News Progress

Barbara Jean (Molzen) Trower, 90, of Lovington, passed away on Monday, October 13, 2025, at Eberhardt Village in Arthur, Il. 

Graveside services will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Arthur Cemetery, Arthur, IL. As per Barbara’s request there will be no visitation. Memorials may be made to The Eberhardt Village Activity fund, St, Jude or Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospice. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements.

Barbara was born on January 13, 1935, in Decatur, IL, the daughter of Ralph and Sarah Frances (Devine) Molzen, spending her youth growing up on the family farm in rural Lovington. She graduated from Arthur High School in 1952 and continued her education at Brown’s Business College in Decatur. Barbara had a diverse career, starting with the Mueller Company and retiring from Masterbrand in Arthur. Her biggest joy was spending time with her family; she would often joke that she spent half her life in school gyms or on football and soccer fields watching her children and grandchildren participate in various sports. She also enjoyed preparing large meals when most of her family would return for the holidays; the food was always plentiful and excellent. Always a sports fan, she watched the Illinois football and basketball teams whenever possible as well as football on Sundays.  During her later years she enjoyed doing crafts which she would proudly display in her apartment. She was a member of the Antioch Christian Church of Decatur.

Surviving are her sons, Jeff (Carolyn) of Lovington, Tim (Sandy) of Baraboo, WI, Phil (Gayla) of Beebe, AR; daughter, Pam Wood of Rock Hill, SC, sister, Phyllis Regalia of Ukiah, CA; brother, Roger Molzen of Sullivan IL.  She is also survived by many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. 

She was proceeded by her parents, husbands, Robert Trower and Loren Phillips, and son, Mark. 

The family would like to extend sincere thanks to the Eberhardt Village staff for their friendship and excellent care during her years there and most importantly their compassion during her final months, allowing her to spend her final days in her apartment with grace and dignity. We would also like to express our appreciation to the hospice nurses from Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospice for their kindness and excellent care and Dr. Ellington for years of excellent care.

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

Bernadine was called to Heaven at 4:00 am on September 25, 2025 to be with her Lord and join her loving husband Charles. Visitation will be on Wednesday, October 1 from 10:00 to 11:30 am at Reed Funeral Home, 1112 S. Hamilton St., Sullivan, IL 61951. A celebration of life service for Bernadine will immediately follow.  Interment will be at Greenhill Cemetery on E. Water St. in Sullivan. She was born on January 14, 1928 in South Dakota. She was a daughter of Ollie and Marie Kidwell and was one of eight children six girls and two boys who were a very caring and close family. When Bernadine was one year old, she and her family moved to the Sullivan Illinois area where her parents once lived. She was an active member of the First Christian Church in Sullivan and attended the Sullivan schools. She was a cheerleader in her seventh and eighth grade years and received the American Legion awards in both her eighth grade and senior year of high school. Bernadine always loved school. She sang in the high school chorus and also was honored to be chosen the outstanding high school senior girl and homecoming queen in 1945. Bernadine worked for the Moultrie County Treasurer and at the First National Bank in Sullivan. She met Charlie, the love of her life, at a dance and they were later married in 1948 at the First Christian Church in Sullivan. Charlie was a farmer so they lived on a farm near Hammond, Illinois, where they raised Angus cattle, chickens and had a huge garden. They were blessed to have two wonderful children (Keith and Cathy) of whom they were so proud. Bernadine and her family were active members of the Hammond United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday School and Bible School when her children were young. Bernadine loved to sing and sang in the church choirs of Sullivan and Hammond for more than 60 years, as well as a soloist for many of her friend’s weddings. Bernadine enjoyed being a 4-H leader and belonged to the Home Extension for several years. Bernadine worked in the Hammond Bank for eight years and retired in 1977. She loved working with her flowers, canning and freezing fruits and vegetables from her garden plus preparing chickens to enjoy at meals. Bernadine was our family photographer and loved taking pictures of her grandchildren as well as rainbows, sunsets and beautiful clouds. Bernadine leaves behind to cherish her memory, her loving family, son Keith (Kathy) Casteel of Decatur, Illinois, three children Ryan (Rana), their three children Heidi Ouf and Aden Casteel of Gainesville, Virginia, Hassan (Alexandra) Ouf and daughter Lola of Glen Allen, Virginia; Seth Casteel of Nashville, Tennessee and Clayton (Maureen) Casteel and children Charlie, Dominic and Isla of Elmhurst, Illinois. Daughter Cathy (Nolan) Black of St. Louis, Missouri, their two children, Amanda (Matt) Mehner and their children Lukas, Kate and Claire and their son Nathan (Jessica) Black and their children Ellis and Emery of St. Louis. Sisters: Mary Lou Kidwell of Sullivan, Patty Seale of Crawfordsville, Indiana and sister-in-law Maurine Kidwell of Sullivan along with several special nieces and nephews plus kind and thoughtful friends and neighbors. Bernadine was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband Charles, brothers Bill, and Glen Kidwell, sisters Geneva Wilson, Midge Mills, and Genevieve Sutton. After having been blessed with nearly 60 wonderful years together, Charles passed away in 2007. Bernadine remained on the farm for two more years, then moved to a villa at Mason Point in 2009 and then Courtyard Estates/Heritage Woods in 2023. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend and was always giving us “Bushels of Love!”  Memorials may be given to the Hammond United Methodist Church, Hammond, IL 61929; Down Syndrome of Northern Virginia, 10332 Main St., Suite 338, Fairfax, Virginia 22030;  TASK (Autism), 980 Horan Drive, Fenton, Missouri 63026. Condolences for the family may be left at www.reedfuneralhome.net.