SULLIVAN - Helen M. "Jerri" Lewis, 76, of Sullivan, died 5:40 p.m. Friday (April 6, 2001) in her residence.
Private family graveside services will be in the Camp Butler Cemetery, Riverton, Illinois.
There will be no visitation. Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Sullivan Senior Citizens Center.
Mrs. Lewis was born on December 27, 1924, in Little Rock, Arkansas the daughter of Thaddeus and Elsie A. Sachs Jarzembski.
Jerri was a Licensed Practical Nurse, a member of the Sullivan Senior Center, Sullivan American Legion Post #68 and the Mattoon Bridge Club.
Jerri wrote poetry about the military in the 1960's which caught the attention of then President Lyndon B. Johnson who responded personally to her with a letter.
In recent years, she wrote articles for the Sullivan Senior Center newsletter.
Jerri never met a stranger and had many friends.
She married Jack L. Lewis and he preceded her in death in 1995.
Surviving are her daughters, Vicki Devereaux of Belton, Texas; Lynn Hermann and her husband Ron of Sullivan; son, Jeff Lewis of Palomino Valley, Nevada; nine grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and special friends Carolyn Gast of Neoga and Mike Walters of Sullivan.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sons, and two brothers.
Mary Ogden
ISABEL - Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Ogden, 82, of Isabel died at 11:50 p.m. Saturday (April 7, 2001) at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Oakland Christian Church with Tony Crouch officiating.
Burial will be in Embarrass Cemetery, West of Redmon.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. at the Taber Funeral Home in Oakland.
She was born Oct. 4, 1918, in Redmon, the daughter of Frank and Mary McQueen Daniels.
She married Gene Ogden in 1939. He survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Jim Ogden of Oakland and Bob Ogden of Richmond, Va.; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by one brother and three sisters.
Mrs. Ogden was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Paris and a 50-year member of the Oakland OES 420.
Robert Ray
EFFINGHAM - Robert G. Ray, 76, of Effingham died at 2:23 a.m. Saturday (April 7, 2001) at his residence.
The graveside funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Jewett Cemetery with military rites.
There will be no visitation.
He was born Nov. 23, 1924, in Jewett, the son of Guy and Opal Stirewalt Ray.
He married Bonnie Baker in 1949. She survives.
Also surviving are one son, Steven G. Ray of Chandler, Ariz.; one daughter, Susan Woodward of Santa Cruz, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister.
Mr. Ray was a retired mechanical engineer from General Electric and a WW II Army Air Force veteran.
He was a life member of the Greenup VFW.
Helen Thompson
FINDLAY - Helen Jones Thompson, 88, of Findlay died at 3:52 a.m. Saturday (April 7, 2001) at Shelbyville Manor.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Lockart & Sons Funeral Home in Findlay.
Burial will be in Todds Point Cemetery in Shelby Co.
Visitation will be one hour prior to service time on Tuesday at the funeral home.
She was born March 27, 1913, in Ramsey, the daughter of John and Flora Arvella Hunt Williams.
She married Wirt W. Jones. He preceded her in death.
Surviving are two sons, Lloyd E. Jones of San Antonio, Texas, and Carol Wayne Jones of Decatur; three daughters, Norma Park of Findlay, Alberta Stinson of Decatur and Ella Varvil of Sullivan; eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
She was also preceded in death by one son, four brothers and two sisters.
Memorials may be made to Shelbyville Manor.
DANNIE GALE BOWERY DURRE
DANNIE GALE BOWERY DURRE, born April 23, 1949, in Mattoon, Illinois, passed away March 28, 2001 in Houston.
He graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
Dan, a long time resident of Houston, was a corporate pilot and aviation department manager for thirty years.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Florence Isabelle Rentfro Durre.
Dan is survived by his loving partner, Michael Durre Bowery: father, Gale William Durre and his wife Annalea Durre of Charleston; brother, Richard Wayne Durre of Mattoon; brother, John David Durre and wife Sara of Atlanta and their children Jennifer, Christopher and Elizabeth.
A memorial service celebrating Dan's life will be Tuesday, April 10 at 5 p.m. at Bering Memorial United Methodist Church, 1440 Harold, Houston, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Dan to H.A.T.C.H. at P.O. Box 667053, Houston, Texas 77266.
Guy E. Ellison
MATTOON - Guy E. Ellison, age 87, of Mattoon, formerly of Windsor, passed away at 10:40 a.m. Friday, April 6, 2001, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 8, 2001 at the Mitchell-Jerdan Funeral Home with the Reverend Jack Woods officiating.
Interment will be in Cochran Grove Cemetery, Windsor.
Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. to service time Sunday.
Guy E. Ellison was born December 12, 1913 at Cooks Mills, Illinois, a son of Walter and Effie Honn Ellison.
He married Mary Elizabeth Jones in 1935 at Terre Haute, Indiana, she preceded him in death in 1984.
He later married Ruth E. "Betty" Lowry in April of 1985 at Mattoon, she survives.
Also surviving are his daughter, Carol Ann Anderson of Windsor; step-children, Tom Lowry of Shelbyville, Carol Lowry of Mattoon, Ken Lowry of Toledo, Illinois and Charles Lowry of Dyersburg, Tennesee.
