Janet L. Markel

HOMER – Janet L. Markel, 82, of Homer passed away at 2:35 p.m. Tuesday (June 27, 2017) at Presence Covenant Medical Center, Urbana.

Memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, June 30, at Kirby Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St., Homer. Pastor Robin King will officiate. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. prior to the service. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Indianola. Cremation rites have been accorded.

Janet was born on Nov. 14, 1934, in Champaign, the daughter of Chet and Edith Grigsby Hickle. She married William Markel Sr. on Jan. 14, 1953. They were married over 60 years until his passing on May 14, 2016.

Survivors include three sons, Bill (Joni) Markel, Jeff Markel and Darrin (Shari) Markel; grandchildren, Lindsey (Larry) Gates-Markel, Hannah (Eric) Johnson, Rachel Markel, Mitchell Markel, Ashley Markel and Austin Markel; great-grandson, Sydney Davis; and sister, Carol Christian of Longview.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and grandson, Brandon Markel.

Janet was a member of Countryside Methodist Church in Sidney and Antiquarians Club. She worked at Homer Elevator, Lenhart Auction and Bergners.

Her hobbies included camping, travel and spending time with family and friends. She enjoyed snowmobiling in Michigan.

Memorials can be made to Homer Fire and Rescue or Woodlawn Cemetery.

Debra L. Anderson Osterbur

ROYAL – Debra L. Osterbur, 66, of Royal passed away at 11:02 p.m. on Friday (June 2, 2017) at her home.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 6, at St. John Lutheran Church in Royal, with Pastor Jay Johnson officiating. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph.

Debra was born on April 29, 1951, in Tuscola. She is the daughter of Ralph and Mary Elizabeth (Vaughn) Anderson. She attended high school in Villa Grove and graduated from Champaign Central High School in 1969.

She married Marc Osterbur on Oct. 16, 1970, at Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church in Urbana. He survives.

Also surviving are her children, Sandy Driggers of Girard, Pa., Stacy (Greg) Smith of St. Joseph, Todd (Jeri) Osterbur of Ponte Vedra, Fla., and Tim (Jenny) Osterbur of Sidney. Debra also leaves behind 10 grandchildren, Madi, Claire, Tessa and Thea Smith, Evan, Megan, and Ella Osterbur, Stokely Ralph, and Emily and Owen Osterbur. Also surviving are her sister, Susie (Brenda) Friend of Norwalk, Ohio, and many special aunts and uncles who were very influential in her early years, Jessie Griffith of Urbana, Barb (Carroll) Gosnell of Villa Grove, Paul (Sandy) Anderson of St. Joseph, Barb Myers of Tuscola, and the late William Anderson.

Debra was a stay at home mother and daycare provider for many years. She followed her dream and graduated from nursing school in 1985. She loved being a nurse and was often complimented on the care she provided and the compassion she showed for her patients. She worked as a floor nurse and the director of nursing at Gifford Nursing Home, the Rehab Unit of Carle Hospital and also the orthopedics department of Carle Clinic. In 2004, she was recognized as Nurse Exemplar by Carle Hospital. Debra retired from Nursing in 2007. Her career as a nurse brought her many lifelong friendships that she truly treasured.

Debra's grandchildren were her absolute pride and joy and the source of her strength. She cherished spending time with her family and lunch dates with special friends. Debra loved to travel with her husband, Marc, and shelling and sunsets at the beach, especially to Anna Maria Island, Fla.

Debra had a strong faith. She was a prayer warrior, and she often shared notes of encouragement and scripture with others.

Debra was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Mike Anderson.

Debra's family would like to thank Dr. Rowland and his wonderful staff as well as the Carle Hospice team. Memorials can be made to St. John Cemetery and St. John's Youth Group.

Jean Woods

ST. JOSEPH – Jean Woods, 74, of St. Joseph passed away at 5:42 a.m. Thursday (June 1, 2017) at Meadowbrook Nursing Home, Urbana.

Private family services will be held.

Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Jean was born April 21, 1943, in Danville, the daughter of John and Mable Turner Magers. She married Gary A. Woods on Aug. 10, 1963, in Homer. He preceded her in death on Oct. 10, 2014.

