TUSCOLA - Robert W. "Bob" Duzan, 51, of Tuscola, formerly of Oakland, died Thursday (Jan. 31, 2002) in Douglas County.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Taber Funeral Home, Oakland, with Pastor Don Funk officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery with military rites by the Brocton American Legion and the Oakland VFW. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
He was born March 17, 1950, in Oakland, the son of Cleo A. and Muriel Miller Duzan. He married Barb Van Dorn Montez in 2000; she survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Jeremy Duzan of Urbana and Jared Duzan of Tuscola; one stepson, Kenneth Bragg of Tolono; two stepdaughters, Melaine Dunbar of Kingsland, Ga., and Cynthia Brewer of Ivesdale; one brother, William Duzan of Oakland; and two sisters, Sandra Kaiser of Centralia, Mo., and Susan Shonk of Paris.
He was preceded in death by one brother and one half brother.
Mr. Duzan worked at J.L. Allen Construction Co. and served in the Illinois National Guard. He was a member of the Mattoon Labor Union #171, the Brocton American Legion and the Tuscola Moose Lodge.
Memorials may be made to the Brocton American Legion.
Kimmery Gilbert
MATTOON - Kimmery D. Gilbert, 93, of Mattoon, died at 7:30 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 3, 2002) at his residence.
The funeral will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Mitchell-Jerdan Funeral Home with the Rev. Harold Bray officiating. Burial will be in Zion Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
He was born June 6, 1908, in Kirksville, the son of Robert D. and Anna Mae Taylor Gilbert. He married Iva Opal Shriver in 1933; she survives.
Also surviving are one daughter, Jean Louise Abbott of Bethany; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by one son, two brothers and five sisters.
Mr. Gilbert was a farmer and tool and die maker at Blaw-Knox. He was a member and elder of the Mattoon Christian Church.
Memorials may be made to the Mattoon Christian Church or Lincolnland Hospice.
Harold Grovier
RANTOUL - Harold Asher Grovier, 73, of Rantoul, died at 4:15 a.m. Friday (Feb. 1, 2002) at Illiana Health Care Systems, Danville.
The funeral will be 1 p.m. Monday at Sunset Funeral Home & Cremation Center with Pastor Mak officiating. Burial will be in Danville National Cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post 210. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Monday at the funeral home.
He was born Oct. 6, 1928, in Indianola, the son of Levi Westley and Evelyn Reffett Grovier.
Surviving are two sons, David Grovier of Charleston and Jack Grovier; two daughters, Marsha Calderone of Rantoul and Kianne Perkins of Champaign; one brother, Robert Grovier of Covington, Ind.; one sister, Josephine Boyer of Indianola; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, one sister and two grandchildren.
Mr. Grovier was a meat cutter and was a Navy veteran of World War II.
Wilfred Harrison
HORSESHOE BEND, Ark. - Wilfred C."Bill" Harrison, 90, of Horseshoe Bend, Ark., formerly of Mattoon, died Thursday (Jan. 31, 2002) at his residence.
Arrangements are pending at the Schilling Funeral Home.
Thomas Toner
MARTINSVILLE - Thomas Wayne Toner Sr., 58, of Martinsville, died at 3 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 3, 2002) at his residence.
The funeral will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Greenwell Funeral Home, Martinsville, with the Rev. Terry Blanchard officiating. Burial will be in Ridgelawn Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
He was born Oct. 7, 1943, in Martinsville, the son of Wayne U. and Pearl Lunoris Wells Toner. He married Sharon Elaine Shawver in 1960; she survives.
Also surviving are his mother and stepfather, Lunoris and Woody Woodworth; three sons, Thomas Toner Jr. and William Toner, both of Martinsville, and James Toner, at home; two daughters, Lori Davis of Casey and Kari Jost of Indianapolis; one brother, William Toner of Martinsville; one sister, Patricia Wells of Martinsville; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two sisters and one brother.
Mr. Toner served as the mayor of Martinsville for six years and was a member of the Word of Life Church in Casey.
Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association of the American Cancer Society.
Franklin Yelton
LAGRANGE, Ind. - Franklin Robert Yelton, 88, of LaGrange, Ind., formerly of Casey, died at 8:47 a.m. at LaGrange Community Hospital.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the Markwell Funeral Home, Casey, with the Rev. Steve Greene officiating. Burial will be in Hazel Dell Cemetery. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
He was born May 8, 1913, in Hazel Dell, the son of Samuel and Elsie Love Welker Yelton. He married Gertrude M. Miller in 1934; she died in 2000.
Surviving are two sons, Mike Yelton of Ligonier, Ind., and Jeff Yelton of Chesterton, Ind.; four daughters, Kathryn Lehman of Topeka, Ind., Lenora Johson of N. Ft. Myers, Fla., Shirley Fleming of Churubusco, Ind., and Sonia Yelton of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; one sister, Latreva McCord of LaPlace; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and one step-great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by two sisters and one great-grandchild.
Mr. Yelton was a retired factory welder and was a member of the LaGrange Church of the Nazarene.
Eileen E. Croy
CHARLESTON - Eileen Evelyn Croy, 82, of Charleston passed away at 7:29 a.m. Sunday, February 2, 2002 at the Odd Fellow Rebekah Home, Mattoon.
Funeral services honoring her life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 5, 2002 at the Harper-Swickard Funeral Home with Reverend Ray Finney officiating. Interment will follow in Janesville Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Harper-Swickard.
