Charlotte F. Wills
Beecher City
Charlotte F. Wills, 84, of Beecher City, died at 12:16 p.m. Friday, February 1, 2002 of injuries received in an automobile accident near Beecher City.
Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, February 4 in the Lockart and Sons Funeral Home in Beecher City. The Rev. Ty Stoneburner officiated assisted by the Rev. Roger Marshall. Visitation was from 11:00 a.m. until service time on Monday. Burial was in Bob Doane Cemetery, Beecher City. Memorials can be made to the Tri-County Fire Department and Rescue Squad.
Miss Wills was born March 3, 1917 in Fayette County the daughter of Joe J. and Lillian Buzzard Wills. She attended the First Baptist Church in Effingham. She formerly was a hairdresser and later was employed for many years at the First State Bank of Beecher City as a bookkeeper.
Surviving: brother, Kirt Wills and wife Darleen of Beecher City; sisters, Marie Lacy of Wilmington, OH and Jane Wills of Carthage; sisters-in-law, Donna Wills of Beecher City and Martha Wills of Carbondale; seven nieces and nephews; ten great nieces and nephews; two great great nieces.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Billy D. Wills and Walter Wills, niece Tana McKinnon.
Zelma Davis
Findlay
Zelma Davis, 91, of Findlay passed away at 8:38 a.m. Sunday, February 3, 2002 in Shelby Memorial Hospital in Shelbyville.
Arrangements are incomplete at Lockart and Sons Funeral Home in Findlay.
Omer G. Houser
Phoenix, Arizona
Formerly of Shelbyville
Omer G. Houser, 80, of Phoenix, Arizona, formerly of Shelbyville, passed away on January 22, 2002.
He was a decorated Army Veteran who served with the 7th Division, doing amphibious assault landings throughout the Pacific Theatre.
He was the son of Mae and Dick Houser and a brother to the late Vera Calvert Wolf and Helen Harmon.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lorene; his sons, Steven and Randy of Phoenix, daughter, Diane of Cordova, Tenn.; six grandchildren, four great grandchildren; four nieces and three nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters.
Services were held January 27th at North Phoenix Baptist Church where he served as deacon and usher.
Michael J. Byford
Mattoon
Michael J. Byford, 47, of rural Mattoon, died at 7:44 a.m. on Thursday January 31, 2002 in his residence.
Services were held on Sunday February 3, 2002 at 2:00 p.m. in the Swengel -O'Dell Funeral Home in Neoga with Rev. Richard Coen officiating.
Visitation was held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. Burial was in Concord Cemetery near Neoga.
Mr. Byford was born on May 12, 1954 in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Roy Garland and Annabelle (Foster) Byford.
He is survived by his mother, Annabelle Miles of Lake Mattoon, daughter, Michelle Byford of Lake Mattoon; brothers, Chris Byford and wife Sharon of Mattoon; Roy Byford and wife Sue of rural Neoga.
His step children, Rita Beatty, Rob Jean and Karl Jean, sister; Mrs. Thomas (Joni) Hitz of Chicago; special friend Lillian Kulze of Mattoon and several nieces and nephews also survive.
He was preceded in death by his father and step father, Henry Miles.
He was a former employee of RR Donnelly and Son of Mattoon and a United States Army Air Ranger of the 82nd and 101 Air Borne Division.
Memorials may be made to Michelle Byford Rt. 2 Box 154 in Mattoon, Illinois, 61938.
Augusta Casner
Pana
Augusta A. Casner, 93, of Pana died 2:30 a.m. Saturday (March 31, 2001) in Heritage Manor, Pana.
Graveside services were 10 a.m. Monday, April 2 in Mautz Cemetery, rural Dollville, with the Rev. Jeffrey T. Moore, Pastor of St. Paul's United Church of Christ, officiating. There was no visitation. Memorials can be made to St. Paul's United Church of Christ.
She was born Oct. 14, 1907 in Shelby County, the daughter of William and Caroline K. Heberlein Uffelman, deceased. She married Dallas Casner Dec. 12, 1934. He died July 13, 1976.
Surviving are nieces, Joan Sloan and husband Dale of Pana and Carolyn Uffelman of Springfield.
She was preceded in death by twin brother, August; brothers, Fred, Paul, Carl, Henry, Lee, and Louis.
Mrs. Casner lived in the Owaneco and Pana areas her entire life and was a homemaker. She was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Dollville.
Thomas Pruett
Pana
Thomas Edward "Buster" Pruett, 58, of Pana died 11:30 a.m. Sunday (April 1, 2001) in Decatur Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services will be April 4, in McCracken-Dean Funeral Home at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Lawrence Gibson officiating. Burial will be in Twin Pines Cemetery, Pana. Visitation will be Wednesday from 10 a.m. until service time at McCracken-Dean Funeral home.
Mr. Pruett was born March 8, 1943 in Ponchatoula, La., the son of William Thomas and Virginia Simpson Pruett, deceased. He married Cammie Gipson on Aug. 22, 2000 in Pana. She survives.