He is also survived by a brother, Robert Ellison of Uniontown, Pennsylvania; two sisters, Ruth Aikman of Mattoon and Betty Belt of Union Town, Pennsylvania. Two grandsons, Brian Anderson and wife Connie of Windsor and Mike Anderson of Windsor; six step-grandchildren, two great-grandsons and two step-great-grandchildren also survive.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, one sister and one great-grandson.
Mr. Ellison was a member of Faith United Methodist Church.
He was a retired dairy farmer and former owner of Daily Dairy Company.
Mr. Ellison served on the board of the Shelby County Soil and Water Conservation District and was a former Ash Grove Township Trustee.
Memorial contributions may be made to Faith United Methodist Church.
Evelyn Riley
GIBSON CITY - Evelyn A. Riley, age 86, of Gibson City, died at 3:03 p.m. Thursday (April 5, 2001) at Gibson Area Hospital Annex, Gibson City.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Monday, April 9, 2001 at Lamb Funeral Home ,303 N. Church St., Gibson City, with the Rev. Rebecca Zelensky officiating.
Burial will be in Drummer Township Cemetery, Gibson City.
Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 8, 2001 with an Eastern Star Service at 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Evelyn was born Jan. 26, 1915, in Coles County, IL, a daughter of Joseph M and Mayme B. Meek Adkins.
She married George Riley in 1932 at Toledo, IL. He survives.
Also surviving are a daughter, Karen (Ed) Rhodes of Gibson City; two grandchildren, Rick (Ruth) Rhodes of Monticello and Judy (Anthony) Fischetti, Acworth, GA; four great-grandchildren, Mitch and Allison Rhodes and Sal and Carmela Fischetti.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Beverly; parents; and three brothers.
Mrs. Riley lived many years in Sullivan and Decatur before moving to Gibson City in 1978.
She was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church, 50 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star at Sullivan, IL and charter member of the White Shrine at Sullivan.
Memorials may be made to Seekers Sunday School Class at the First Christian Church or to Friends of Moyer Library in Gibson City.
Robert Stephen
WESTFIELD - Robert E. Stephen, 72, of Westfield, died at 6:50 a.m. Friday (April 6, 2001) at his residence.
The funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Markwell Funeral Home in Casey with the Rev. Dan Smith and the Rev. Joe Grozik officiating.
Burial with military rites will be in the Maple Hill Cemetery, Westfield.
Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday with Masonic rites at 7 p.m. at the funeral home in Casey.
He was born Jan. 24, 1929, in Terre Haute, Ind., the son of Kenneth and Bertha Alice Perisho Stephen.
He married Yoshiko Harada in 1951; she survives.
Also surviving are two daughters, Mary A. Barnhart of Warrensburg, Mo., and Ruth A. Flaherty of Westfield; one brother, Warren Stephen of Casey; one sister, Dorothy Bartley of Charleston; and four grandchildren.
Mr. Stephen was a Kentucky Colonel and had retired as an Air Force Master Sgt.
He operated a "Tom's" vending route, and he and his wife owned and operated the Westfield Cafe.
He was a veteran of the Korean conflict, and was a member of the First Christian Church of Casey, the VFWs of Casey and Charleston, the Westfield American Legion and Masonic Lodge, the Clark County Shrine, the Danville Consistory and Ainad Temple.
Memorials may be made to the Lincolnland Hospice.
Col. Steven James Thomson
Colonel (Dr.) Steven James Thomson, USAF, DC, (Ret), 47, died on April 3, 2001, at home after a long battle against esophageal cancer.
Col Thomson was born March 23, 1954, in Belmond, IA, to David and Rita Thomson of Overland Park, KS.
Steve attended Shawnee Mission West High School and the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, graduating in 1976 with Honors in Microbiology.
He then attended Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, NE, graduating with his DDS degree in 1981.
A career Air Force dental officer, Steve served his country from 1981 until his medical retirement in 2001.
His numerous Air Force assignments included Okinawa, Japan; Omaha, NE; Biloxi, MS; Wichita, KS; and Izmir, Turkey.
His final assignment was as Squadron Commander of the 31st Dental Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy, where his unit played a vital supporting role during Operation ALLIED FORCE, stopping Serbian Aggression in Kosovo.
Col. Thomson completed a 2-year residency in General Dentisty in 1992 at Keesler AFB, MS, and was board certified by both the Federal Services and American Boards of General Dentistry.
His professional military education included Squadron Officer's School, Air Command and Staff, and Air War College.
Military awards and decorations include the AF Achievement Medal, AF Commendation Medal and the AF Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters.
An Eagle Scout, Steve had a lifetime love of Scouting, even continuing as a Cub Scout den leader after his cancer diagnosis until his death.
Steve is survived by his devoted wife, Jamee, and sons Travis James and Trevor Alan Thomson, of San Antonio; parents, David and Rita Thomson, of Overland Park, KS; sister, Kimberly Jean Bretches of Overland Park, KS; brother, Scott David Thomson, of Overland Park, KS; grandmother, Leota Thomson, of Overland Park, KS; and grandfather, Hershel Morris of Kanawha, IA.
Memorial Celebration 10 a.m. Monday at the Covenant Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. John Judson officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Steven Thomson's name may be made to Vitas Hospice, 4715 Fredricksburg Rd., Ste 200, San Antonio, TX 78229.
Interment in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.
The Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, TX 78232, 210-495-8221.
