U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Glenola Snyder
Glenola McClure Snyder, age 79, Houston, Texas, formerly of Galesburg, passed away December 22, 1998, in a Houston nursing home.
She was born February 6, 1919, in Cameron, the daughter of Glen Giddings and Mary Joan Rhykerd McClure.
Surviving are three sisters, Evelyn Milward and Joan Josefson, both of Abingdon, and Isabel Wier, Denver, Colorado; one brother, Frank McClure, Galesburg; three grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by one brother and one sister.
Cremation was accorded. A memorial service was held December 31 in First Church of the Nazarene, Houston. A graveside service will be held this spring in Silent Home cemetery, Cameron. Memorials may be made to hospices.
Harold J. Fordyce
Harold J. Fordyce, age 74, of Montgomery, Illinois, a former Roseville resident, died Tuesday, January 5, 1999 in a hospital in Aurora, Illinois. Funeral services were held on Friday, January 8, at Healy Chapel, Aurora, with the Rev. Gerald L. Rygh officiating.
The son of the late Harold and Stella (Mading) Fordyce, he was born April 9, 1924 in Eleanor, Illinois. He married
Rae Miller, who died in February 1997. An infant son, John Christian, also preceded him in death.
Mr. Fordyce attended Jackson Corners grade school here, and graduated from Roseville High School. He was a veteran of the U. S. Army in WWII, serving in the Philippine Islands, and was a member of the VFW Post, No. 1752, in Montgomery.
Mr. Fordyce retired as manager of Aurora Hearing Aid Center, after more than 35 years of service.
He leaves: three sons, Gabe Kirkpatrick of Grapevine, Texas and Stanley and John J. Fordyce, at home; two grandsons; an aunt, Mrs. Marie Atkins of LaHarpe; and several cousins.
Leroy Birdsell
Leroy James Birdsell, 77, of 2303 Broadway, Pekin, formerly of San Jose, died at 3 a.m. Friday, January 15, 1999, at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
Born January 22, 1921, in Chicago to Ernest and Hazel Gullett Birdsell, he married
Mary Rollins on September 9, 1939, in Chicago. She survives.
Also surviving are three sons, Robert and William, both of Pekin, and Michael of Delavan; three daughters, Barbara Maxwell of Jacksonville, and Judith Anderson and Bonita Swan, both of Pekin; two brothers, Ernest of Pekin and Irwin of Deer Creek; two sisters, Gloria Young of Roseville and Doris Salerno of Chicago; 17 grandchildren; and 20 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one son, Lawrence, one daughter, Kimberly, and five sisters.
A World War II Army veteran, he received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star three times.
He owned and operated a produce business in rural Delavan for many years.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, January 18, at Fondulac cemetery, East Peoria. The Rev. Keith Heberer officiated. Davis Mortuary, Tremont, was in charge of the arrangements. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Winifred House
Winifred A. House, age 83, formerly of Gerlaw, passed away at 2:20 p.m. Friday, January 8, 1999, at LaMoine Christian Nursing Home in Roseville, where she was a resident.
Born May 28, 1915, in Alexis to Willis Eugene and Mildred Fernald Gilmore, she married
Dell Joseph House on September 23, 1933, in Alexis. He died June 9, 1994.
Two brothers also preceded her in death.
Surviving are two sons, Edward of Kingsland, Texas, and John of Roseville; one daughter, Shirley Flanagan of El Paso, Texas; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was a volunteer for the American Red Cross for many years. She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Monmouth.
Services were held January 12 at Corman Memorial Home in Roseville with Rev. Ron Enderlin officiating. Burial was in Warren County Memorial Park cemetery in Monmouth. Memorials may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Virgie N. Gearhart
Virgie Nadine Gearhart, age 83, of 510 Broadway, Normal, Illinois, formerly of Abingdon, passed away at 8:23 a.m. Sunday, January 10, 1999 at ManorCare Health Services, Normal, Illinois.
The Reverend Bob Ryder shared in a private family memory celebration Sunday afternoon. AN interment service will be scheduled at a later date at Abingdon cemetery, Abingdon. There will be no visitation. Metzler-Froelich Memorial Home, Bloomington is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Mrs. Gearhart was born June 25, 1915 at Stronghurst, Illinois the daughter of Elzie and Ruth Steffey Gilliland. She married
Eldon L. Gearhart on August 31, 1940 at Rock Island. He died August 22, 1989.
Surviving is a daughter, Mrs. Dick (Merrilee) LeMoine, Normal, Illinois and three grandchildren, Rich (Nancy) LeMoine, Naperville, Illinois; Mark (Heather) LeMoine, Bloomington, Illinois and Tari (David) White, Ft. Worth, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a son Dick Gearhart and one brother.
Mrs. Gearhart was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, of Abingdon.
