Photo furnished
Beacon Serves
The Lighthouse Kitchen located at the Moultrie County Beacon at 401 W Water street is now serving lunch on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and dinner on Thursday’s from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. You do not need to call ahead. Just follow the signs.
Photo by Mike Brothers
Boy Scout Troop 39 led the Sullivan Fourth of July Parade on Saturday displaying the Colors on behalf of the Sullivan American Legion Post 68 and its Honor Guard.
Wandalee Rankin
Wandalee (Wanda L.) Latch Rankin of Mattoon died around 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2020 at Mattoon Rehabilitation and Health Care. Wanda was born September 30, 1926 in rural Shelby County, Illinois to Artie D. and Mabel (Williams) Latch. She married Donald E. Rankin on February 21, 1946 at the rural Windsor residence of Reverend Ira Blythe. Don preceded her in death on December 29, 2014.
Wanda helped Don manage their farming operation near Sexson Corner until their retirement in 1985. She was the Ash Grove “Avon lady” for many years. In addition, she was a talented seamstress, gardener, crafter, and cook, as well as a very loving mother and grandmother. Cherishing the memories of her love are her four children David (Cheryl) Rankin of Mattoon, Carolyn (George) Ledbetter of Sullivan, Steven (Susie) Rankin of Decatur, and Beverly (Lee) Williams of Ohio. Wanda also leaves twelve grandchildren, thirty great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren. One great-grandchild and two great-great-grandchildren preceded her in death.
A celebration of Wanda’s life will be held on Tuesday July 7, 2020 at Lovins-Lockart Funeral Home in Windsor at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be at the same location from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Please dress casually. The family understands that some may be keeping to themselves at this time. Condolences may be shared through the funeral home’s website at https://www.lockartgreenfuneralhome.com/ or to any of the children individually.
Wanda was a life-long member of the Ash Grove Christian Church. The family requests that those who wish to make memorial donations in her honor do so to the church or to the Activity Fund at Mattoon Rehabilitation and Health Care where Wanda was very lovingly cared for the last several years.
Patricia Hagerman
Patricia Ann Sitton Hagerman died July 4, 2020 at her home in Sullivan, IL, surrounded by her family. Patricia was born on February 4th, 1936 in Nacogdoches, TX and grew up in Marshall, TX. She met Felix Hagerman of Sullivan while vacationing in Estes Park, CO, and they married in 1960. She held secretarial positions at Shell Oil in Houston and at several Sullivan businesses. Patricia was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who cherished time spent with her family. She enjoyed traveling, shopping, and weekly coffee and lunches with friends. Patricia was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ in Sullivan. She was preceded in death by her loving husband in 2017, her parents and two brothers. She is survived by son David (Teresa) Hagerman of Sullivan, daughter Felicia (Dave) Benning of Sullivan, and grandchildren Camille, Keeley (fiancé Ked Houser), Sydney, Shelby, Isabella, Savannah, and Gabriel, and honorary daughter Sandy Hagerman. The family would like to thank all of the many loving caregivers who made it possible for Pat to live at home, especially Carlin, Dani, and Lily for their overwhelming kindness and compassion that helped develop her age-in-place program.
Celebration of Life services will be at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday in the Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ with Vanessa Patient and Brigham Hagerman officiating. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until service time at the church on Tuesday. Burial will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to the Moultrie County Food Pantry. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. The family requests that those attending to please wear a mask and practice social distancing. Arrangements by the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan.
Roxie Davis
Lovington- Roxie LaVerne Davis, 100, of Lovington, passed away at 8:02 a.m. Friday, July 3, 2020, at her home in Lovington.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at the Lovington First Christian Church. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the services Tuesday at the church. Face masks are suggested and please practice social distancing for the services. Burial will be in Friends Creek Cemetery, Argenta.
LaVerne was born March 20, 1920 in Clinton; the daughter of Richard and Carrie (Smith) Cheatham. She married James Robert Davis on March 2, 1940, in St. Louis; he preceded her in death on November 29, 1977. She was a member of the Lovington First Christian Church and the Women’s Widow Club in Lovington.
LaVerne was an incredibly strong and caring woman who brought joy to every gathering with her laughter and wit. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was an avid gardener and made beautiful flowerbeds wherever she lived. LaVerne enjoyed collecting glassware. She was a wonderful cook and generous with her delicious pies. She loved the Lord and her family.
LaVerne is survived by her daughter, SuzAnne Parrott of Lovington; sons, John Davis of Lovington and Gary (Carla) Davis of Herrick; grandchildren, Cameron (Beth) Parrott, Terry Parrott, Jim (Felicia) Parrott, Robert (Shayla) Parrott, Monica (Brandon) Ashley, Gretchen Davis, Joshua (Quinn) Davis, Ben (Jennifer) Davis, Brianna Brodbeck, Justin (Avegail) Davis, Jill (Javier) Navarro and Thomas James “T.J.” Davis. She is also survived by 22 great-grandchildren and 1 brother, Harold (Joshie) Cheatham of Melbourne, FL.
LaVerne was preceded in death by her parents, husband, 3 brothers, 3 sisters, 1 grandchild and 2 great-grandchildren.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Vanausdoll Goes to Tuscola
By Ariana Cherry,
for the News Progress
•July 1, 2020•
Superintendent Shannon Cheek and members of the Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond school board discussed what the upcoming school year could possibly look like this fall.
“It is a whole new way of thinking and a whole new way of creating,” Supt. Creek began. The school district was still waiting for guidance from the state.
Creek stated that more teachers had been added to the committee for remote learning. The district might be looking at a hybrid model, but there are a couple of different plans that are being discussed.
Some of those ideas included some grades doing remote learning at home while others would be in the school buildings and “vise-versa.”
Each teacher will be doing about 35-40 hours of remote learning training, which they all will do voluntarily. Teachers also will receive credit for doing the training. The committee will continue to develop plans this summer for mask regulations and how bus transportation will be handled, etc. Read More
Timothy Lee Edwards
Timothy Lee Edwards, 47, of Sullivan, passed away at 1:06 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2020, at Aperion Care in Olney. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
Businesses Uncuffed!
Sullivan Chief of Police Andy Pistorius took the handcuffs off Flower Pot owner Ellen Bernius’s wrists, freeing up businesses to accept customers in Sullivan and Moultrie County on June 26. Helping with uncuffing of the county’s business were: from left Moultrie County Chief Deputy Gary Carroll, Andrew White of Hydro Gear, Chief Pistorius, Mayor Richard Glazebrook and Bernius.
•July 1, 2020•
Kindergarten registration begins July 21 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Sullivan Elementary School Cafeteria.
If you have a child who will start Kindergarten this fall, it is time to register. Enroll your student, find out about Sullivan Elementary, meet some SES staff, and get answers to questions you may have. Read More
•July 1, 2020•
Jeepin for Jesse is Saturday, July 11 with registration from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Toy Bar in Sullivan.
This year’s theme is Halloween. Prizes will be awarded best costume and best decorated Jeep.
Kirby’s Food Truck starts serving at 4:00 p.m. at the Toy Bar.