She is survived by her sons, Todd (Chrystal) Woods of St. Joseph and Troy Woods of St. Joseph; three grandchildren, Lucas Woods, Zachary Woods and Avery Woods; three stepgrandchildren, Brittanie Williams, Cassidy Gould and Tucker Williams; one step-great-granddaughter, Peighton Reim; two sisters, Janice (James) Wienke of Urbana and Carol (Ray) Dable of Homer; two sisters-in-law, Louita (Jim) Hartwell of Champaign and Linda (Richard) Reynolds of Monticello; and nieces and nephews, Kerry Wienke, Kevin Wienke, Jenna Bryant, Lindsay Keller, Matt Reynolds and Susan Denton.

She was preceded in death by her parents; nephew, Kenny Wienke; and brother-in-law, Richard Keller.

Jean enjoyed traveling to Clearwater Beach, Fla., the St. Louis Cardinals and shopping. She most enjoyed spending time with family and friends, especially her grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to an organization of the donor's choice.

Ellen Ackerman Britt

OGDEN – Ellen Ackerman Britt entered her long-awaited home in heaven at 10:04 a.m. Friday (June 9, 2017).

She and her twin, Anna, were delivered by their father, Henry Ackerman, on a snowy Jan. 19 in the year 1926 in Gifford. Ellen married Alfred Frank Britt on Dec. 28, 1949.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents, Henry F. and Emily Olson Ackerman; brothers, Herman, Fredrick and Arthur; and sister, Emma Schmidt.

She is survived by their four children, Rita (Tom) McSorley of Manassas, Va., Melinda (Hector) Trevino of Urbana, Tracy Britt of Champaign and Gary (Margaret) Britt of rural Ogden. Also surviving are nine grandchildren, Charles, Erin and Carolyn McSorley, Asher and Caleb Trevino, Jennifer (Britt) Hagler, Kyle and Morgan Britt, and Andrea (Britt) Thrift; six great-grandsons, Micah and Evan McSorley, Luke,

Brody, Easton and Jack Britt; and sisters, Clara Stonestreet Graham and Anna Duitsman.

Upon graduating from Armstrong High School, Ellen went on to Illinois Commercial College.

During World War II, she worked at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul before traveling to Portland, Ore., where she worked

for the Alcohol Control Board. The most important mission in Ellen's life was training her children and grandchildren in the teachings of Jesus. Isaiah 54:13: "And all thy children shall be taught the scriptures, and it is these that make them wise to accept God's salvation." It was Ellen's strong faith in God and trust in His love that kept her at peace in the most difficult times.

Ellen accomplished many things in life. She provided for her family from the large garden she tended for 30 years. She made quilts and fine clothing, did farm accounting and taxes, and made their 1894 farm house a beautiful home. Ellen also sang in a trio with her twin sister, Anna, and a longtime friend, MaryEllen Stephenson, called the "Late Bloomers." They shared their love by singing at the veterans hospital in Danville.

Ellen will be remembered for truly being the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31:10.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 13, 2017, at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, with Pastor Frank Hoss officiating. Burial will be in Huls Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Mary Anderson Thompson

URBANA — Mary Thompson, 85, of Urbana passed away at 1:45 a.m. Tuesday (May 30, 2017) at Danville Care Center, Danville.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) at Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Urbana. Visitation will be prior to the funeral from noon to 1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mary was born in Urbana on Feb. 8, 1932, the daughter of Thomas Emmett and Nora Frances Capps Anderson. She grew up in St. Joseph and attended St. Joseph High School.

She married Irwin C. (Buzz) Thompson on Jan. 20, 1951, in Bement. He died on July 8, 2009.

As a young woman, Mary worked at Collegiate Cap and Gown, Champaign. In 1976, she went to work at the Champaign County Bank and Trust in Urbana.

She was also a member of the Carle Auxiliary where she spent many happy hours volunteering in the Carle Gift Shop.

She is survived by daughter Adana Adams (Oscar) of St. Joseph, and daughter Gisele Laird of Danville; and grandchildren, Sarah Adams of Tolono, Colin Adams of Schaumburg and Emily Adams Chilton of Sidney.

She also had three great-grandsons, Bryce Alan, Tanner Alexander and Skyler Andrew. She also leaves one brother, William Levi Anderson of Champaign, and a sister, Sara Ann Rasner of Savoy.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson and James Hall Anderson; three sisters, Nella Florence Pinter, Willa Mae Kendig and Shirley Jean Anderson; and a great-grandson, Hagen Nathaniel Chilton.

Memorials can be made to the Mills Breast Cancer Center.