U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Jalma Ballard, 89, of Onarga, IL
Jalma Ballard, 89, of Onarga passed away Friday, November 20, 2009 at Heartland Health Care Center in Paxton.Mrs. Ballard was born February 16, 1920, in Summer Shade, KY, a daughter of Herschel and Virgie Bryant Hope. She married Henry B. Ballard on December 24, 1940 in Thompkinsville, KY. He preceded her in death on May 27, 1987.
Surviving are one daughter, Joyce Ferguson of Buckley; two sons, Royce Ballard and Roger (Mary Kay) Ballard all of Onarga; one sister, Louree Howard of Thompkinsville, KY; seven grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Jesse.
Mrs. Ballard attended the Christian Church. Jalma was a janitor and cook at the Onarga military School which later became Kohls Academy. She loved spending time with family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. She enjoyed trips with the girls, gardening, cooking and quilting.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 24 at Knapp Funeral Home in Onarga and also 1 hour prior to the 11 a.m. funeral service on Wednesday, November 25 at the funeral home. Rev. Neil Larimore will officiate. Burial will be in the Onarga Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Gilman Nursing Home, Heartland Health Care Center in Paxton or Iroquois Memorial Hospice.
Gladys M. Brickett, 93, Danforth, IL
Gladys M. Brickett, 93, of Danforth passed away Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.
Mrs Brickett was born July 13, 1916, near St. Anne, a daughter of Fred and Rose Rabideau Madsen. She married Robert N. Brickett on June 7, 1945, in Kankakee. He died in 1982.
Surviving are one daughter, Mary (Glen) Cope of Longmeadow, MA; one son, Paul A. (Christina Oborn) Brickett of San Jose, CA; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother and two sisters.
Mrs. Brickett was a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Gilman and loved playing euchre.
Visitation will be on Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. until the 1:30 p.m. funeral service at Knapp Funeral Home in Clifton. Burial will be in Clifton Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Prairieview Lutheran Home in Danforth.
Geneva E. Martin, 65, Iroquois, IL
Geneva E. Martin, 65, of Iroquois, IL died on Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.
Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 at Knapp Funeral Home in Sheldon and from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. service on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Iroquois United Methodist Church in Iroquois, IL. The Rev. Larry Schultz will officiate. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Morocco, IN.
Ms. Martin was born Feb. 7, 1944 in Rensselaer, IN, a daughter of Gaylord William and Dorothy Elouise Lade Lee.
Survivors include one son, Kurtis Martin and fiancee, Robin Miller of Kankakee; one daughter, Kelly DeWitt (Greg Martin) of Watseka; one granddaughter, Brittney DeWitt and fiancee, Lance Vaughn of Iroquois; and one brother, Sonny Lee of Missouri.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers; and two grandsons, Kolton and Tyler DeWitt.
Ms. Martin was a member of the United Methodist Church in Iroquois and was very involved in the community of Iroquois. She enjoyed crafts, sewing, and traveling. She loved her cats.
Memorials may be made to Family Wishes.
Arrangements by Knapp Funeral Home in Sheldon.
Judith Ann Carter, 63, Watseka, IL
Judith Ann Carter, 63, of Watseka, IL died on Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 at her home.
Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12 at Segur-Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka. Cremation rites will be accorded. Burial will be at Valhalla Memorial Park in Godfrey, IL at a later date.
Ms. Carter was born Dec. 8, 1945 in Chicago, IL, a daughter of Virgil and Ica Russell Owens.
Survivors include two sons and one daughter-in-law, Jon Curry of Watseka and Jeffery and Connie Curry of Collinsville; two daughters, Jacqulyne Varney of Meadowbrook, IL and Jeniece Curry of Bethalto, IL; one brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Janet Owens of New Lenox; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Carol and James Kozemczak of St. Louis, MO and Donna Owens of Joliet; and six grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Rusty.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements by Segur-Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka.
Robert R. Reeves, 87, Milford, IL
Robert R. Reeves, 87, of Milford, IL died Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 at Heartland Health Care in Paxton, IL.
Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Knapp Funeral Home in Milford, where services will be held on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. The Rev. Rusty Beals will officiate. Burial will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Milford. military graveside rites will be accorded by Milford American Legion Post #723.
Mr. Reeves was born Feb. 23, 1922 in Donovan, IL, a son of Forest C. and Bertha Mae Larkins Reeves. He married Betty L. Jackson on April 17, 1947 in Milford and she survives.
Other survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Linda Susan and Thomas Parrish of Fennimore, WI and Jackie Lynn and Jack Lavicka of Milford; four grandchildren and their spouses, Lynn and Jay Meyer of Dodgeville, WI, Todd and Gina Parrish of Lake Mills, WI, Jami and Fredrick Yorsch of Metairie, LA and Justin Jackson and Jan Lavicka of Milford; and five great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Meyer, Owen and Madelyn Parrish, and Jahni and Jossalin Lavicka.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Eugene, Maynard and James; and one sister, Nora.
During WWII Mr. Reeves was a member of the 5th
Army Field Artillery. He was owner of Reeves Brothers Construction Truck & Trailer Sales in Milford. He was a member of the Milford Masonic Lodge #668; Milford American Legion; Watseka Elks; Community Improvement Assoc. of Milford; and a member of the Advisory Board of the Citizen State Bank.
When returning home from the service, he was in business many years. Bob’s greatest passion besides his family was building roads and buying and selling Mack Trucks. Some of his customers gave him the nickname Bobby Mack and he loved every minute of it. He was in the height of his glory the harder he worked. He also loved to go to truck auctions.
Memorials may be made to the Carol Bruniga Scholarship Fund or Donor’s Choice.
Arrangements by Knapp Funeral Home in Milford.
Gordon F. McKean, 94, Watseka, IL
Gordon F. McKean, 94, of Watseka died Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 at Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka.
Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, until the 11 a.m. service at Segur-Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka. Rev. Paul Copeland will officiate. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Watseka, where military graveside rites will be accorded by Watseka American Legion Post #23 and Iroquois County VFW Post #7450.
Mr. McKean was born May 6, 1915 in Mattoon, IL, a son of Jess and Winifred Gordon McKean. He married Stasia Pilat on May 17, 1945 in Cairo, Egypt. She preceded him in death on October 19, 2000.
Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Joyce McKean of Round Rock, TX; one grandson, Eric Williams of Fairfield, OH; and one half-sister, Betty Willard of Farmington, MI.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; two half-brothers; and one daughter, Mary Williams.
Mr. McKean was in the US
Army during WWII. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Watseka; the Watseka Elks Lodge; and the Watseka American Legion. He farmed for 23 years and retired from McCullough Implement in 1979.
Memorials may be made to Iroquois Memorial Hospice or Donor’s Choice.
Helen B. Crow, 89, Milford, IL
Helen B. Crow, 89, of Milford, IL died on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 at Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka, IL.
Visitation will run from 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, until the 12 p.m. service at Knapp Funeral Home in Milford. The Rev. Neil Larimore will officiate. Burial will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Milford.
Mrs. Crow was born Dec. 3, 1919 in Goodwine, IL, a daughter of Cordie and Alice Alexander Hawthorne. She married Arthur Crow Jr. on March 15, 1940 in Milford. He preceded her in death on Feb. 13, 1987.
Survivors include three sons and one daughter-in-law, Charles and Sharon Crow, Richard Crow and Lester A. Crow, all of Milford; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Laura Belle and Bob Gross of Buckley, IL and Rosanna Davis of Beavercreek, OH; three grandchildren, Ricky Crow of Hopkinsville, KY, Carmine Dwyer of St. Joseph, IL and Jeanette Conrad of Danville, IN; and five great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Alva and Arky Hawthorne; one sister, Iola Jurgerson and one son, David Crow.
