Patty Jo Burcham

Patty Jo Burcham, 85, of Sullivan passed away Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at Sullivan Health Care.
Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 26, 2019 at Camfield Cemetery, Sullivan. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Friday at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church of Sullivan or to the Sullivan Fire and Ambulance Service.
Patty was born September 19, 1933 in Sullivan, the daughter of Walter Fay and Emma (Frederick) Emel. She married Joseph “Hank” Burcham on October 30, 1953 in Lovington; he preceded her in death on January 30, 2006. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Sullivan. She loved hunting, fishing and especially searching for mushrooms.
Patty is survived by her son, Richard (Nancy) Burcham of Sullivan; grandchildren, Jill (Jeff) Johnson of Statesville, NC, Doug (Mike) Burcham of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Brad (Cheri) Burcham of Sullivan, Jim (Debbie) Jent of Sullivan and Melanie (Luke) Byers of Sullivan; sister-in-law, Ruth Ann Drummond of Sullivan. She is also survived by many great, great-great, and great-great-great-grandchildren, and by cherished nieces and nephews including, Kent (Sharon) Emel and Cindy (Joe) Tabor.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, 1 daughter, Jane Jent Geiling, 2 brothers, Bill and Gareth Emel and 1 sister, Olive Carnine.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Magalene Linville Jackson

Magalene Linville Jackson, 95, of Sullivan passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019 at her home in Sullivan.
Funeral services will be held 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services at the funeral home in Sullivan. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to the Lovington First Baptist Church.
Magalene was born August 4, 1923 in Scottsville, KY, the daughter of Oscar and Lilly (Pruitt) Witt. She married Samuel Hatten Linville in 1941; he preceded her in death in 1960. She later married Elbert Jackson in 1997; he preceded her in death in 2006. She retired from Brachs Candy Factory and was a member of the Lovington First Baptist Church. She enjoyed quilting, gardening and loved canning and cooking for her friends and family. She was also an avid bird watching enthusiast.
Magalene is survived by her son, Sam (Teri) Linville of Sullivan; daughters, Shirley Ernst of Sullivan, Darlene (Dave) McFarland of Mattoon and Patty Linville of Colorado Springs, CO. She is also survived by six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents four brothers and three sisters.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Michael J. Wildman
Michael J. Wildman, 58, of Monticello, passed away Monday evening, April 1, 2019 at Kirby Medical Center, Monticello.

Mike was born June 17, 1960 in Decatur, IL the son of Roger L. and Phyllis (Huffmaster) Wildman. He married Dawn Vannice in August of 1982 and she passed away in November of 1988. He married Ann Power on June 16, 1990 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Champaign, IL.

Mike is survived by his wife, Ann Power Wildman of Monticello, formerly of Franklin Grove; children, Patrick of Springfield, Katherine and Brandon both of Monticello; mother, Phyllis Wildman of Sullivan; and brother, Chris Wildman of Dalton City. He was preceded in death by his father and grandparents.

Mike was a 1978 graduate of Sullivan High School where he participated in golf, baseball, football, and basketball. His senior year he participated in the IHSA State basketball tournament in Champaign. He is a 1982 graduate of Purdue University. Mike was a department head for The Home Depot and was elected Monticello Township Supervisor. He was a member of the NRA, Purdue Alumni Association, Piatt County Republican Party, and a parishioner at St. Philomena Catholic Church of Monticello. He enjoyed golfing, building models, watching old Westerns, and was an Illini Fan along with being a sports fan and a history buff. He coached all his children in youth sports and enjoyed watching them grow in whatever they did. Mike was a wonderful and loyal person, husband, father, son, brother, boss, and friend.

A visitation will be held from 9:00-11:00 a.m., Friday, April 5, 2019 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home, Monticello. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 5, 2019 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home with Fr. Bruce Lopez officiating. Interment with cremation rites will be held in Monticello Township Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Monticello Area Education Foundation.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mackey-wrightfuneralhome.com

David James Smith

David James (DJ) Smith of rural Lovington passed away at Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2019, at the Lovington United Methodist Church, with Pastor Larry Bricker officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Lovington United Methodist Church. Burial will be at a later date. The family requests that any memorials be made to the Lovington United Methodist Church, the Gideons International, or the Lovington Alumni Association. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements.

DJ was born January 21, 1944, at Decatur and Macon County Hospital to James T. and Mildred Durchholz Smith. He had two younger sisters, Mary Beth Van Pelt of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Martha (Robert) Taylor of Salt Lake City, Utah. He married Carol Rickey Smith in 1962. DJ cherished his three children: James Eric (Michele) Smith, Tracy Ann (Dennis) Garmon, and Terry Lynn (Tim) Phelps; his seven grandchildren: Blake Garmon, Alexandria (Trevor) Poe, Kyle (Courtney) Phelps, Kelsey (Jason) Bjork, Matthew Smith, Cole Garmon, and Lauren Smith; and his five great grandchildren: Makenna Poe, Easton Poe, Brock Phelps, Mackenzie Bjork, and Emmersyn Poe.

DJ farmed his family’s farm for over fifty years. He also drove a semi for fourteen years. He served on the Lovington School Board, the ambulance board, the LHS Alumni Association, and the administrative council and choir director at the Lovington United Methodist Church. DJ also has served as a certified lay servant at the Kenney United Methodist Church. He was very active in the Douglas-Moultrie Gideon Camp.

DJ enjoyed singing and he blessed us with his voice. He began singing in the UMC choir, and continued singing with the Alleluia Singers, Evenglow Singers, and the Singing Men of WGNN. He has also directed the community cantata for many years. Recently, he has enjoyed working with his church’s newly-formed youth group. DJ spent much of the summer boating with his family and friends on Lake Shelbyville, pulling them on skis, tubes, wave-runners and any other vehicle he could dump them from laughing all the way.

DJ will be remembered as a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and as a faithful friend. He is known for his leadership and guidance ability, warm heart, devotion to helping others and his bright smile. He will be missed.

He is survived by his wife, mother, sisters, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who all loved him deeply. He was preceded in death by his father.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Chester Betzer

Chester R. Betzer, 82, of Sullivan, passed away 3:16 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2019 in Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Celebration of Life Services will be 11:00 a.m. Monday at the Reed Funeral Home with Pastor Marge Overlot officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Monday. Burial will be at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the Sullivan Weekend Food Bag Program, c/o Sullivan Elementary School. Online condolences can be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

Mr. Betzer was born February 26, 1937 in Bethany, the son of Chester and Gussie Ray Betzer. He was raised by Arthur ‘Doc’ and Olive Miller. Chet had been an over the road truck driver and since retiring provided transportation for the Amish. He had served in the Illinois National Guard and the Army Reserves. Chet enjoyed golfing, model trains and spending time with his grandchildren. He married Roni Jean Corzine on November 14, 1987 in Maroa, Illinois.

Survivors include his wife Roni of Sullivan, children Arthur Betzer of Clinton, IA, Robert (Jeannie) Betzer of Moseley, VA and Clayton (Heidi) Brush of Sullivan; grandchildren Devereux and Dylan Betzer and Addison and Owen Brush.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and two sisters.