George Casleton

Funeral services for George A. Casleton, 88,of Sullivan were held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan with the Rev. Grant Wade officiating. Burial with military rites conducted by Sullivan American Legion Post #68 was in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan.

He died at 4:55 p.m. Tuesday Oct. 15, 2013 in Mason Point in Sullivan surrounded by his family.

George was born March 26, 1925 in West Frankfort, a son of Chris and Madge Thomas Casleton. He married Billie Hill July 28, 1951, and she preceded him in death Aug. 23, 1989. He married Donna Neilson July 22, 1999, and she preceded him in death May 23, 2012.

George played drums for nine years with the Ted Paschedag Band and Orchestra in West Frankfort and graduated from Franklin Community High School with the class of 1943. In 1945, he was a charter member of the 20^th Century Sunday school class of the First Christian Church in West Frankfort.

George was a veteran of World War II serving in Italy. He was a sergeant with the 10^th Mountain Division. In 1945, he was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement in combat. He graduated from SIU in Carbondale. His career started as a principal of a country grade school in Logan, Ill.; he then taught English, history, reading, poetry and geography at Sullivan Junior High. He was director of the Sullivan Civic Center and was a monitor, teacher and tutor at Lovington grade and junior high schools. George was a member of First Christian Church in Sullivan and was a former Sunday school teacher, superintendent of the Sunday school department and director of Summer Vacation Bible School. He was also a member of Sullivan America Legion #68 and served on the Legion Color (burial) Guard.

George will be remembered by his former students for his teaching of the eight parts of speech, especially his famous direct object phrase, “She baked us a cake.” Also, how he demonstrated jumping on his desk. George often said, “We had fun in the classroom, but they also learned.”

He is survived by his son Grant (Nancy) Casleton of Oswego; daughter RuthEllen (Jeri) Davis of Sullivan and grandsons Grant Casleton of Chicago and Scott Casleton of New Haven, Conn.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother and sister.

Memorials are suggested to First Christian Church of Sullivan, Sullivan Community Education Foundation or the Weekend Food Bags for the Children in Moultrie County.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Mason Point for their kind and compassionate care and the Lincolnland Hospice nurse Amy Myers for her professional and caring spirit.

 

Paula Loy

Celebration of Life services for Paula A. Loy, 61, of Sullivan were held at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan with Fr. John Sohm officiating. Burial was in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan.

She died at 10:45 a.m. Friday Oct. 18, 2013 in her home.

Paula was born March 26, 1952 in Decatur, the daughter of Franklin and Alice Hilliard Holmes. She had been a dental assistant for Dr. Jerry Ozee, worked at Switchcraft and Sullivan IGA bakery and most recently the Sullivan Post Office. She also did babysitting in her home for several years. Paula married Ray Loy June 30, 1969 in Terre Haute, Ind.

Survivors include her husband Ray of Sullivan; daughters Jodi (Travis) Phelps and Hope Shaffer, both of Sullivan; mother Alice Miller of Sullivan; father Franklin Holmes of Knoxville, Tenn.; brother Ron (Kathleen) Holmes of Knoxville; stepsister Dee (Don) Simerl of Indianapolis, Ind.; grandchildren Cheyenne Phelps, Beretta Phelps, Winchester Phelps, Austin Shaffer and Zoe Stovall and special family members Mikie, Matt and Andy Bernius, Lacey Mossman and Luke Florey.

She was preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents and grandson Ruger Phelps.

Memorials are suggested to DMH Hospice or Lincolnland Visiting Nurse.

Condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.com

 

Vernon Milburn

Celebration of Life services for Vernon Milburn, 65, of Sullivan were held at 3 p.m. Saturday in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan with Pastor Al Rennert officiating. Burial was in Oak Grove Cemetery in Bethany.

He died at 9:57 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 16, 2013 in his residence.

Vernon was born May 4, 1948 in Charleston, a son of Albert M. and Thelma J. Rardin Milburn. He had been an engineer for the Norfolk and Western Railroad for 27 years and then retired from the State of Illinois Dept. of Agriculture. He married June Wiseman Coon March 10, 2001 in Sullivan.

