NEWTON - Kay Harper, 66, of Newton, formerly of Yale, died at 4:15 a.m. Friday (Feb. 1, 2002) at Rest Haven, Newton.
A graveside service will be 1 p.m. Sunday at DeBord Cemetery with the Rev. Danny Harper officiating. There will be no visitation. The Markwell and Son Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
He was born June 7, 1935, in Yale, the son of Guy Plenny and Nell Harper Harper.
Survivors include two brothers, John Harper of Casey and Lee Harper of Los Angeles; four sisters, Dorothy Mallett and Delcie Harper, both of Cleveland, Virginia Phillips of Willow Hill and Kathy McCoy of Robinson; and one half brother, Dean Harper of Chicago.
Mr. Harper was a hair dresser and former employee of Moore's Garment Factory.
Memorials may be made to the donor's choice.
Helen Miller
MARSHALL - Helen Hubbard Miller, 78, of Marshall, died at 10:05 a.m. Thursday (Jan. 31, 2002) at Hospice House, Cape Coral, Fla.
The funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Prust-Hosch Funeral Chapel, West Union. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery, Princeton, Ind. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. to service time Wednesday at the funeral home.
She was born Oct. 25, 1923, in Princeton, Ind., to Haskell O. and Fannie Rae Sowders Wallace. She married Charles E. "Chick" Hubbard in 1946; he died in 1988. She married Bill Miller in 1999; he survives.
Other survivors include two daughters, Bonnie Taylor of Bokeelia, Fla., and Lucinda Wesley of Florence, Ariz.; one brother, Jerauld Wallace Sr. of New Castle, Ind.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by two sisters.
Mrs. Miller was co-owner and operator of Hubbard's Grocery in Snyder from 1954-65. She was a member of the American Legion Post 90 Auxiliary and VFW Post 5975, both of Marshall.
Memorials may be made to Hope Hospice, Cape Coral, Fla., or to the American Legion Post 90 Auxiliary, Marshall.
Everett Pankey
VILLA GROVE - Everett Dale Pankey, 73, of Villa Grove, died at 10:30 a.m. Friday (Feb. 1, 2002) at Provena Covenant Medical Center, Urbana.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Monday in the First Christian Church, Villa Grove, with the Rev. Matt Sullivan officiating. Burial will be in Villa Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the church. Joines Funeral Home, Villa Grove, is in charge of the arrangements.
He was born Aug. 5, 1928, in Douglas County, the son of Thomas and Anna Leah Mattox Pankey. He married Mary L. Clapp in 1949; she survives.
Other survivors include three sons, Charles Pankey of Carterville, Andrew Pankey of Monticello and Nelson Pankey of Villa Grove; two daughters, Maryanna Smith of Hindsboro and Norma Jean Johnson of Columbus, Ohio; two brothers, Richard Pankey of Zepherhills, Fla., and Billy Joe Pankey of Charleston; two sisters, Phyllis Draper of McDonnough, Ga., and Betty Murphy of Savoy; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother.
Mr. Pankey was a farmer; managed the Murdock Elevator; was retired from Kraft Foods in Champaign; was an usher at the Assembly Hall in Champaign for 39 years; taught Sunday school for 40 years at First Christian Church in Villa Grove; volunteered at Pleasant Meadows Christian Nursing Home, Chrisman; and was the commissioner of the Okaw Valley girls' softball league. He was the Villa Grove Volunteer of the Year for 2001.
Memorials may be made to First Christian Church in Villa Grove, Pleasant Meadows Christian Nursing Home in Chrisman or to the Okaw Valley girls' softball league.
Michael Byford
MATTOON, Ill. - Michael J. Byford, 47, of rural Mattoon, died at 7:44 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, 2002, at his residence in rural Mattoon.
The funeral will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 3, at the Swengel-O'Dell Funeral Home, Neoga, Ill., with the Rev. Richard Coen officiating. Burial will be in Concord Cemetery, near Neoga. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at the funeral home.
He was born May 12, 1954, in St. Louis, Mo., a son of Roy Garland and Annabelle (Foster) Byford.
Survivors include a mother, Annabelle Miles of Lake Mattoon, Ill.; a daughter, Michelle Byford of Lake Mattoon; brothers, Chris Byford and wife Sharon of Mattoon and Roy Byford and wife Sue of rural Neoga; sister, Mrs. Thomas (Joni) Hitz of Chicago; step children, Rita Beatty, Rob Jean and Karl Jean; special friend, Lillian Kulze of Mattoon; nieces and nephews.