Eileen was born September 11, 1919 at Trilla, daughter of Clarence and Hazel Beals Starwalt. She married Harold Croy, December 23, 1937, he survives. Also surviving are her daughter: Linda Armstrong and husband Jim of Mattoon; two grandchildren: Brenda Banks and husband Dave of Imperial, MO and Kim Spink and husband Brian of Vienna, IL. Seven great-grandchildren and two brothers: Eugene Starwalt of Mattoon and Harold Dean Starwalt of Neoga also survive. She was preceded in death by one grandson and her parents.
Eileen was a proud wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and was married to the love of her life for more than sixty-four years.
Eileen was a member of the Charleston Order of the Eastern Star.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Lincolnland in care of Harper-Swickard Funeral Home.
Maxine Sitz
Maxine Sitz, 84, of Tuscola, died at 2:30 AM Saturday, Feb. 2, 2002 at her home.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 AM Monday, Feb. 4, 2002 at Shrader Funeral Home, 204 N. Locust Street, Arcola, with Stanton Bane as officiant followed by a private family graveside service at the Arcola Cemetery. There will be no visitation.
Mrs. Sitz was born Oct. 28, 1917 in Terre Haute, Indiana, a daughter of Arlie Fogleman. She married Frank Sitz on Sept. 11, 1934; he preceded her in death on Aug. 3, 1952.
Survivors include one son, Robert Sitz and his wife Pat of Arcola; 3 daughters, Arlene Bell of Rockford, Dorothy Ashley and her husband Ed of Arcola, Katherine (Sue) Henry and her husband Aaron of Indianola; 15 grandchildren, Todd and Bobby Sitz, Tina VanDeveer, Lisa Karmazinas, Lori Anderson, all of Arcola, Teri Scaggs of Champaign, Amanda Henry of Savoy, Justin Henry of Tuscola, Anita Stokes of Westville, Connie Pearson of Cortland, Patricia Hallman, Ronnie and Carl Bell of Rockford, Dale Bell of Ormond Beach, Florida, Calvin Bell of Charlotte, N.C., 21 great grandchildren; and 5 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother, Arlie, in 1929 and a son, James, on July 25, 1958.
Mrs. Sitz lived in Chicago during her early childhood years with her mother. She moved to this area in the 1930's and lived with the Duttons in Arcola. She enjoyed sewing, flowers, dolls, domestic activities, and writing poetry.
She was a member of the Tuscola Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses for over 50 years and dedicated 29 of those years to the full-time ministry of helping others learn about Bible truths.
MARY HUNT WIGTON
Mary Hunt Wigton, age 77, of Mattoon, passed away at 11:08 a.m. Saturday, February 2, 2002, at her residence.
Funeral services celebrating her life will begin at 2:00 p.m. this (Monday) afternoon at the First Baptist Church with the Reverend Dr. E.E. Elliott officiating. Burial will follow in the Dodge Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until time of service today at the Church. The Schilling Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Mary was born September 3, 1924, in Windsor, Missouri, a daughter of Rochelle and Gladys Vance Hunt. She married Melvin L. Wigton on June 8, 1946 in Windsor, Missouri.
Survivors include her husband, Melvin L. Wigton of Mattoon; two sons, Gregory L. Wigton and wife Cyndy of Bethalto, Illinois and Bradford H. Wigton and wife Penelope of Austin, Texas; one daughter, Carla Hawley and husband Danny of Mattoon; two brothers, Harold R. Hunt and wife Helen of Lees Summit, Missouri and Robert V. Hunt of Lincoln, Missouri; one sister, Betty Gray of Windsor, Missouri; and five grandchildren, Rachel Irwin and husband Brian of Syracuse, New York, Beth Hawley of Mattoon, Eric Wigton and Courtney Wigton, both of Bethalto, and Alexandra Wigton of Austin, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Mrs. Wigton was a retired secretary with Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company. She was a member of the First Baptist Church where she was a member of the Debbie Coates Circle and the Young At Heart Sunday School class. She was also a member of the Illinois Herb Association. Mary volunteered along with her husband countless hours of service at Lincoln Log Cabin where she and her husband had recently received the 2001 Site Manager's Award for outstanding service to Lincoln Log Cabin. Her love of flowers, gardening and nature was only surpassed by her Christian faith and love of family, friends and in doing for others,
Memorial gifts may be made to the First Baptist Church or Lincoln Log Cabin c/o Schilling Funeral Home.
Martha Belles
TUSCOLA - Martha Aileen Belles, 94, of Tuscola, died at 8 a.m. Friday (Feb. 1, 2002) at the Tuscola Nightingale Manor Nursing Home, Tuscola.
The funeral will be 10 a.m. Monday at the Hilligoss Shrader Funeral Home, Tuscola, with the Rev. Michael Ruhlig officiating. Burial will be in Tuscola Cemetery. No visitation is planned.
She was born May 14, 1907, in Linton, Ind., the daughter of Harvey Deworth and Zula Elma McLane Marley. She married Gerald Reeds Andrews in 1931; he preceded her in death. She married Byron Lewis Belles in 1947; he died in 1978.
Survivors include two daughters, Martha Wingler of Arcola and Linda Williams of Kearney, Neb.; two stepdaughters, Charline Cravens of Villa Grove and Ethel Harbaugh of Tuscola; seven grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by one daughter, one stepson, one brother and one step-grandchild.
Mrs. Belles was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tuscola.
