News Progress

Sara Baker

Sara L. Baker, 60, of Sullivan, passed away at 5:47 p.m. Tuesday in Decatur Memorial Hospital, Decatur.

Celebration of Life services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Dave Dolan officiating. Visitation will be from 10 -11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Arborcrest Memorial Park, Effingham. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. The family request that masks be worn and everyone practice social distancing for the visitation and funeral.

Sarah was born May 25, 1960 in Vandalia, the daughter of Leonard and Virginia Antrim Mack.

She was a member of the New Life Tabernacle in Sullivan and was a licensed cosmotologist and had also worked for the Sullivan Senior Center and had been a DJ for Cromwell Broadcasting in Mattoon. She married Larry Baker on February 14, 1987 in Normal.

To her family and friends, she has left her legacy of holding faith, family and friends as the most important ingredients of a life well lived. She rested knowing that they would keep the faith and care for each other.

Surviving are her husband Larry of Sullivan, daughter Brianna (Phil) Stoneburg of Mt. Zion; sons Jeremy Baker of Mattoon and K. R. Baker of Oakley eight grandchildren and a grandson.

Sara’s life well-lived included a very extended family that embraced and loved her. Her grandmother and her namesake, Rosalie Sarah Antrim, and her grandfather Alonzo Maloy Antrim, as well as aunts and uncles from bother her mother’s family and father’s family have preceded her in death. She is also survived by aunts Joan Lynch, who she lovingly called "Aunt Mom" and Betty Toops; as well as uncles Richard Antrim and Lee Antrim. Sara was also loved by her many cousins who have survived her, especially Cathy Hawks who was Sara’s kidney donor.

Mary E. James

Mary E. James, 90, of Sullivan, passed away at 7:00 a.m. Saturday August 29, 2020 in St. John’s Hospital, Springfield.

Private family Celebration of Life services will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Nikki Reed, Certified Funeral Celebrant officiating. There will not be a public visitation. Burial will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to the Moultrie County PAWS, Moultrie County Food Pantry or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be sent to the family atreedfuneralhome.net.

Mary was born June 8, 1930 in Augusta, Illinois, the daughter of Frank and Alice Magill White.

She graduated from Augusta High School and Western Illinois University. She had been a physical education teacher and worked with her husband at their Sullivan Veterinary Clinic. She married Jason E. ‘Doc’ James, DVM on July 3, 1955 in Augusta, Illinois and he preceded her in death on January 21, 2007.

Mary was a member of the Sullivan United Methodist Church. She enjoyed bowling, playing Bridge, the Birthday Club, watching sports and reading.

Surviving are her sons David M. (Jackie) James of Lovington and Robert W. (Sarah) James of Shelbyville; granddaughter Kaya Sue James of Lovington; sister-in-law Allene White of Quincy; nieces Janet (Jim) Totsch of Quincy and Lori (Tracy) Kirbach of Springfield; nephews Paul (Ann) White of Minier and Richard (Dee) White of Quincy and numerous great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers Bob White and Richard ‘Dick’ White and sister-in-law Judy White.