.
Memorial services will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 25, 2019 at the Faith Lutheran Church, Sullivan. A luncheon will be held after the services, and the family requests those who come to bring a dish. Memorials may be made in care of the family; P.O. Box 315, Sullivan, IL 61951. McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan, is in care of the arrangements.
Cathy was born November 13, 1961 in Decatur; she was the daughter of Carroll and Marcia (Churchman) Koch. She married Willard J. Kastning on April 18, 1998 in Woodstock. She was a member of the Faith Lutheran Church in Sullivan. She enjoyed baking and shopping. Cathy’s grandchildren were the light of her life and she loved them very much.
Cathy is survived by her husband, Willard of Sullivan; son, Jimmy (Sandra) Bostic of McHenry; daughter, Mindy (Neil) Matheson of Sullivan; grandchildren, Kaylie, Ellie and Caroline Bostic and Olivia Matheson; sister, Linda (Derek) Bushong of Argenta.
She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Recent Obituaries: Celia Dickens

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Celia Dickens

Celia Dickens, 99, of Sullivan passed away at 8:07 p.m. Tuesday May 21, 2019 in Aspen Creek Assisted Living, Sullivan.
Celebration of Life services will be 4:00 p.m. Wednesday June 12, 2019 in the Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ, Sullivan with Vanessa Patient and Brigham Hagerman officiating. Visitation will be one hour before services at the church. Burial will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to the Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ or to the Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. Arrangements by the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan.
Celia was born November 24, 1919 in Waverly the daughter of Ira Lawrence ‘Bill’ and Anna Dora Magill Sears. She had worked at the Nifty Frock Shop when she was fourteen years old and then later worked as a bookkeeper for Community Industries, worked for Lucy Ellen Candy and then a seamstress for Felicity Fashions in Sullivan. She was a member of the Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ and was an active member of their choir for over fifty years. She enjoyed playing the piano and had also given piano lessons for many years. Celia enjoyed the outdoors, birds, taking care of flowers and helped multiple generations with school leaf collections. Celia married R. Alan Dickens on November 24, 1951 and he preceded her in death on April 17, 2013.
Surviving are her cousins Melody Moore, Carole Moore, Mary Lou (Jim) Poland and Doug (Brenda) Moore; sisters-in-law Joan Dickens and Mary Lou Dickens; brothers-in-law Evan (Dixie) Dickens and Mark (Ann) Dickens all of Sullivan and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother Dr. Adrian Sears.

Comeback Rally Reels in Regional Championship for OVHS Baseball

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Photo by R.R. Best
Okaw Valley pitcher Camden Coleman got the win over Central A&M last Wednesday to set up OV baseball’s sixth straight regional title appearance.

•May 22, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The chances of the Okaw Valley baseball team winning its second straight regional title did not look good in the Class 1A Moweaqua (Central A&M) Regional against Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division foe Decatur LSA Saturday.
The Timberwolves had already lost to LSA twice this season (2-1 and 10-4) and fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning.
OV was able to cut the lead to 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the first inning and another run in the third inning.
Decatur LSA extended its lead 4-2 with a run in the fifth inning.
Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, a second consecutive regional title and fourth OV regional title in six years looked out of reach.
But a 3-run comeback rally, capped off with Hank Yowell doubling in two runs, gave OV a 6-5 lead heading into the seventh inning.
Tyson Montgomery came in and closed out the game in a one-two-three scoreless seventh inning for another Timberwolves’ regional championship win.
Eli Hagerman got the win by relieving starting pitcher Dalton McGill in the first inning. Read More

SMS State Bound

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Photo by Mike Brothers
SMS State Bound
Sullivan Middle School Track and Field team members Cassidy Short and Brent Bushue competed in the IESA state meet in East Peoria last weekend. Short competed in the long jump and Bushue in the pole vault. Pictured with the state qualifiers are coaches Jim Palmer, Cindy Yoder, Angie Westjohn and head coach Don Typer. Short finished 17th and Bushue 19th.

Findlay Firemen Golf Outing

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•May 22, 2019•

The Findlay Firemans Association Golf outing is June 29 at the Eagle Creek Golf Course in Findlay.
Shot gun start is at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
Pauly’s BBQ of Arthur is serving lunch which is included in the package. Registration continues until June 1. Email the Findlay Firemans Asscociation at findlayfireasscociation@gmail.com

Miller Breaks School Record at State

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•May 22, 2019•
Sullivan senior Esther Miller competed in the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet at Eastern Illinois University last Thursday.
Miller placed 10th in the 400-meter dash with a personal best of 1:01.12 in the prelims Thursday.
She missed qualifying for finals by .08 seconds.
Miller also finished 16th in the triple with a jump of 35 feet 4.75 inches. Read More

Sparrows Silver

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Photo by Darian Hays
Sparrows Silver
Cars, trucks, motorcycles, tractors and more gathered on a sunny Saturday in Lovington to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Sparrows Unlimited, Inc. Saturday was filled with sunshine and kids playing on the inflatable playground. By Sunday afternoon storms and wind blew through the village, taking hundred year old trees down and limiting access to Route 133. A combined volunteer effort led to a four hour storm clean up May 19.

Graduation Reflects on the Good Old Days at SHS

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Valedictorian Spencer Johnson

•May 22, 2019•
Sullivan High School held the 141st commencement exercises Sunday in weather that was as unpredictable as the 66 seniors’ futures.
Intermittent storms forced the 2:30 p.m. graduation into a packed high school gymnasium where principal Erik Young presented his final high school class to the board of education.
Young will start the 2019-20 school year as superintendent of Ridgeview CUSD #19, near his hometown of Fairbury. Young has been high school principal for the past six years, previously serving as middle school and high school assistant principal the prior four years.
Valedictorian Spencer Johnson’s opening remarks included being thankful he could count on his fingers, and his legs would stand up for him.
He went on to point out the lessons learned in high school were preparation for those graduating to live their own lives out in the world.
“Do your own thing, don’t just survive,” Spencer encouraged his classmates.
Class salutatorian Broderick Goss reeled off favorite quotes noting, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” Read More

Early Memorial Day Deadlines

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•May 22, 2019•

The News Progress and The Fish Wrap have an early deadline for the Memorial Day weekend.
All advertising and news should be in by noon Friday, May 24 in order to be in the May 29 and 30 editions of the News Progress and The Fish Wrap.

McKendree Degree for Graduate

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•May 22, 2019•
Elizabeth Inman of Sullivan received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing degree from McKendree University during commencement exercises held May 11.
Inman is the daughter of Jill Inman of Sullivan and Michael Inman of Charleston and a 2014 graduate of Sullivan High School.
This year marked McKendree’s 179th commencement exercises. A total of 663 degrees including 152 masters and 479 bachelors degrees were bestowed.
Founded in 1828, the historic Lebanon campus is 25 miles from downtown St. Louis.