CHARLESTON - Ruth Marie Beck, 92, of Charleston, formerly of Belleville, Ind., died Monday (Feb. 4, 2002) at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
A memorial service will be in Poplar Bluff, Mo., City Cemetery. Adams Funeral Chapel is in charge of local arrangements.
She was born Sept. 18, 1909, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., the daughter of Lydle and Annie Bearden. She married Abner Frank Beck; he died in 1981.
Survivors include one son, Roger Beck of Charleston, and one sister, Lita Loch of Braymer, Mo.
She was also preceded in death by one sister.
Mrs. Beck worked for the federal government in Indianapolis. She was active in the Belleville Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to the Belleville Methodist Church or the Wesley United Methodist Church, Charleston.
Leona Collins
ROCKFORD - Leona Collins, 80, of Rockford, formerly of Mattoon, died at 8 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 2, 2002) at her residence.
A service will be held at a later date. The Anderson-Long Klonpe Funeral Home, Rockford, is in charge of the arrangements.
She was born Dec. 29, 1921, in Mattoon, the daughter of Henry and Nellie Kilburn Niehaus. She married Robert Collins in 1952; he died in 1989.
Survivors include one daughter, Nancy Wilson of Dallas; one sister, Louise Jensen of Mattoon; and one great-grandchild.
She was also preceded in death by one son, one brother and one grandchild.
Mrs. Collins was a homemaker and former member of the First Baptist Church in Mattoon.
Erma Connour
COLUMBUS, Kan. - Erma J. Connour, 75, of Columbus, Kan., formerly of Waynesville, Mo., and the Charleston and Oakland areas, died at 9:22 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 2, 2002) at the Maude Norton Hospital, Columbus.
The funeral will be 3 p.m. today at the Briarwood Baptist Church, Dixon, Mo., with Elder Neil Lewis officiating. Visitation will be noon until service time at the church. A graveside service will be 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Roselawn Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. at the cemetery. The Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, Columbus, Kan., is in charge of arrangements.
She was born March 25, 1926, in Sikeston, Mo., the daughter of George and Tina Golladay Maples. She married Delmar Connour in 1946; he died in 1978.
Survivors include one son, Robert Connour of Mesa, Ariz.; two daughters, Brenda Norris of Columbus, Kan., and Betty Connour of Effingham; 14 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by one son, one daughter, four brothers, one sister, one grandchild and one great-grandchild.
Mrs. Connour worked at the Charleston Brown Shoe Co. and H.D. Lee Co. in Richland, Mo. She was a member of the Briarwood Baptist Church in Dixon, Mo.
Memorials may be made to the family in care of the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, Columbus, Kan.
Zelma Davis
FINDLAY - Zelma F. Davis, 91, of Findlay, died at 8:38 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 3, 2002) in Shelby Memorial Hospital, Shelbyville.
The funeral will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Findlay Christian Church with the Rev. Greg Robbins officiating. Burial will be in Wright Cemetery, near Findlay. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Lockart and Sons Funeral Home, Findlay.
She was born Aug. 13, 1910, in Shelby County, the daughter of Elzie H. and Ida May Cazier Taylor. She married Edwin Harry Davis in 1932; he died in 1974.
Survivors include one son, Charles Davis of Pasadena, Texas; one daughter, Elizabeth Livingston of Effingham; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by one son, one brother and her twin sister.
Mrs. Davis worked at Sta-Rite Ginnie Lou Corporation during World War II. She was a member of the Findlay Christian Church.
GEORGE FARRAR
Lt. Col. George B. Farrar (Ret.), age 82, of Mattoon, passed away at 8:33 a.m. on Monday, February 4, 2002, at the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
Funeral services celebrating his life will begin at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Schilling Funeral Home with the Reverend Tom Pullen officiating. Burial with military rites by the Scott Air Force Base Honor Guard will follow. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.
George was born February 20, 1919 in Humboldt, a son of Roscoe and Evaline Balch Farrar. He married Marjorie C. Beeney on December 11, 1943.
Survivors include his wife, Marjorie C. Farrar of Mattoon; two sons, John C. Farrar and wife Marianne of Humboldt and Jay E. Farrar of Newark, New Jersey; one sister, Mary Ward of Tempe, Arizona; five grandchildren, Robbie G. Farrar and wife Monica of Reno, Nevada, Nicole M. McQueen of Neoga, Natalie E. Parkerson of Mattoon, John D. Farrar and Joshua A. Farrar, both of Humboldt; and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one son, Joe B. Farrar and two sisters.
Lt. Col. Farrar retired from the U. S. Air Force after thirty-three years of service. He was a member of the Bible Baptist Church, V.F.W. and American Legion in Shreve Port, La., and Gideon's International.
