Lorraine "Rene" M. Bell

CHAMPAIGN — Lorraine "Rene" M. Bell, 91, of St. Joseph, formerly of Danville, passed from this life to eternity at 11:47 p.m. Friday (May 15, 2020) at Bickford Cottage, Champaign.

In keeping with Rene’s wishes, cremation rites will be in order and there will be no services. Burial will be in the VA National Cemetery, Danville. Kruger-Coan-Pape Funeral Home, 10 E. William St., Danville, is assisting the family.

Rene was born Aug. 3, 1928, in Sidney, to the late Jacob Arthur and Catherine Blevins Walker. They preceded her in death. She married Robert C. Bell on Jan. 21, 1950. He preceded her in death on Jan. 14, 2005.

Rene was the youngest of nine children and preceded in death by brothers, Harley (Irene), Willard, Clarence and John (Miriam); and sisters, Opal (Paul) Embree, Pauline (Nathan) Walker and Matilda (Merle) Hart.

She is survived by her sister, Ruth Shirley of St. Joseph, and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Rene enjoyed being a homemaker, doing crafts, collecting Depression glass and being with family.

Rene attended Second Church of Christ, Danville.

Because of Rene’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and her desire to honor our veterans, the family suggests memorials be made to Second Church of Christ, 3350 E. Vorhees St., Danville, IL 61834, or Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, 57 Country Place, Springfield, IL 62703.

Marie Maxine Lee Saathoff

ST. JOSEPH — Marie Maxine Saathoff passed away peacefully Monday morning (May 11, 2020) at the age of 89. She lived almost all her life in and around St Joseph, most recently residing in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and finally Zion, Ill.

Marie was born to parents Zephry and Rena Lee on June 5, 1930. Marie is survived by her grandsons, Russ, Ryan and Rodney Veinot, and their families with seven great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Pete Saathoff; daughters, Linda Veinot and Carol Saathoff; and, most recently, husband Jerry Penrod.

No formal services will be held.

CU News-Gazette 5/16/20

Lori Frick Broady

TUSCOLA — Lori (Frick) Broady, 39, of Tuscola passed away Monday (May 11, 2020) at her childhood home.

She was born to Tim and Susan (Fitzgerald) Frick on Nov. 24, 1980. She graduated from Heritage High School in 1998. She worked at Next Generation Schools for 10 years before continuing her education at Eastern Illinois University, where she earned a bachelor’s in elementary education in 2016.

On June 12, 2004, Lori married Matthew Broady of Villa Grove. They have three beautiful children, Boston (15), Hudson (9) and Winter (7). They currently reside in Tuscola, where Lori was able to pursue her passion for teaching and changing children’s lives.

Lori loved spending time with her kids at their many sporting events. She was a great athletic supporter. She was a member of the Tuscola Biddy Board and loved helping the community.

She loved all things Disney stemming from her first trip to Disney World with her family in 1982. The love carried on as she got to watch

each of her children enjoy the magic themselves.

Lori’s dreams were realized when she became a teacher at North Ward Elementary School in Tuscola. She impacted many lives in the four years she taught. Lori gained lifelong friends and got to be a part of the most supportive community she had ever been a part of.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Matthew of Tuscola; her children, Boston, Hudson and Winter; her parents, Tim and Susan Frick of Longview; her grandparents, Kenneth and Joy Frick of Sidney; her sister, Amy (Timothy) Tighe of Lovington; and numerous nieces and nephews, as well as aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends.

She was met in heaven by her maternal grandparents, Jim and Priscilla Fitzgerald. A graveside funeral for Lori was held on May 13, 2020, in the Fairfield Cemetery in Newman.

The family would like to thank the Tuscola community for their unwavering

support of Lori over the last four years and the angels of the Oncology Department at Carle Hospital and Carle Clinic. A memorial fund has been set up at the Villa Grove State Bank for her children’s education.

CU NG 5/15/20

Howard Alan Yearsley

URBANA — Howard Alan Yearsley, 68, of Urbana passed away Tuesday (May 12, 2020).

