Army veteran. He was assistant manager at Kroger for several years; he then worked with his wife at a children's home in Wisconsin and retired from there.
Mr. Threewitt loved to work in his yard with his flowers and he enjoyed fishing.
He is survived by several nieces and nephews, including a nephew George, whom Gene thought of as a brother; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and by a great-niece, Ashlee, whom he was especially fond of.
Mr. Threewitt was preceded in death by his parents, wife, five brothers: Bill, Ulyss, Vernon, Wayne and Wendell; by three sisters: Opal, Vevia, and Nellie; and by one younger brother and one younger sister.
JOHN E. PETRO, JR.
Sesser - John E. Petro, Jr., 63, passed away at home with his family at 6:35 a.m. on April 18, 2004. He was born in Momence on July 11, 1940, to John Edson, Sr. and Patricia (O'Brien) Petro.
Visitation will be at the Davis Funeral Chapel, south of Sesser on Route 148, from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, and from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 21. Funeral services will follow at the Hazel Dell Free Will Baptist Church at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, with the Rev. Gene Outland officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser at a later date.
Donations can be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois or Hazel Dell Youth Fund.
Mr. Petro was a retired coal miner, having worked 30 years for Freeman United at No. 5 Mine and for Old Ben at No. 26 Mine. He enjoyed sharing stories of his many friends and experiences underground.
John was a Baptist and a member of Hazel Dell Free Will Baptist Church of Sesser.
He married Linda Sue Goessman on Oct. 25, 1959, and they had four children: John Patrick and Stephanie Petro, Kelly Dean and Cathy Petro, Mark Allen and Gena Petro, and Patricia Jo and Bart Swisher, all of Sesser.
John was an avid golfer, sports and history enthusiast. He truly loved attending the ballgames of and sharing his interests with his eight grandchildren: Amie and Brian Nitz of Centralia, Joshua, Ryan, Paige and Logan Petro of Sesser, Danielle and Andrew Swisher of Sesser, and Jessica Petro of West Frankfort.
He is also survived by one sister, Carla and Bill Smith of Momence and one brother, Jerry and Margie Petro of Liberty, Tenn., along with many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles, mother-in-law Josephine Goessman and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Dean and Margaret Goessman, all of Sesser.
John was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother, James P. Petro, and one nephew, Terry Jo Smith.
ETHEL CLEO CASAS
Zeigler - Ethel Cleo Casas, 90, of Zeigler died Monday, April 19, 2004, in the Herrin Hospital.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 22, at the Davis Funeral Chapel in Sesser, with Brother Marvin Boswell officiating. Burial will be in Neal Cemetery in Logan. Friends may call from 9 a.m. until time of the service on Thursday to the Davis Funeral Chapel.
Mrs. Casas was born Aug. 20, 1913, in West Frankfort, the daughter of Maude (McCullough) and Moses L. Neal, who preceded her in death.
She married Joseph Casas Jan. 7, 1964. He preceded her in death Dec. 22, 1987.
Mrs. Casas attended the Creek Nation Pentecostal Church. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include two stepdaughters, Colleen Hawn of Blue Island and Lola Paladino of Hanover Park.
Mrs. Casas was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one brother, and three sisters.
NIGHTA JEWEL MERKEL
Coal City - Nighta Jewel (Murry) Merkel, 93, of Coal City, passed away Monday, April 19, 2004, at the Morris Lincoln Nursing Home in Morris.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser, with visitation two hours preceding the services. Interment will be in Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser.
A visitation will be held at the R.W. Patterson Funeral Homes, Ltd., Braidwood Chapel on Thursday, April 22, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Memorials in her name to the Grundy County Hospice would be appreciated.
She was born Dec. 17, 1910, in Perry County, to the late Camdon Edgar and Rhonda Ann (Galloway) Murry.
Surviving are three sons, Roy and wife, Sharon, Merkel of Braidwood, Russell and wife, Elvera, Merkel of Ocala, Fla., and Lynn and wife, Myrthell, Merkel of Helena, Mont.; two daughters, Betty and husband, Jim, Rawlish of Coal City and Hazel Plata of Maysville, N.C.; 11 grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and numerous nephews and two nieces.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Russell James Merkel, whom she married Dec. 26, 1928 in Du Quoin; a daughter, Linda Sue Merkel; a granddaughter, Linda Plata; a great-grandson, Zachery James Merkel; a brother and sister-in-law, Xelpho and wife, Gertie, Murry; a sister and brother-in-law, Lenoir and husband, Sam, Merkel, and a son-in-law, George Plata.
ABE WAYNE ROBINSON
Vincennes, Ind. - Abe Wayne Robinson, 83, passed away on Saturday, April 3, 2004, in Vincennes, Ind.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at the Masonic & Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton, with the Rev. Tony Auxier officiating. Military rites will be conducted by the Benton American Legion and VFW Posts. The Morton & Johnston Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Mr. Robinson was born Dec 16, 1920, in Auxier, Ky., the son of Thomas and Inis Robinson.
He was retired from coal mine construction. Mr. Robinson was a World War II Army veteran and was enlisted with Company B 5th Ranger Infantry. For his service, he was awarded two Bronze Battle Stars, a Silver Star, Good Conduct Ribbon and Purple Heart.
Survivors include a daughter, Jeri and husband, Mike, Davis of Benton; one granddaughter, Kristy Dearing; and one sister and brother-in-law, Mildred and Bill Schuler.
Mr. Robinson was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.