Also surviving are children, Glenn Pruett of Colver, Mich., Gary Pruett of Indianapolis, Bridget Pruett of Ponchatoula, La.; step-son, Jamie MacKinlay of Pana; brothers, Curtis and Allen Pruett; and sisters, Doris Stevens and Ruby McAlaster, of Ponchatoula; and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by brother, Kenneth Pruett and two sisters, Mavis Pruett, and Frances Williams.
Mr. Pruett came to Pana from Louisiana 20 years ago. He was a pipe fitter and was affiliated with the Baptist religion.
Winifred Bingaman
Neoga
Winifred "Winnie" Bingaman, of Neoga, 100, died at 6:35 p.m. Sunday (April 1, 2001) in Convalescent Care Center in Mattoon.
Services will be Tuesday April 3 in Swengel-O'Dell Funeral Home, Neoga, with the Rev. Richard Coen of Neoga officiating. Burial will be at Zion Hill Cemetery. Visitation is two hours before services at the funeral home. Memorials can be made to the United Presbyterian Church, Neoga and Heartland Christian Village, Neoga.
She was born June 22, 1900 in Cumberland Co., the daughter of Fred N. and Lucy (Hunter) Buchanan. She married T. Clifford Bingaman May 1, 1922 in Neoga. He died May 14, 1954.
Surviving are daughter-in-law, Earnestine (Bingaman) Brown of Windsor; brother, Louis Buchanan and wife Lois of Neoga; granddaughters, Rebecca Hancock and husband John of Mattoon, Mrs. Brenda Tull of Decatur; great-grandchildren, Heather Wright of Mt. Zion, Kim Hancock of Mattoon; step grandchildren, John Knox of Sullivan, Jim Knox of Windsor, Phyllis Seymour of Arthur, Sandra Phipps of Sullivan; and seven step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by son, Miles Bingaman; two brothers; three sisters; and one great grandson.
She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, Neoga, a past President of the American Legion Auxiliary, Neoga, and a former member of the Azure Rebekah Lodge, Neoga.
Marjorie West
Pana
Marjorie M. West, 74, of Pana died at 4:20 p.m. Sunday (April 1, 2001) in Heritage Manor in Pana.
Funeral services are Wednesday April 4, in McCracken-Dean Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. with the Rev. Lawrence Gibson officiating. Burial will be in Mound Cemetery, Pana. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. in McCracken-Dean Funeral Home.
Mrs. West was born Dec. 21, 1926 in Assumption, the daughter of Raymond and Bessie Jordan Galvin, deceased. She married Scottie D. West on Dec. 13, 1947 in Pana. He died Jan. 14, 1988.
Surviving are daughter, Linda Dean and husband Earl of Pana; brothers, Carl Galvin and Lyle Galvin, both of Assumption; sister, Mary Lou Woodard of Lovington; grandchildren, Larry R. Dean of Pana, Steven L. Dean and wife Dawn of Pana; and great grandchildren, Alexander L. and Sierra J. Dean
She was preceded in death by sister, Helen Barker.
Mrs. West lived her entire life in Pana and Assumption. She was a waitress in Donna's Cafe. She also owned and operated a restaurant with her husband in Frances Hotel, Pana.
Kledus Corley
Decatur
Kledus Modena Corley, 91, of Decatur, died at 11 a.m. Friday (March 30, 2001)) in McKinley Court Nursing Home.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday April 3, in Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, with visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday. Burial will be in Myers Cemetery, Herrick. Memorials may be made to the Donor's choice.
Mrs. Corley was born May 30, 1909 in Herrick, the daughter of John R. and Jesse (Shellabarger) Corley. She married Earl Wilson "Blackie" Corley 1926 in Herrick.
Surviving are her children, Wilson L. Corley and wife Barbara of Stafford, VA, Lyle Corley and wife Mary Kay of Decatur, Jack W. Corley and wife Joyce A. of Largo, FL, Roger V. Corley and special friend, Judy of Altoona, IA, Michael D. Corley and wife Lynn of Tinton Falls, New Jersey; brother, Keith Corley of Decatur; grandchildren, Joyce Ann Cronk and husband Buddy of Burnsville, VA; Kathy Corley of Stafford, VA and Connie Corley of Woodbridge, Virginia, Terry Corley and wife Lynn of Decatur, John Corley and wife Cathy of Chandler, AZ, Brian Corley of Des Moines, IA; Chris Corley of Kansas City, KS, Darren Corley of Cedar Rapids, IA; Jeff Corley and wife Joan of Downers Grove, IL, Jill Felske and husband Tom of Chandler, AZ, and Julie Miller of Champaign; step grandchildren, Kelly Johnson of Orangeville, CA, Scott Johnson and Paula Sunderland of Decatur; Todd Johnson of Chandler, AZ; and twenty great grandchildren.
Preceded in death are her parents; husband; and brothers, L. G. "Buster" Corley and John Junior Corley.
She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Her sons want to give a special thanks to her nieces, Carlyn Corley and Jenelle Horn for the love and care that they provided for their Aunt Kledus.
Mrs. Corley was a member of the Royal Neighbors for seventy-three years. She worked at Caterpillar and Mueller Company during W.W. II. Mrs. Corley retired after many years with Janes Cleaners. She had lived in the same house for sixty-seven years, raising her five sons and loved by all her neighbors.