Dudley R. Purlee
Dudley R. Purlee, age 63, of 2876 40th Ave., Alexis, passed away at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 7, 1999 at home.
He was born April 10, 1935, in Monmouth, the son of Robert V. and Evelyn Jellinger Purlee. He married
Ann M. Lavender on February 1, 1959, in Galesburg.
Surviving are his wife; one daughter, Tracey Winbigler, Monmouth; two sons, Robert Purlee, Fort Wayne, Indiana and Sam Purlee, Alexis; two sisters, Judy McCrery, Abingdon, and Marilyn Smith, Mason City, Iowa; three brothers, John Purlee, Corvallis, Mont., James Purlee, Galesburg, and Joe Purlee, Alexis, and 10 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He was reared in Alexis, and was graduated from Alexis High School in 1953. He served in the Army Reserve for six years. He was a farmer and a salesman for Alexis Realty. He was a member of Alexis United Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder. He was a former Republican precinct committeeman in Mercer County.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 Monday in Alexis United Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Marti Jones officiating. Cremation rites were accorded following the service. Hoover-Hall Memorial Chapel, Alexis was in charge of the arrangements. A memorial fund has been established; a recipient will be designated later.
Helen Harshbarger
Helen M. Harshbarger, 97, of 358 S. Pearl Street, Galesburg, passed away at 12:55 a.m. Sunday, January 10, 1999, at the Care Center of Abingdon.
Born May 5, 1901, in Galesburg to William and Margaret Bonney Hendryx, she married
Guy A. Harshbarger on June 21, 1919, in Monmouth. He died April 19, 1991.
She also was preceded in death by one daughter, Jean Seckler Alves, on September 6, 1998, and three brothers.
Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Fred (Louise) Cline of Abingdon; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was a precinct committee woman, past secretary and treasurer of the Knox County Republican Central Committee. She was former president of the Parent-Teacher Association at the former Weston School. She was former president of Burlington-Northern Women’s Auxiliary. She was a member of the Rootabaga Jammers Band at Carl Sandburg College, the Cable TV Commission, Daughters of the American Revolution, Order of Eastern Star and First United Methodist Church. She was former president of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Club and a board member of the Carl Sandburg Birthplace. She volunteered at the former Galesburg Mental Health Center and for the American Red Cross.
Services will be at 3:00 p.m. Friday at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel with Rev. Robert Snider officiating. Visitation will be two hours before services at the chapel. Burial will be in Linwood cemetery. Memorials may be made to her church or any charity.
Cecil Graves
Cecil Floyd Graves, age 82, formerly of 1147 East Carroll Street, Macomb, passed away at 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, 1999, at the Care Center of Abingdon.
Born May 8, 1916, in McDonough County to John Albert and VaVina Mae Mitchell Graves, he married
Garnet Lee Reed on September 21, 1933, in Keokuk, Iowa. She died March 27, 1988.
One son, Allen, one grandson, five brothers and two sisters also preceded him in death.
Surviving are two sons, Eugene of Gilson and Larry of Macomb; one daughter, Dianne Elliott of Morton; one foster son, Frankie Simpson of LaHarpe; one brother, Marvin of Navarre, Florida; 10 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
He and his brother, Harley, owned and operated Graves Garage and Wrecker Service in Macomb for 40 years. He also built stock cars. He attended Macomb Baptist Church. He was a member of Argyle Gas Engine Club and Macomb Masonic Lodge 17, AF&AM.;
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Friday at Sargent-Worthington Funeral Home, Macomb with Rev. Gerald Seabaugh officiating. Burial was in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Macomb. Memorials may be made to his Masonic Lodge or the Care Center of Abingdon.
Willard Crisco
Willard D. 'Willie' Crisco, of Galva, Illinois, passed away at 11:16 a.m. Monday, January 11, 1999 at his home.
He was born December 6, 1943 in Kewanee, the son of Dallas and Dorothy Conner Crisco. He married
Shirley A. Gale, June 11, 1966 in Galva.
He was preceded in death by his father and step-father.
He is survived by his wife, his mother, Dorothy Peterson of Galva, one son Brad and his wife (Jill) Crisco of Roseville; one daughter, Julie Crisco of Monmouth and a sister, Eileen Pierce of Galva.
He graduated from Galva High School in 1962. He served with the Galva National Guard. He first worked with General Telephone Company and then was a salesman for Better Built in Galva. For the past 13 years he had owned and operated his own company selling liquid manure systems. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Galva, a member of Hagberg-Hamlin Post #45 American Legion in Galva. He enjoyed golf, hunting and gardening.
Services will be Thursday, January 14 at 1 p.m. in the Rux Funeral Home, Galva. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Galva cemetery with military rites accorded by the Galva Fusiliers. Memorials can be directed to the Galva Park District.