Howard was born on Feb. 22, 1952, in Urbana, to Emmett and Jeanne (Phillips) Yearsley, who preceded him in death. He graduated in 1970 from Urbana High School. He married Linda (Manzke) Yearsley (1980-2006), and together they raised two children.

He is survived by his children, Jessie (Nathaniel) Tate of Tolono and Emmett Yearsley of Urbana; a brother, John (Cheryl) Yearsley of Champaign; two sisters, Mary (Robert) Lakey of Champaign and Dr. Martha Yearsley (John Schmidt) of Jasper, Ind.; two nieces, S. Jennifer (Doug) Bennett of Columbus, Ohio, and J. Nicole (Brian) Mercer of Champaign; and nephew, Jason Lakey of Urbana.

Howard lived on the family farm his entire life. In addition to farming, he loved his children, stock car racing, drag racing, comedy, music and movies. Many nights, the house was filled with rock ’n’ roll, good stories and laughter. He had quick wit, the ability to tell a great story and could make anyone laugh.

He enjoyed the simple things and had the ability to see complex situations and make them simple. He cared about people, especially his lifelong best friend, Ed Molck.

Private graveside services will be held at Yearsley Cemetery, Urbana. Baier Family Funeral Services, Flatville, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Memorials can be made to his children. We were blessed with his presence and are saddened by his loss.

Please share your memories and offer any condolences at www. baierfuneralservices. com.

CU News-Gazette 5/14/20

Brian K. Renfrew

ST. JOSEPH — Brian K. Renfrew, 54, of St. Joseph passed away at 5:11 p.m. Friday (May 8, 2020) at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic at this time, we are having a private family viewing only. The burial will be at a later date.

Brian was born Feb. 25, 1966, in Urbana, a son of Micheal and Bonnie (Adams) Renfrew. He married Bobbie Delmotte on Oct. 5, 1996, in Georgetown. She survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Jake Renfrew and Luke Renfrew, both of St. Joseph; a daughter, Jennifer Ogle of Barren Springs, Va.; three grandchildren, Chelsea, Easton and Keely Ogle, all of Barren Springs, Va.; his mother, Bonnie Renfrew of Urbana; sisters, Christine (Greg) Renshaw of Mahomet, Kathryn (Thomas III) Wimmer of Rantoul and Megan (Jarrod) Reed of Reno, Nev.; and a brother, Micheal Jayson Renfrew of the Philippines.

Brian was preceded in death by his father, Micheal Renfrew; maternal grandparents, Oscar and Alice Adams; paternal grandparents, Bob and Rosemary Renfrew; uncle, Marc Renfrew; and aunt, Lish Renfrew.

Brian loved his family, airplanes (both repairing and flying them), riding his mountain bike, St. Joe football and making people laugh. He was proud to be a Marine and served his country from 1984 to 1990. He was loyal and loving with a famous smirk.

He loved motorcycles and enjoyed watching Luke race. He was very proud of Jake becoming a pilot following in his footsteps. He enjoyed watching movies on wars and very much loved history. He loved hanging out with his family, camping and long family vacations.

Condolences may be offered at www.rennerwikoffchapel. com.

CU NG 5/13/20

Janet S. Mattox

HOMER — Janet S. Mattox, devoted Christian and follower of Jesus Christ, 76, of Homer passed away at 3:55 p.m. Sunday (May 10, 2020) at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

Private graveside services will be held at GAR Cemetery in Homer with Pastor Chris Smithey officiating. There will be a memorial service at a later date. Kirby Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St. in Homer, is assisting the family.

Janet was born July 21, 1943, in Burns City, Ind., the daughter of John William and Pearl Gibson Abel. She married Larry L. Mattox on Oct. 31, 1960, in Burns City, Ind. He preceded her in death on April 22, 2012.

Survivors include her son, Philip Mattox of Homer; son, Randall Mattox Sr. of Rantoul; son, Kenneth Mattox of Champaign; daughter, Sherri Mattox of Homer; daughter, Angela Mattox Simms of Homer; daughter, Rebecca Whiteside of Champaign; son, Jason Mattox of Lewisburg, Tenn.; brother, John “Bud” Abel; 22 grandchildren; 35 greatgrandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; granddaughter, Carlotta; and sister, Betty Workman.

