John Tipsword
John E. Tipsword, 83, of Bethany, passed away at 9 a.m. Monday, May 13, 2019 in his home in Bethany.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday, May 15, 2019) in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany was in care of the arrangements. Read More
•May 15, 2019•
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that all Monday through Friday offices and facilities will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. In addition, all Tuesday through Saturday Driver Services facilities will be closed on Saturday, May 25.
All office and facilities will be open for business on Tuesday, May 28. Read More
Photo courtesy Jeni Yantis
OVHS Senior Softball Players
Senior Softball Night was held on May 6. Seniors are Bella Benning, Madison Vogel and Kailey George.
•May 15, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
he Sullivan boys’ track and field team competed in the Central Illinois Conference meet and the Shelbyville Open last week.
At the Shelbyville Open Saturday, Sullivan placed 14th out of 29 teams.
Four Redskins had top-ten finishes.
Jadon Nuzzo won the pole vault with a height of 14 feet 3 inches.
Brodie Goss took second in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 42.93 and eighth in the 110-meter hurdles at 16.95.
Leighton Burcham long jumped 19 feet 8.5 inches for fifth place and triple jumped 36 feet 8 inches for eighth place.
Ian Plank placed eighth in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:57.47. Read More
Photo furnished
Zoe Walton, Esther Miller, Natalie Drury and Emily White advanced to the state track meet in the 1,600-meter relay team.
•May 15, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Sullivan girls’ track and field team placed seventh place with 40 points in the 15-team in the IHSA Class 1A Central A&M Sectional at Moweaqua Thursday, May 9, and four Redskins competed in the News Gazette’s Honor Roll Meet meet Monday.
At the Honor Roll Meet Monday, Esther Miller took first place and broke the Sullivan school record in the triple jump with a leap of 35 feet 6.75 inches.
She also finished third in the 400-meter dash in 1:02.36.
Zoe Walton tied for second in the high jump at five feet, and Emily White tied for fifth at at 4 feet 10 inches.
The Redskins’ 1,600-meter relay team of Zoe Walton, Esther Miller, Natalie Drury and Emily White finished fourth with a season-best time of 4:20.90.
In the sectional meet Thursday, the same four Redskins advanced to the state track meet.
Miller advanced in three events.
She triple jumped 34 feet 9.5 inches to surpass the state qualifying distance of 33 feet 9 inches and place second. Read More
•May 15, 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.
•May 15, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond baseball team defeated Sullivan last Tuesday and lost to Decatur LSA in a Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest division game, Monday.
Against LSA, ALAH had seven hits but could not plate a run in a 1-0 pitchers’ duel.
LSA recorded only two its but scored the winning run in the fourth inning.
Jake Hollingsworth suffered the loss, pitching 2 2/3 innings and giving up one earned run on two hits. He struck out one. Read More
John Tipsword
John E. Tipsword, 83, of Bethany, passed away 9:00 a.m. Monday, May 13, 2019, at his home in Bethany.
Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, 2019, at Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Bethany, is in care of the arrangements. Memorials may be made to The Baby Fold: 108 E. Willow St. Normal, IL 61761
John was born October 20, 1935, in Bethany, the son of Arthur Dewey and Ethel Jennie (Trulock) Tipsword. He married Marilyn L. Smith on July 27, 1957, in Sullivan at the First United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Acacia Fraternity at the University of Illinois. John was born and raised a farmer for his whole life, he enjoyed outdoor activities such as, gardening, mowing and he was an expert in finding arrowheads while looking over the side of his tractor. John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; he will be dearly missed by all of his friends and family.
John is survived by his wife, Marilyn of Bethany; son, Michael John (Stefany Elen) Tipsword of Bethany; daughters, Tracy Lee (Doug) Hagen of Cambridge, IL, and Lisa R. Lee of Windsor. He is also survived by four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and two sisters.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Sandi Wirth
Sandi Wirth, 81, of Sullivan, passed away at 6:28 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2019 in Mason Point, Sullivan.
Celebration of Life services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Bob Vail officiating. Visitation will be from 5 - 7 p.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Resthaven Cemetery in Mattoon. Memorials are suggested to the Mason Point Chapel Fund. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.
Sandi was born March 13, 1938 in Mattoon, the daughter of Verlis Robert and Veda Corinne Henderson Sefton. She had been a school bus driver for the Sullivan Public Schools. Sandi was a member of the Allenville Christian Church where she had been a Sunday school teacher and a bible study facilitator. Sandi had also been a VBS director for the Sullivan Church of God and had started a bible study group at Mason Point. Sandi was also a long time member of the Prairie Winds. She married Gene Wirth on October 16, 1958 in Mattoon.
Surviving are her husband Gene of Sullivan; daughters Theresa (Scott) Clarkson of Lovington and Julia (Jeffrey) McFarland of Worden, Illinois; sister Sherry (Starr) Adams of Elizabethtown, Kentucky; grandchildren Robert (Cecilia) Clarkson, Craig (Lindsey) Clarkson, David (Sara) McFarland, Kelsey (Matthew) Assel and great grandchildren Blake Clarkson, Landon Clarkson, Joey Clarkson and Alyssa McFarland.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a grandson Kyle Clarkson.
Photo furnished
OV Bass Fishermen Win Pins
Okaw Valley High School bass fishermen Isaac Tipsword and Eric Boomer finished fourth and received pins in the Shelbyville Bass Fishing Sectional. Their fourth place finish qualifies them as alternates for the State Series if a top three team is unable to compete. They finished just ounces behind third place.