Memorials gifts may be made to Gideon's International.
Rose Matson
NEWTON - Rose A. Matson, 98, of Newton, died at 6:20 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 3, 2002) at the Newton Rest Haven Nursing Home.
The funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday at the Barkley Funeral Home, Greenup, with the Rev. Jerry Wilson officiating. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery, Newton. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
She was born Jan. 26, 1904, in Newton, the daughter of Clayborne Ross and Rosa Byrd Cummins. She married Delbert Matson in 1934; he died in 1970.
Survivors include nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by six brothers and four sisters.
Mrs. Matson had taught school for 43 years at schools in Bryd, Reisner, Plainfield, Sandridge, Wilson, Oakland and Newton. She was a member of the Falmouth United Methodist Church and the Newton American Legion Auxiliary.
Memorials may be made to Newton Rest Haven Nursing Home.
Roy Smith
THORSBY, Ala. - Roy M. Smith, 71, of Thorsby, Ala., formerly of Casey, died Jan. 28, 2002, at his home.
The Martins Funeral Home Chapel, Clanton, Ala., was in charge of the arrangements. Burial was in Cedar Grove Methodist Church Cemetery, Thorsby, Ala.
He was born Aug. 20, 1930, in Casey, the son of Everett and Zona Smith. He married Emily Patterson in 1957; she survives.
Other survivors include two sons, Alan Smith of Dayton, Ohio, and Randy Smith of Thorsby, Ala.; one daughter, Donna Dozier of Wilsonville, Ala.; four brothers, Howard Smith of Springfield, Robert Smith of Urbana, Clifford Smith of Casey and George Smith of Lima, Ohio; two sisters, Inez Slater of Casey and Loretta Goble of Martinsville; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother.
Mr. Smith served in the Navy from 1947 to 1967.
Paul Stillions
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Lt. Col. Paul Daniel Stillions, USAFR, 80, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Charleston, died Wednesday (Jan. 30, 2002) at Humboldt Hospital, Humboldt, Tenn.
The Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel was in charge of the arrangements. Burial with full military honors was in Memphis Memorial Park.
He was born Jan. 24, 1922, in Charleston, the son of Clarence A. and Minnie Bradley Stillions. He married Betty Jo Owen in 1942; she survives.
Other survivors include one son, Paul Stillions Jr. of Memphis, and five grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by five brothers and five sisters.
Retired Lt. Col. Stillions was a retired Holiday Inn executive. He was a member of the Memphis Belle Association and the Military Order of World Wars Association. He was an Air Force veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict. He was a German prisoner of war, and past commander of the Mid South Chapter of American Ex-POW's.
Memorials may be made to the Shady Grove Presbyterian Church or the Alzheimer's Association.
Mary Buttram
PEORIA HEIGHTS - Mary C. Buttram, 83, Peoria Heights, died at 6:57 p.m. Friday (Feb. 1, 2002) at the Methodist Medical Center.
The funeral will be noon Wednesday at the Wilton Mortuary, Peoria, with the Rev. Dr. Randall Saxon officiating. Burial will be in Springdale Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the mortuary.
She was born Nov. 28, 1918, in Mattoon, the daughter of John F. and Flossie V. Glasscock Keller. She married Victor B. Buttram in 1943; he died in 1972.
Surviving are one daughter, Phyllis Barnes of Peoria; one brother, John Keller of Mattoon; one sister, Jean Bassett of Champaign; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Buttram was retired from Methodist Medical Center. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Peoria, the Peoria Heights Suburban Lioness Club and the Peoria District Association of the Blind.
Jay Davis
WESTVILLE - Jay Marion Davis, 84, of Westville, formerly of Lerna, died at 6:45 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 2, 2002).
The funeral will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Trinity United Church of Christ, Westville, with the Rev. Bob Marsh and the Rev. Phil Jackson officiating. Burial will be in Janesville Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the church. Wolfe Funeral Home, Westville, is in charge of the arrangements.
He was born Oct. 27, 191,7 in Seymour, Tenn., the son of William H. and Nettie Caroline Latham Davis. He married Oro Martin in 1943; she survives.
Also surviving are four sons, Robert and Randall Davis, both of Westville, John Davis of New Lennox and Jerry Davis of Danville; one daughter, Rose Osborn of Decatur; one brother, Ted Davis of Riverton; one sister, Becky Tingley of Mattoon; 11 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, one brother, one sister and two grandchildren.
Mr. Davis was retired from Conrail Railroad and was a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Westville, the Illiana Organaires and was a board member for the March of Dimes.
Memorials may be made to the Trinity United Church of Christ or Carle Hospice.
