Obituaries

August 17, 2023

Lea Ann Carter (Wattles), 68, of Ingraham, passed away at 12:22 PM on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at the Cottages of Lake St. Louis, after a difficult and valiant struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). 

She was born on July 11, 1955, in Flora, Illinois and was the daughter of Warren and Betty (Ikemire) Wattles. She married her husband of...

August 16, 2023

Inez Ellen Montgomery, 97, of Rolla, Missouri passed away at 11:00 pm, Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at the Cedar Pointe Skilled Nursing and Rehab in Rolla, Missouri.

Inez was born in Hord, Illinois on February 14, 1926 to the late Everette Clarence and Maggie Jane Blair.  Inez joined in matrimony to Edward Montgomery on December 12, 1945. They were blessed...

August 12, 2023

Lawrence D. “Larry” Ames, 83, of West Liberty, Illinois passed away at 2:48 pm, Saturday, August 12, 2023 at his home.

Larry was born on April 5, 1940 in Portland, MI the son of Bud and Elizabeth (Baker) Ames. He married Barbara Wojciechowski on August 4, 1973 in New Jersey and they shared 49 years of marriage before she preceded...

August 9, 2023

Carl R. Johnson, 59, of Louisville passed away peacefully at 9:35 pm, Wednesday August 9, 2023, at Flora Healthcare and Rehabilitation, in Flora, Illinois.

Carl was born on August 30, 1963, in Joliet, Illinois, the son of the late Roger C. and Mary C. (Hamilton) Johnson. He married Lori Barham and they shared 35 years together.

Carl liked to have...

August 8, 2023

Mary Ellen McPeak, 79, of Louisville passed away peacefully at 9:22 am, Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at her home in Louisville with her loving family by her side. 

She was born on July 17, 1944, in Clay County, Illinois, the daughter of Thomas E. and Grace I. (Haynes) Thompson. She married Charles W. McPeak on October 9, 1986 in Flora,...

August 2, 2023

Marilyn J. Behnke, 83, of Kinmundy passed away peacefully at 1:10 pm, Wednesday August 2, 2023, at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, in Springfield, Illinois.

Marilyn was born on December 9, 1939, in Herrick IL, the daughter of the late Elmer and Glapha (Frailey) Pope. She married Harold Behnke on May 12, 1972, in Shelbyville, IL and they shared 48 years...

July 23, 2023

Barbara Ames, 80 of West Liberty, Illinois and formerly of Bible Grove, passed away at 3:33 pm, Sunday, July 23, 2023 at the Carle Richland Hospital in Olney, Illinois.

She was born on April 24, 1943 in New Jersey, the daughter of Stanley and Halina (Kostrowski) Wojciechowski. Barbara married Lawrence D. Ames on August 4, 1973 and they shared 49...

July 17, 2023

Robert “Bob” Jay Dow, 77, of Xenia, IL passed away at 6:17 p.m. Monday, July 17, 2023 at Clay County Hospital in Flora, IL.

Bob was born June 20, 1946, in Effingham IL, the son of Everett and Leona (Farris) Dow, who preceded him in death.

Bob married Janice “Kaye” Stanford on January 20, 1979. Together they raised six children...

July 16, 2023

Joy D. Wood, 81, of Bible Grove passed away at 5:11 pm, Sunday, July 16, 2023 at the Lakeland Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Effingham, Illinois with her loving son at her side.

Joy was born on September 5, 1941 in Clay County, Illinois the daughter of Vernon and Carrie (Anderson) Payne. She married John M. Wood on March...

July 11, 2023

Karen S. Daugherty, 85, of Louisville, passed away at 9:43 am, Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at the Clay County Hospital in Flora, Illinois. 

Karen was born on October 23, 1937, in Sailor Springs, the daughter of Gerald Dean “Jerry” and Fern (O’Dell) Harris. She married Kenneth Frank Daugherty on November 30, 1955 at the Sailor Springs Baptist Church, and they...