Surviving are his wife June of Sullivan; parents Albert and Thelma Milburn of Mattoon; stepchildren Kevin (Bevila) Coon and Teresa (Tim) Hogue of Sullivan and Sherry (Mark) Risley of Bethany; brothers Danny (Wanda) Milburn of Mattoon, Donald (Jane) Milburn of Jacksonville, Fla. and Ronald (Susan) Milburn of Ft. Myers, Fla.; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents.

Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

 

Harold Morgan

Celebration of Life services for Harold L. Morgan, 75, of Sullivan were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan with Pastor Richard Corwin officiating. Burial with military rites by Sullivan American Legion Post #68 was in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan.

He died at 1:30 p.m. Friday Oct. 18, 2013 in his home.

Harold was born Oct. 6, 1938 in Windsor, a son of Gerald A. and Ruby G. Chappell Morgan. Harold served for 29 years as a Moultrie County sheriff’s deputy before retiring in 2000, was the former Lovington chief of police and taught criminal justice at Lake Land College. He was a member of Sullivan First United Methodist Church, Past Master of George A. Sentel Masonic Lodge #764, Moultrie County Beacon board member and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Harold married Dawn Kenney Oct. 12, 1963 in Sullivan.

Survivors include his wife Dawn of Sullivan; children Starr Morgan of Mattoon, Amber (Dennis) Grady of Hammond and Dustin (Sylvia) Morgan of Mahomet; grandchildren Gage, Brynn and Brody Elder, Scott Morgan, Leah Griffet and David Griffet V; mother-in-law Lenore Kenney of Sullivan and brother Jim (Linda) Morgan of Windsor.

He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant son.

Memorials are suggested to American Heart Association or American Diabetes Association.

Condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.com

 

Ronald Amyz

Funeral services for Ronald D. Amyx, 67, were held at 10 a.m. Monday in Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston. Burial was in Roselawn Cemetery.

He died Thursday Oct. 17, 2013 in his residence.

He was born July 23, 1946 in Charleston, a son of Harry and Betty Decker Amyx.

Amyx grew up in Sullivan and was a 1964 graduate of Sullivan High School. He furthered his education at Lake Land College and Eastern Illinois University. From 1972 until his retirement in 2001, Ron was employed as a broadcast engineer at Eastern Illinois University for WEIU Television and Radio. He was member of East Harrison Street Church of God and Charleston Moose Lodge #1388. He was a past Coles County Fair Board president and previously served as a dispatcher for Coles County Emergency and Disaster Agency (ESDA) and served on the Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team (IMERT). He married Z. Kay Fudge May 28, 1967 in Charleston, and she survives.

Also surviving are daughters Darcy Obar of Florence, Ariz., Melissa Drozd of Peoria and Sara Halihan of Bloomington;  sister Sue Amyz of Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by one brother.

Memorials may be made to East Harrison Street Church of God in Charleston.

 

Victoria Devereaux

Funeral mass for Victoria Devereaux, 70, of Belton, Tex. was held at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) in St. Luke’s Catholic Church.

She died Oct. 18, 2013 in her home.

She was born June 27, 1943 in Decatur, a daughter of Helen Jarzembski. She, with her husband, owned and operated the French Peddler in Richmond, Ind. She was a member of St. Luke’s Catholic Church and served as Eucharist Minister. She married Ronald J. Devereaux in 1962, and he preceded her in death.

Surviving are her children Ronald Devereaux of Cibolo, Tex., Renee Matous of Morgan’s Point, Tex., Angela Janak of Temple, Tex., Debbie Smith of Belton, Tex., Tiffany Lilly of Kemp, Tex. and Danny Devereaux; sister Lynn Hermann of Sullivan; brother Jeff Lewis of Reno, Tex.; 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were two brothers.

Memorials may be made to St. Luke’s Building Fund, 2807 Oakdale Dr., Temple, TX 76502 or the American Cancer Society.

 

Roger Greene

Roger Gene Greene of Rimrock, Ariz., formerly of Effingham, died July 8, 2013.

A memorial graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday Oct. 26 in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan.

Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham is assisting the family with arrangements. www.bauerfh.com