Mrs. Crow grew up in Goodwine, IL and attended the Goodwine one-room school. She graduated from East Lynn High School. She was a Cub Scout den mother for many years. She was a member of Eastern Star, as well as a Gold Star member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Noted for her delicious cooking, she always remembered everyone’s favorite dishes. Being an accomplished knitter, she was the proprietor of the Country Knitting Nest in her home for many years. She enjoyed square-dancing, traveling, camping, knitting and crocheting. She often blessed family and friends with her hand-crafted heirlooms. She will continue to warm the hearts of all those she loved with pleasant memories of time spent with her.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or Our Savior Lutheran Radio Ministry.
Arrangements by Knapp Funeral Home in Milford.
Thomas Otto Reichert III
Thomas Otto Reichert III, 33 of Bourbonnais, IL died Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 at Provena St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee, IL.
Visitation will be from 12 – 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 at Knapp Funeral Home in Milford. A graveside service will follow at 1 p.m. at Sugar Creek Cemetery in Stockland, IL. Pastor Chad McGinnis will officiate.
Mr. Reichert was born July 30, 1976 in Kankakee, IL, a son of Dale Thomas Reichert and Betty May Trumann Reichert Richardson.
Survivors include his mother of Kankakee; his father of Effingham; his fiancee, Alanna Rae Poynter of Bourbonnais; one son, Andrew Thomas Reichert and one daughter, Gracie Nicole Reichert, both of Bourbonnais; two sisters, Ruthanne Reichert of Altamont, IL and Sarah Merrill of Aroma Park, IL; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Mr. Reichert enjoyed fishing.
Memorials may be made to Famliy’s Wishes.
Arrangements by Knapp Funeral Home in Milford.
Virgil Larrance Jr., 74, Paxton & Richton Park, IL
Virgil Larrance Jr., 74, of Richton Park, IL and Paxton, IL died Friday, October 30, 2009 at St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights, IL.
Visitation will be Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 from 11 a.m. until the 2 p.m. Memorial Service at Knapp-Miller Funeral Home in Paxton. The Rev. John Davenport will officiate. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in Indianola, IL at a later date.
Mr. Larrance was born Oct. 15, 1935 in Logan, IL, a son of Virgil and Stella Nickels Larrance Sr. He married Wilma Jean Creek on Oct. 1, 1954 in Terre Haute, IN. She preceded him in death on June 23, 2007.
Survivors include one daughter, Jackie Mobley (Rick Rottet) of Paxton; two sisters, Roszilla Beasley of Paxton and Wilma York of Lake City, TN; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim and Carolyn Larrance of Paris, IL, and Larry and Linda Larrance of Waterloo, IL; five sisters-in-law, Mary Lou Stricker of Paris, IL, Jenny and Ray Freeman of Arkansas, Sissy and Forrest Ward of Texas, and Vera Sanders and Sandy Creek both of Illinois; five grandchildren and spouses, Dan Fry, Don and Feliscia Fry, Wendy and Bob Fry, Cory Mobley and Terri Mobley; and three great-grandchildren, Noah Fry and Daniel and Tristan Smith.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Terry Larrance; one brother, Charles Stricker; and two brothers-in-law, David Creek and Velber Beasley.
Mr. Larrance was a self-employed machinist at T&L Machine for over 40 years. He was an avid NASCAR fan. He built engines for stock cars and also raced stock cars himself for many years. He enjoyed building and racing the stock cars with his son, Terry. He had a special relationship with Calumet Brass for over 40 years.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes. Association or the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements by Knapp-Miller Funeral Home in Paxton.
Vera L. Hoy, 89, Onarga, IL
Vera L. Hoy, 89 of Onarga, IL passed away on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 at the Gilman Health Care Center in Gilman, IL.
Visitation will run from 4-8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25 at Knapp Funeral Home in Onarga, where funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. The Rev. James Small will officiate. Interment will be at the Onarga Cemetery in Onarga, IL.
Mrs. Hoy was born Feb. 29, 1920 in Onarga, a daughter of George and Laura Meadows Lowe. She married John W. Hoy on July 4, 1937 in Kentland, IN. He preceded her in death on June 6, 1988.
