Alice M. Miller

Alice M. Miller, 92 of Sullivan, died 1:06 a.m. Thursday, May 11, 2017 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur.

Celebration of Life services will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Reed Funeral Home with Pastor Charliam Renner officiating. Burial will be in the Moultrie County Memorial Park, Bethany. Visitation will be one hour before the services. Memorials are suggested the Mason Point Activity Fund. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

Mrs. Miller was born January 13, 1925 in Bethany, IL, the daughter of Cayrel and Effie Pearl Standerfer Hilliard. Alice retired as a billing clerk at St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur. Alice and her husband Joe owned and operated the Moultrie County Memorial Park, Bethany for many years. She had been a member of the Eastern Star Crystal Chapter #39 and the Sullivan First Baptist Church. Alice married Joseph A. Miller on September 9, 1969 in Decatur and he preceded her in death on September 9, 1992.

Survivors include her son Ronald Holmes of Knoxville, TN; stepdaughter Dee (Donald) Simerl of Mooresville, IN; son-in-law Ray Loy of Sullivan; sister Camellia Zimmerman of Sullivan; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter Paula Loy, one great-grandson, three sisters and one brother.

Dorothy Woods Schwartz

Dorothy Woods Schwartz was born on November 18, 1919 in Hays County near Buda, Texas to William and Mattie Woods. She attended Seton Hospital School of Nursing in Austin, Texas and graduated in September 1940, and continued her nursing career as an RN until her retirement in 1976. She married V.E. “Gene” Schwartz in September 9, 1944, and enjoyed 55 years of marriage until his death in March 2000. They raised three children, Joe, Mary, and Jack.

After retirement, she turned to her love of history and began researching the history of both Hays and Johnson County, Texas. Over the years, she has written numerous history articles for various newspapers, assisted in the research and writing of two published books, one of which was made into a TV movie “True Women” about the Woods family, where Angelina Jolie played her great-grandmother Georgia Woods, and is accredited in the researching, writing, and placement of 22 Texas State Historical Markers between the two counties. She served for many years with the Johnson County Historical Commission and was also the local historian for Alvarado, Texas. On August 9, 2010, she was named Johnson County Historian Emeritus by Judge Roger Harmon and the Johnson County Commissioners Court.

Mrs. Schwartz passed away on May 1, 2017 at age 97. She was preceded in death by her husband Gene Schwartz and son Jack Schwartz. She is survived by her son, Joe Schwartz and wife, Roberta of Cleburne, TX; daughter, Mary Percifield and husband, John of Alvarado, TX; grandchildren: Shannon Schwartz of Ft. Worth, TX; Sonja Schwartz of Dallas, TX; Michelle Collins of Southern CA, Marianne Mansour and husband, Dr. Craig Mansour of Southern CA; Michael Percifield of Alvarado, TX; Paul Percifield and wife, Jennifer of Alvarado, TX; Jason Schwartz and wife, Lorelei of Jefferson City, MO; Joshua Schwartz and wife, Autumn of Kyle, TX; Claire Schwartz of San Marcos, TX; great-grandchildren: Emilie Percifield, Paul Percifield, Camden Percifield, Everett Percifield, and Chloe Percifield of Alvarado, TX.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a memorial donation be made to the First United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 364, Alvarado, TX 76009 or the Alvarado Heritage & Preservation Foundation at 509 Doris Court, Alvarado, TX 76009.

Visitation will take place on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at Vaughan Funeral Home at 200 E. Patton Ave. in Alvarado from 6-8pm.

Funeral services will take place on Thursday, May 4, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church at 301 S. Spears St. in Alvarado at 1pm. Interment will follow at Glenwood Cemetery in Alvarado, TX.

Virginia A. Butler

Virginia A. Butler, 90, of Sullivan passed away 4:00 a.m. Friday, March 31, 2017 at Mason Point, Sullivan.

Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 3, 2017 at Penn Township, Moweaqua. No visitation will be held. Arrangements were made by McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Memorials may be made to the Moultrie County Senior Center.

Virginia was born November 12, 1926 in Moweaqua, the daughter of Ray and Florence (Hemer) Lindley. She married Hank Butler in 1944 and he preceded her in death in 2001. Virginia was retired from the Titus Presbyterian Memorial Home, Sullivan. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, Sullivan.

She is survived by her sons, Mike (Linda) Butler of Hammond and Doug Butler of Sullivan; sisters, Patsy Lindley of Sullivan and Wilma England of St. Charles, MO; 2 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, 1 brother and 1 sister.

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

Ina Ruth Brooks

Ina Ruth Brooks, 92 of Bourbonnais, formerly of Sullivan passed away 2:50 p.m. Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee.

Funeral services will be held 1:00 Monday, March 6, 2017 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the funeral services. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Kankakee Valley, 482 Main St. NW, Bourbonnais.

Ruth was born October 3, 1924 in Sullivan, the daughter of Cornealius and Fern (Waggoner) Brackney. She married Richard F. Brooks April 20, 1942 in Sullivan. He preceded her in death on August 13, 1999. She was a member of the First Christian Church, Sullivan.

Ruth is survived by her daughter, Sue (Doug) Barclay of Bourbonnais; grandchildren, Stacy Barclay of Bourbonnais and Stephanie (Michael) Collins of Indianapolis, IN; great-grandchildren, Jason, Maggie, Bricen, Jack and Sutton.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Dick, son Richard, 2 sisters, and 3 brothers.

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

Randy Lee Crowe

Randy Lee Crowe, 59, of Flora, formerly of Sullivan, passed away 7:47 p.m. Tuesday, February 14, 2017, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital.

Funeral services will be held 2:30 p.m. Saturday, February 18, 2017, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services. Burial will be in French Cemetery, Allenville, with Military Rites by the Sullivan American Legion Post #68. Memorials may be made to the Prairie Heart Institute.

Randy was born August 1, 1957, in Mattoon, the son of Hue Tim and Ruth (Moran) Crowe. His family was an important part of his life as was his relationship with Christ. He served in the United States Navy.

Randy is survived by his sons, Jeremy (Elizabeth) Crowe of St. Clair, MO, Jacob (Macey) Crowe of Olney and Ethan (Nadia) Young of Flora; daughters, Amy Crowe of Flora and Sarah (Matthew) Allen of Salem; brothers, Tim Michael Crowe of Sullivan and Gary (Kathy) Crowe of Sullivan; sisters, Donna (Weldon) Kingery of Sullivan and Cheryl Wood of Sullivan. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister Diane Hollenbeck.

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