Alberta Wetterling
Alberta Lucille Pearson Wetterling, age 82, Stronghurst, passed away Friday, January 29, 1999 in Clearwater, Florida.
She was born September 27, 1916, in LaHarpe, the daughter of Albert and Lucy Mae McGinnis Pearson.
She married Wendell E. Wetterling on May 18, 1940. He died April 14, 1980.
Surviving are two daughters, Jerilyn Powers, Aurora, Ohio, and Jean Audette, Middletown, New York; two sons, J. D. Wetterling, Oldsmar, Florida, and John Wetterling, Stronghurst; three brothers, Edward Blender, Woodhull, Richard Blender, Rushville, and James Blender, Raritan; nine grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.
She was graduated from Carthage College.
She was a retired elementary school teacher.
She was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church, Stronghurst, and was its choir director for many years. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma. She had been a 4-H leader, and a member of the Home Bureau and the Illinois Retired Teachers Association.
A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Bethel Lutheran Church with the Rev. Harrison Kline officiating. The family will receive friends from 4 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Banks & Beals Funeral Home, Stronghurst.
Burial will be in the Stronghurst Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Bethel Lutheran Church and to the American Heart Association.
June Roberts
June L. Roberts, age 92, of 436 Maple Ave., Galesburg, Illinois, passed away at 5:48 a.m.Sunday, February 7, 1999, at Galesburg Cottage Hospital.
She was born May 7, 1906, in Abingdon to O.T. and Emily Victoria Anderson Roberts.
Surviving are several nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by four brothers and a sister.
She received a bachelor of arts degree from Western Illinois State Teachers College in Macomb in 1926. She received her master’s degree from Northwestern University in 1928.
She was a school teacher for 45 years, working in Ellisville, London Mills, Geneseo, Monmouth, and her last 27 years at Lombard Junior High in Galesburg. She retired in 1971.
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Galesburg.
She was a member of the Business and Professional Women’s Association, the Oliver Wendell Holmes Club, the DAR, Knox County Retired Teachers Association and the Galesburg Woman’s Club.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery in Galesburg.
Memorials may be made to her church.
Merlin Leroy Nichols Jr.
Merlin Leroy Nichols Jr., 68, Manteo, NC, formerly of Avon, passed away at 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, 1998, at Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City, NC.
Born March 13, 1930, in Burlington, IA, to Merlin Leroy Sr., and Bertha Brown Nichols, he married Wanda Lee Arnold. She survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Merlin III of Sydney, Australia, and Charles of Silver Springs, MD; three daughters, Catherine Roam of Goldsboro, NC, Leona White of Leesburg, VA, and Sarah Nichols of Prineville, OR; eight grandchildren; and his twin sister, Marilyn Martin of Bushnell.
He was employed by the Egg Products Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
He was a graduate of Iowa State University, where he was a member of Theta Chi. He received his master’s degree at, the University of Missouri, where he received the Ramsayer award for excellence in academics.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 9, at Corman Memorial Home in Avon with the Rev. Rick Kerr officiating. Burial was in Elm Garden Cemetery in Morning Sun, IA.
Ina M. Davis
Ina M. Davis, 92, formerly of Galesburg, passed away at 3:30 a.m., February 5,1999 in Knox County Nursing Home, Knoxville.
Born January 19, 1907, in Bardolph, she was a daughter of Bert and Ethel Winters Holler. She married Fred A. Johnson in 1924, who preceded her in death. She later married T. Jeff Davis in 1954 in Pinckneyville. He passed away October 10, 1977.
Her parents, two brothers, a sister and one grandchild also preceded her in death.
She leaves: two sons, Donald Johnson in Galesburg and Burdett Johnson of Danville; a stepson, William Davis of Galesburg; two daughters, Mrs. William (Virginia) Lease in Monmouth and Jan Scott of Galesburg; four grandchildren and several step-grandchildren.
Mrs. Davis resided in the Roseville and Berwick communities for a time. In 1942 she moved to Galesburg, where she managed Denny Dry Cleaners for 25 years before she retired.
She was a member of the Presbyterian faith.
Graveside services were held Monday, February 8 at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Park Cemetery with Rev. Thomas Heather officiating. Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be left to the Knox County Nursing Home.
Richard N. King
Word has been received of the death of Richard N. King of Clearwater, FL, on January 31, 1998. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Melba June King, of Clearwater; a daughter, Ruth Ann Moore, Springfield, IL; a stepson, Darryl Smothers of Leesburg, FL; and a stepdaughter, Sheila Morath of Roseville, IL.
Local grandchildren include: Bruce and Bryan Morath of Monmouth, and Brent Morath and Stephanie Hughes of Roseville.
Cremation rites were accorded with no services at this time. Family and friends will meet for a memorial service in Winchester, Illinois, with burial in Exeter, IL at a later date.
Adlei S. Dempsey
Adlei S. Dempsey, 92, of Avon, passed away at 9:08 a.m., Monday, February 1, 1999, at OSF St. Mary’s Medical Center in Galesburg.
