News Progress

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 14, 2022, at Central Christian Church in Decatur, IL. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in French Cemetery, Allenville, IL, at 2:30 p.m. on Monday. Memorials may be made to Central Christian Church: 650 W. William St. Decatur, IL, 62522 or to Decatur Family YMCA: 220 W. McKinley Ave. Decatur, IL 62526 McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan, is in care of the arrangements.

Jon was born in a farmhouse near Sullivan on October 13, 1939, to his parents, Otis and Thelma French. He was the second of four brothers, his older brother Donald, and younger brothers Jerry and Barry. When Jon was 13, he contracted tuberculosis of the spine and spent 15 months in a body cast in a sanitarium near Springfield, IL. After receiving experimental medicine, Jon was cured and returned to high school in Sullivan, IL. After graduating high school in 1956, Jon attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana graduating with a degree in Accountancy in 1960. Jon married the love of his life, Jane Wagner in 1961. Jon became a CPA in 1962 and subsequently found work in Chicago at Haskens & Sells. During this time, Jon and Jane had two children, Karen and Nancy. After 7 years in Chicago, Jon wanted to move his family away from the big city and back to a smaller town in Central Illinois.

Jon moved to Decatur, IL, where he worked for Gaugher & Diehl for a couple of years before eventually striking out on his own and building his CPA practice of accounting and tax work. Jon received his Masters in Financial Service from American College in 1982. Jon truly loved serving his clients accounting and tax needs. He enjoyed seeing them and catching up on their lives during tax time. Both daughters followed in his footsteps becoming CPAs themselves. His daughter, Nancy, worked with him for over twenty years until they both retired on October 31, 2021.

Jon was a member of Jaycees and later a member of Rotary International. He had perfect attendance at Rotary for over 50 years, and served as President of Rotary, taking a trip to England for the International Conference. Jon served faithfully on many boards in the Decatur Community including United Way, Symphony Orchestra Guild, Webster Cantrell Hall, and the Finance Committee for the YMCA.

Jon was an active member of Central Christian Church, serving as a trustee, a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, an usher and a member of the stewardship committee. He was recently honored as a Deacon Emeritus.

Jon was predeceased by his parents, Otis French and Thelma French Marlow, his brother Jerry French and sister-in-law, Deirdre French.

Jon is survived by his wife, Jane and daughters, Karen French (Darren) Neuman of Palo Alto, CA, and Nancy (Jay Emrich) French of Forsyth, IL, his brothers, Don French of Lovington and Barry (Sherry) French of Mt. Zion, IL, and two grandchildren, Jules and Eric Neuman of Palo Alto, CA, and many nieces and nephews.

Jon loved his family dearly and will be missed by us all.