July 5, 2023

Karen Raynell Ingram, 76, of Alma, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 at her home in Alma.  

She was born on July 2, 1947, in Salem, Illinois to her loving parents, Raymond M. and Nellie M. (Pilcher) Banning. She married Noel J. Ingram on June 2, 1988, in Omega, Illinois and they shared 26 years of marriage before...

June 26, 2023

William Arthur "Bill" Krantz, 75, of Farina passed away at 3:00 am, Monday, June 26, 2023 at the Aperion Care in St. Elmo, Illinois.

He was born on January 10, 1948, in Peoria, Illinois, the son of James Ivan and Pearl (Manning) Krantz. Bill married Mary Ann Cummins on December 31, 1984, in Clay County and they shared 30 years...

June 24, 2023

Robert A. "Bob" Lewis, 78, of Flora, Illinois passed away peacefully at 1:08 am, Saturday, June 24, 2023, at his home in Flora surrounded by his loving family.

Bob was born on May 17, 1945, in Effingham, Illinois, the son of Aaron Washington and Eula Marie (Grahn) Lewis. He married Althea Mae Guinn on April 3, 2004, in the First...

June 18, 2023

Danny Edward Fender, 80, of Louisville, Illinois passed away peacefully at 12:34 pm, Sunday, June 18, 2023 at his home surrounded by his loving family. 

He was born on September 11, 1942 the son of Emmett and Opal (Owens) Fender. He was united in marriage to Jeannie Craig on February 8, 1964 at the First Christian Church in Flora and...

June 3, 2023

 

Jerry Lewis Ring, 65, of Albion, Illinois passed away at 7:38 am, Saturday, June 3, 2023 at home surrounded by his family.

Jerry was born on September 24, 1957 to Hud and Rena Ilene Phelps in Ohio County, Kentucky. On January 19, 1971 he was graciously adopted by his loving parents Alva and Evelyn Ring at the age of...

June 1, 2023

Donald H. "Don" Thompson, 84 ,of Kinmundy passed away at 1:29 am, Thursday June 1, 2023, at Fayette County Hospital and Long Term Care in Vandalia, Illinois.

 Don was born on May 13, 1939, in Meacham Township, Illinois the son of Harry and Ella (Meyers) Thompson. Don married Linda Kaye Jenkins on October 12, 1956 at the Kinmundy Christian Church,...

May 14, 2023

Gary Eugene Guinn, 73, of Flora, passed away at 1:11 am, Sunday, May 14, 2023 at the Clay County Hospital in Flora, Illinois.

Gary was born in Clay County, Illinois on June 18, 1949 the son of Francis E. and Beulah Althea (Young) Guinn. Gary served his county honorably in the US Navy from 1969 to 1971...

May 11, 2023

Judy A. Houtchins, 67, of Salem passed away at 5:19 am Thursday, May 11, 2023 at the Deaconess Hospice House in Evansville, Indiana.

Judy was born on May 10, 1956 in Ivesdale, Illinois the daughter of Donald Harold and Nina (Jamison) Perry. She married Henry “Steve” Houtchins on March 12, 2003 and they shared 11 years of...

May 3, 2023

Betty Jeanette Smith, 86, of Louisville passed away at 5:30 pm, Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at the Lutheran Care Center in Altamont, Illinois.

Betty was born on July 28, 1936 in Greenup, Illinois the daughter Raymond and Malinda (Miller) Bahrns. She married Robert L. Smith on August 30, 1957 in Altamont, and they shared 37 years of...

April 18, 2023

Jenny Lee Farris, 52, of Hord, Illinois passed away at 9:41 pm, Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at her home in rural Hord.

Jenny was born on December 11, 1970 in Effingham, Illinois the daughter of Richard Leon and Sylvia (Schoonover) Farris. She had obtained an Associate’s Degree in Accounting. She had most recently been working as a...