He was preceded is death by his father and stepfather, Henry Miles.
Mr. Byford was a former employee of R. R. Donnelley and Son of Mattoon. He was a U.S. Army Air Ranger veteran - 82nd and 101 Air Borne Division.
Memorials may be made to Michelle Byford, Rt. 2 Box 154, Mattoon, Ill. 61938.
Verna Gentry
Verna Mabel (Kingery) Gentry, Age 96, of Jewett, Illinois, passed away at 7:25 p.m. on Thursday, January 31, 2002 at the Cumberland Nursing Center in Greenup.
Funeral services celebrating Verna's life will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 4, 2002 at the Bishop Funeral Home in Greenup with Rev. James Maroon and Pastor Tim Pearce officiating. Visitation will be Sunday, January 3, 2002 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Bishop Funeral Home in Greenup. Burial will be at the Jewett Cemetery, Rural Jewett. In loving memory of Verna memorials may be made to the Jewett Community Church or the Cumberland Nursing Center.
Verna was born in Montrose, Illinois on October 10, 1905 a daughter of Wesley and Mary (Jackson) Kingery. She married William Glenn Gentry on February 19, 1921. They were married for 72 years before he passed away in 1992. Verna was a homemaker until her children were grown then she was a cook at the Jewett Grade School and the Greenup Coffee Shop for many years. She was a member of the Jewett Community Church and the Cumberland County Home Extension. She was a loving wife and mother to her 12 children, 44 grandchildren, 105 great-grandchildren and 58 great-great-grandchildren.
Verna is survived by her four sons, Virgil (Louise, deceased) and Dale (Francis) both of Greenup, Bobby (Christine, deceased) of New Albany, IN and Paul (Barbara) of Chicago Heights; five daughters, Dorothy (Mike, deceased) Hannah, Shirley (Bill) Easton and Linda (Ed) Hornbeck all of Greenup, Alene (Jim Pals, Deceased/Fred) Gutmann of Springfield and Mildred (Ted, deceased) Lindsay of Jewett; daughter-in-laws, Virginia Carter and Patricia Cox; a sister, Bessie (Ted Gray and Hugh Clark, both deceased) Clark of Greenup; 44 grandchildren, 105 great-grandchildren and 58 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; three sons, Ralph (infant), Carl and Donald; two brothers, Albert and John Kingery; five sisters, Lola Cox, Myrtle McManigel, Stella Harris, Mary McElravy and Pearl Kingery and one great-great-grandson, Sean Michael Allen.
Orie Perry
NEOGA, Ill. - Orie W. Perry, 86, of Pana, Ill., formerly of Champaign and Neoga, Ill., died at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, 2002, at Heritage Manor in Pana.
The funeral will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2002, at the Swengel-O'Dell Funeral Home, in Neoga. Burial will be in the Windsor Cemetery, Windsor, Ill. Visitation will be after 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at the funeral home.
He was born Sept. 20, 1915, in Shelby Co., Ill., the son of John and Jennie (Fought) Perry. He married Martha F. Shewmake on Dec. 24, 1938, in St. Charles, Missouri; she died on Nov. 18, 1993.
Survivors include a son, James Perry of Sachse, Texas; daughters, Mrs. Betty Meeks of Tuscola, Ill. and Mrs. Bob (Reta) Swisher of Pana; brothers, Floyd Perry of Bloomington, Ill. and David Perry of Yuma, Ariz.; sisters, Mrs. Zelma Banning of Shelbyville, Ill. and Mrs. Pete (Martha) Butler of Shelbyville, Ill.; 9 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, 3 brothers, and 2 sisters.
Mr. Perry was a retired farmer and retired broom maker in Arcola and Humboldt. He was a member of the American Legion Post #459 of Neoga, Eagles Club of Mattoon and Moose Lodge of Tuscola.
BETTY STEEN
Betty "B.J." Steen, 74, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, died Thursday, January 31, 2002 at Pardee Memorial Hospital following a long struggle with Parkinson's Disease and complications thereof.
She was the daughter of the late James Miller of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and the late Ethel Adkinson of Charleston, Illinois. She was a Christian and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hendersonville. She graduated from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois with a B.S. degree in Education and taught elementary school in a public school system for a short time, but preferred being a full-time homemaker. She loved the Lord, her husband, her daughters, and their families with all her heart, soul and mind.
