Recent Obituaries: Wilma White

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Wilma White
Wilma L. White, 93, of Lovington, passed away at 9:19 p.m. Thursday April 22, 2021 in St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.
Celebration of Life services will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Rodney Houser officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday from 1:00 p.m. until service time. Burial will be in the Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials are suggested to the Lovington Ambulance Service. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. Please wear face masks and practice social distancing for the visitation and funeral.
Wilma was born February 6, 1928 in Monroe County, Kentucky, the daughter of Joseph and Bertha Temple Napier. She had worked at Switchcraft in Sullivan. Wilma married Wirt L. White on November 3, 1945 in Franklin, Kentucky and he preceded her in death on August 17, 2019.
Surviving is her son Harold White of Lovington; brother Harold Napier of Lafayette, Louisiana; sister Mildred Kringle of White House, Tennessee; grandchildren Harold White, Jr. of Florida, Walter Lynn White of Windsor, Sean Louis White of Sweetwater, Tennessee, Angela Lynette Welker of Arthur, Jarod White of Clinton and Zac White of Auburn; great grandchildren Dayton White, Aaron White, Ariel Kibler, Jaxon White, Briggs White, Logan White, Wade White, Gracyln White, Hadlynn White and Tayson White.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Terry, eight brothers and two sisters.

Recent Obituaries: Lawrence Brown

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Lawrence Brown

Lawrence E. Brown, 91, of Bethany, passed away, 10:50 p.m. Thursday, April 22, 2021, at his home in Bethany.
Graveside services will be held 3:00 p.m. Monday, April 26, 2021, at Marrowbone Township Cemetery, Bethany, with Military Rites by the Bethany American Legion Post #507. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church in Bethany. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements.
Lawrence was born November 5, 1929, in McNabb, the son of Clyde and Mildred (Dunn) Brown. He served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. He worked at the IL Power Company in Decatur in the Forestry Department for 40 years. Lawrence married Darlene A. Brand on October 7, 1951, in Winona, MN; she survives. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Bethany and the Bethany American Legion Post #507. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and horse shoe pitching. Lawrence loved watching his grandson’s sports games and traveling.
He is survived by his wife, Darlene of Bethany; daughter, Cindy (Norm) Yoder of Bethany; grandsons, Brandon (fiancé Samantha Vogel) Yoder of Bethany and Dustin (fiancé Keziah) Yoder of Cape Girardeau, MO; sisters, Maxine Robinson of Bloomington and Helen Jane (Jack) Brown of Long Creek. He is also survived by several cherished nieces and nephews.
Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Richard Brown and sister, Hazel Davis.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Recent Obituaries: Leslie Banks

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Arthur resident Lesley (Otto) Banks died April 17, 2021, in the presence of loving family.  She was born in Decatur, Illinois, on October 30, 1964.

She was immensely proud of her daughter, Aerielle Brianne (Banks) Wood and son-in-law, John-Tyler Wood of Troy, Illinois.  She is also survived by her sister, Julie A. Michl of Arthur, one nephew, David James Michl of Arthur, Uncle David Neil Lewis of Terre Haute, Aunt Charlene Gorby in San Antonio, Texas, cousin Vickie L. Henry and her family, Claire, Lucy, and George Humphrey of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, and cousins Steve Hoffner, Mike Hoffner, Jil Gorby and Cindy Streiby.

Banks was preceded in death by her parents, David E. Otto and Marjorie Ann Lewis Otto, Aunts Patricia Kay Lewis, and Patricia Hoffner, Uncles George Leatherman and Jack Gorby and her grandparents.

Banks graduated from Arthur High School in 1982 and from Illinois State University in 1986 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education and Political Science. Banks taught high school English and Journalism for 34 years in Illinois, Missouri, and Oklahoma. She retired from Sullivan High School in 2019. Her passion for being an educator was clear and she cared deeply for each student she had the opportunity of teaching, even the ones who gave her a few extra grey hairs. She was especially proud when her students won national awards for their yearbooks and newspapers.

In her honor, she encourages everyone to revisit her favorite books, The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman, and King Lear; read a real newspaper; or contemplate the teachings of Thoreau.

Memorials are requested to the Arthur Southern Baptist Church, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society.    

A memorial visitation will be held Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Shrader Funeral Home in Arthur, Illinois, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM with a celebration of life service starting at 3:00 PM. Interment will immediately follow at the Arthur Cemetery.

Those attending the services are asked to bring their favorite memory to share with the family, especially her students.

Due to recent Covid 19 restrictions, face masks and social distancing are required. 

Online condolences to the family may be sent to www.hilligossshraderfh.com

Recent Obituaries: Lonnie Bly

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Lonnie Bly

Lonnie Dale Bly, 50, of Shelbyville, IL passed away at 6:48 p.m. Monday, April 19, 2021 in HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital, Shelbyville, IL.
Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. – noon, Saturday, April 24, 2021 at Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL. Memorials may be given to Shelbyville Jr. Wrestling Program. Arrangements are by Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL.
Lonnie was born on June 19, 1970 in Shelbyville, IL, the son of Bob Hoover and Judith Darlene Wheeler. He attended Shelbyville High and was a member of the Class of 1988. Lonnie enjoyed repairing and building things, and worked as a carpenter and handyman.
Lonnie is survived by his sons, Cody Bly (Madyson) of Shelbyville, IL and Dalton Bly of Bethany, IL; daughters, Gatlynn Williams (Isaiah) of Shelbyville, IL, and Savannah Gibbons (Travis Palmer) of Sullivan, IL; father, Ralph Bly of Shelbyville, IL; brothers, Nathan Bly (Krissy) of Shelbyville, IN, Adam Bly of Shelbyville, IL, Derrick Bly (Daphney) of Shelbyville, IL, and Levi Hoover of Cowden, IL; sister, Becky Hoover of Cowden, IL; grandchildren, Hudson, Paisley, Everett, Talula, Silas, and Maylee; niece, Mayleigh; and special friend Nicki Haney.
He was preceded in death by mother, Judith Darlene Wheeler; grandmother, Lois Jean (Wheat) Wheeler; and grandfather, James Leo Wheeler. Send condolences at www.howeandyockey.com