Survivors of Mrs. Hoy include four sons and daughters-in-law, George and Barbara Hoy, Ronald and Sally Hoy and John E. and Sandra Hoy all of Onarga and Larry and Rosalie Hoy of Robinson, IL; one daugher, Gloria Whitt of Onarga; sixteen grandchildren, twenty-eight great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband, preceding her in death were her parents; one brother, Ira Lowe; two sisters, Charlotte Atkins and Georgia Wilson; two sons, Richard and Glen; one granddaughter, Lisa Kronz; and one great-grandson, Brett Hoy.
Mrs. Hoy had worked at ECW for several years. She was a member of the Onarga Christian Church. She enjoyed bingo, word search puzzles and spending time with her grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Onarga Christian Church or Gilman Health Care Center.
Opal May Blair, 86, Longview, TX
Opal May Blair a resident of Longview, Texas and formerly of Goodwine, Illinois passed away Wednesday, January 20, 2010 surrounded by her family concluding a courageous three year battle against multiplemyeloma. Opal leaves behind a legacy of fond memories, a strong family and smiles.
Opal was born on March 22, 1923 in Virginia, the eldest daughter of Frances Kay and Alpha Compton Elliott. She moved to Central Illinois with her family at the age of ten.
On March 13, 1940, she married W. M. Blair (Butch) in Virginia and they made their home on the Blair farm in Butler Twp, Vermilion Co., Illinois. In 1948 they moved to Goodwine IL. Opal and Butch purchased the general store and they continued to farm, operate the store, and she served as postmaster. Opal continued as postmaster until she retired 1983. In 1999 they moved to Southern Texas for the warmer winters. Butch was the center of her life for 68 years and Goodwine and Central Illinois was always home.
Opal was very active in the Goodwine Community. She enjoyed her church, playing any kind of game, gardening and all kinds of craft and needle work projects. However, above all of these things was her total devotion to her family. Opal’s main interest at any time was in the lives of her children and the activities of her siblings. Opal loved being a sister, a mom, and a grandma to her six brothers and three sisters, three children, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Opal is survived by her son, William M. Blair Jr. (Bill) and wife Katherine of Longview Texas, her two daughters, Laura Ann Miller of Gibson City, Illinois and Joyce Blair Brock and husband John of East Jordan, Michigan; three grandson: Edwin A. Miller of Gibson City, Illinois, Eric J. Brock (Yvette) of Bolingbrook, Illinois and William M. Blair III of Longview, Texas; two granddaughters: Karen Brock Reed (Steven) of Tinley Park, Illinois and Wendy Blair Markowitz (James) of Longview, Texas; five great-grandsons and four great-granddaughters.
Opal is also survived by two brothers; Gordon L. Elliott (Marie) and A. Jack Elliott (Geraldine) of Watseka Illinois, three sisters Mary M Hill, and L. Faye Elliott of Watseka Illinois and Joanne R. Rogers (William) of Terra Haute, Indiana, two sister-in-laws Norma Elliott, and Joan Elliott and many nieces and nephews.
Opal is preceded in death by her husband William (Butch) Blair, her son-in-law James E. Miller, her parents, four brothers; Cecil A. Elliott, James M. Elliott, Frances K. Elliott Jr. and Scott C, Elliott, one brother-in-law Lester Hill, and two sisters-in-law Elsie Elliott and Ruth Elliott.
The family would especially like to say “Thank You” to Mrs. Laura Wilson for the love and devotion she displayed in her care of both Opal and Butch in the last years of their lives.
A memorial service celebrating Opal’s life will be held at 11:00 am Monday January 25, 2010 at the Goodwine Methodist Church, Goodwine, Illinois 60939. Pastor Jeff Elliott will officiate. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Sunday January 24, 2010 at the Knapp Funeral Home, Cissna Park, Illinois.
Internment will be at East Lynn Cemetery, East Lynn, Illinois.
Friends wishing to honor Opal’s memory with a charitable contribution are asked to consider the Goodwine Methodist Church.
Arrangements are in the care of Knapp Funeral Home, Cissna Park, Illinois.