Surviving are her husband, Lloyd Steen; six daughters, Kitty Hazler of Athens, Ohio, Sherry Green of Middleway, West Virginia, Jennifer Talhelm, and her husband Larry, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, Rebecca Schultz, and her husband Robert, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, Valerie Parisi, and her husband James, of Vineland, New Jersey, and Gretchen Ball, and her husband John, of Kane, Pennsylvania; a sister, Ina Ruth Klette, and her husband Kenneth, of Alhambra, Illinois; two brothers, Dara Miller, and his wife Lois, and James Miller, and his wife Rose, both of Charleston, Illinois; thirteen grandchildren, Shannon, Steve, Erin, Christopher, Heather, Manieka, Justine, Nicholas, Kaitlin, Jennifer, David, Jack and Charles; one great-grandson, Jonathan; a step-mother Rochelle Miller and a half-sister, Linda Rogers, both of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be conducted 3:00 PM Sunday at Shepherd's Church Street Chapel by Rev. Ladd B. Fields. Burial will follow at Oak Dale Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. A memorial service will be conducted in Charleston later this month for local family and friends to celebrate B.J.'s life.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sammy Williams Senior Center 301 N. Justice Hendersonville, NC 28739 or to Four Seasons Hospice PO Box 2395 Hendersonville, NC 28793.
Arrangements are by Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors in Hendersonville, NC.
Lee Croger
MATTOON - Lee Roy Croger, 91, of Mattoon, died at 5:12 a.m. Thursday (Jan. 31, 2002) at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
The graveside funeral will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Dodge Grove Cemetery with the Rev. Robert C. Clark officiating. There will be no visitation.
He was born April 20, 1910, in Mounds, Okla., the son of Ruff Albert and Sarah Margaret Murphy Croger. He married Ruby G. Cromer in 1927; she survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Lee Croger Jr. of Orland Park and Donald Croger of Greenville, Ky.; one brother, Henry Croger of Henderson, Ky.; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one son and two sisters.
Mr. Croger previously worked at Texaco Oil, B.A. Baker Oil and the Illinois Highway Department.
Karla Dowdell
GREENBRIAR, Tenn. - Karla Marie Dowdell, 46, of Greenbriar, Tenn., formerly of Bethany, died at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 30, 2002) at her residence.
The funeral will be 2 p.m. Sunday at the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan, with the Rev. Tad Finch officiating. Burial will be in Marrowbone Township Cemetery, Bethany. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
She was born Oct. 28, 1955, the daughter of Lester E. and Hester M. Hudson Gordon. She married Herschell Dowdell in 1973; he survives.
Also surviving are one son, Matthew Dowdell, at home; one daughter, Megan Pachall of Bowling Green, Ky.; her father of Bethany; stepmother, Dorothy Tohill of Bethany; and three brothers, Jim Gordon of Decatur, Bill Gordon of Bloomington and Tom Gordon of Monticello.
She was preceded in death by her mother.
Mrs. Dowdell was a bookkeeper for Herschell's Land Service.
Memorials may be made to Sarah Cannon Cancer Center or the National Kidney Foundation.
Sybil Hollonbeck
SULLIVAN - Sybil A. Hollonbeck, 85, of Sullivan, died at 8:10 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2002, in Shelby Memorial Hospital, Shelbyville.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, February 2, 2002, in the McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be one hour prior to service time. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery Sullivan. Memorials: First United Methodist Church, Sullivan.
She was born on April 29, 1916, in Haynesville, LA, the daughter of Joel Holbert and Mary Elizabeth Greer Odom. She was a retired beautician and a member of the First United Methodist Church, Sullivan. She married John Allen Hollonbeck on December 30, 1937, in Homer, LA; he preceded her in death on May 3, 1995.
Surviving is her daughter, Linda Armstrong and husband Phil of Sullivan; brothers, Don Odom of Homer, LA, and Dr. William Odom of Carmel, CA; grandchildren, Stacy McLaughlin of Plainfield, Michael McLaughlin and wife Amy of Sullivan and Tony Armstrong of Baltimore, MD; great-grandchild, Paige McLaughlin of Sullivan.
She was preceded in death by 4 sisters and 3 brothers.