Born September 5, 1906, in Galesburg to Carl and Hildegard Berggren Anderson, she married J. Owen Dempsey on August 16, 1930, in Pekin. He died October 12, 1981.
She also was preceded in death by one son, Bruce R. Dempsey, one brother and four sisters.
Surviving are two sons, John of Avon and Barry of White Heath; one daughter, Sara Dempsey of Marina Del Rey, CA; five grandchildren; and one brother, Wallis Anderson of Rolling Meadows.
A farmer for 59 years, she and her husband farmed in the Avon area. Following his death, she continued to manage the farm business until her death.
She was a member of Avon United Methodist Church.
Services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 6, at Corman Memorial Home in Avon. The Rev. Rick Kerr officiated. Burial was in Knoxville Cemetery.
Pallbearers were James Mitchell, David Serven, Sam Serven, Keith Underwood, Gerald Willard, and Dean Lock.
Memorials may be made to her church or the American Heart Association.
Marion Yeoman Baker
Marion Yeoman Baker, 83, of 221 S. Main St. passed away at 12:01 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, 1999, at Galesburg Cottage Hospital.
Born September 29, 1915, in Avon to Laurence George and Louise Ross Yeoman, she married G.H. "Woody” Baker on September 24, 1935, in Avon. He survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Richard of LaGrange and David of LaGrange Park; two daughters, Mrs. Herb (Rossann) Baker Priestley of Galesburg and Mrs. Ernest (Mary) Gruner of LaGrange Park; one brother, Ross Yeoman of Farmington; five granddaughters, Shari Robinson of Galesburg, Cynthia Wroczynski of Sandwich, Linda Baker of Brookfield, Andrea Jennings of Reedsville, VA, and Michele Roberts of LaGrange; and five great-grandchildren.
A member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, she received her bachelor’s degree from Knox College in Galesburg in 1937 and her Master’s degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1964. She taught, in Downers Grove, Clarendon Hills and Western Springs for 30 years. She was founding director and co-director of the Spoon River Drama Workshop of Avon for 25 years.
She was a member, and director of religion education, of the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Oak Park. She served on the National Board of the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation in Boston. She also was active with the Federated Church of Avon.
She was a lifetime member and active Laureate of the Theatre of Western Springs, IL, a member of the Libby Brooks Gaddis Alumnae Club, member and past President of Portia Woman’s Club, Avon; a member of the Knox 50 year Club and awarded its Scroll of Honor. She was also very involved in the Fulton County Spoon River Scenic Drive Fall Festival and active in the Federated Church of Avon.
She lived in Western Springs for 50 years and retired to Avon.Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday, February 19, at the Federated Church of Avon. The Revs. Michael Brown and Jon Prain will officiate. There will be no visitation. Burial will be in Avon Cemetery. Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to: Unitarian Universalist Church, 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108; Macular Degeneration Diseases, 210 E. 64th St., New York, N.Y. 10021; or Avon Nursing Home, 1790 23rd Ave., Avon, IL 61415.
Dennis Crowl
Dennis R. Crowl, age 46, of rural Avon, passed away at 3:45 a.m. Saturday, January 30, 1999, at Graham Hospital in Canton.
He was born May 29, 1952, in Avon to Donovan E. and Melba A. Yocum Crowl.
Surviving are his mother of Bushnell; two sons, Donovan of Woodstock, Ohio, and Joseph of Galesburg; one daughter, Denissa Crowl of Urbana, Ohio; one brother, Richard of Bogalusa, Louisiana; one sister, Cathy Crowl, of Prairie City; and seven grandchildren.
His father and one brother preceded him in death.
A 1970 graduate of Bushnell-Prairie City High School, he served in the Marine Corps for six-years.
Services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Checkrow Community Church in rural Bushnell with Rev. Norman Waligoria officiating. Martin-Hollis Funeral Home in Bushnell was in charge of the arrangements.
Burial was in Prairie City Cemetery.
Mayme S. Combs Taylor
Mayme S. Combs Taylor, age 90, formerly of 55 Lincoln Road, Canton, passed away at 11:15 p.m. Friday, January 22, 1999, at Heartland Health Care Center in Canton, where she had been a resident since March 2, 1991.
Born April 12, 1908, in rural Table Grove to William Lewis and Maude Bishop Strode, she married Samuel Combs on December 24,1931, in Fulton County. He died March 30,1975. She married Chellis Taylor on February 14, 1978, in rural Canton. He died August 31, 1987.
One stepdaughter, Marian Lock, and three brothers also preceded her in death.
Surviving are two stepsons, Howard Taylor and Eugene Taylor, both of Canton; 11 step grandchildren; one niece; and several nephews.
She was a teacher in the Fairview and London Mills areas for many years.
She was a member of First Christian Church in Canton, the Organ Club, Fairview Women’s Club and Fairview Farmerettes.
Services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Oaks-Hines Funeral Home in Canton with Rev. Dean Bucalos officiating. Burial was in White Chapel Memory Gardens.
Memorials may be made to her church.