Janet was a member of Curtis Road Church of God. She loved gardening and spending time with her family.

Memorials can be made to Church of God or Montana Native American Ministries.

CU NG 5/13/20

Betty Louise Tracy

GIFFORD — Betty Louise Tracy, 95, of Gifford, formerly of Homer, passed away at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday (May 5, 2020) at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

Private graveside services will be held at GAR Cemetery in Homer with Pastor Raymie Gordon officiating.

Cremation rites have been accorded. Kirby Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St. in Homer, is assisting the family.

Betty was born April 27, 1925, in Champaign, the daughter of Fred and Ruby Printy Shoaf. She married Louis E. Tracy on Dec. 23, 1945. He preceded her in death on Dec. 30, 2012.

Survivors include two daughters, Connie (Jerry) Messman of Homer and Ginny Dillon of Homer; grandsons, Steve (Susie) Messman and Matt Dillon; and great-grandchildren, Kyle (Shelbie) Messman and Brianna Messman, Emma, Cole and Cody Messman and James Dillon.

She was also preceded in death by a grandson, Scott Messman; sister, Madeline Boys; and two brothers, Russell Shoaf and Bob Shoaf.

Betty was a 1943 graduate of Homer High School. She taught Sunday school at St. James Methodist Church in Danville and

then became a member of Homer United Methodist Church.

Betty enjoyed sewing, crossword puzzles and watching sports on TV and was an avid reader. She was also an avid fan of the New York Yankees and Boston Celtics. Betty was liked by everyone she met. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and family. She will be greatly missed by her family.

The family would like to send a special thank you to Country Health and Rehab. They appreciate the care and thoughtfulness Betty received. The entire staff was like family to her.

Memorials can be made to Country Health and Rehabilitation in Gifford.

NG 5/10/2020

Terrill J. Wright

OGDEN — Terrill J. Wright, 71, of Ogden passed away at 12:05 a.m. Tuesday (May 5, 2020) at his home.

Cremation rites have been accorded. Funeral services reserved. Kirby Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St. in Homer, is assisting the family.

Terrill was born Dec. 7, 1948, in Champaign, the son of Carl Roosevelt and Beulah C. England Wright. He married Debra Eavey on Aug. 5, 1970, in Urbana. She preceded him in death on April 23, 2017.

Survivors include his daughter, Jennifer (Kevin) Wright-Budd of Fort Wayne, Ind.; son, John R. (Chelsey) Wright of Ogden; son, Josiah (Jami) Wright of New Haven, Ind.; son, James (Bailee) Wright of Fithian; son, Joel (Tiffany) Wright of Fithian; son, Jordan (Brittany) Wright of Ogden; daughter, Jillayna (Steven) Skinner of Tolono; sister, Carlene (Robert) Krohe of Beardstown; brother, Noel (Julie) Wright of Lafayette, Ind.; and 13 grandchildren.

Terrill was affiliated with Ogden Nazarene Church. He served with the Navy in Vietnam from 1968-1973. Mr. Wright was a barber for his own business, Village Barber Shop, for 50 years. He retired from the University of Illinois after 34 years of service.

Memorials can be made to Ogden Nazarene Church.

CU News-Gazette 5/7/20

Bill Duncan

OGDEN — Bill Duncan, 63, of Ogden, formerly of St. Joseph, passed away at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday (May 5, 2020) at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.

A celebration of life service for Bill will be held at a later date.

Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, is in charge of arrangements.

Bill was born July 27, 1956, at Lincoln, Ill., the son of Robert "Wes" and Peggy L. (Bricker) Duncan. He married Brenda Reynolds on May 19, 1984. She survives.

He is also survived by his sons, William Robert (Larissa) Duncan of Nashville, Tenn., and Travis James (Ashley Miller) Duncan of Ogden; brother, Bob (Jeannene) Duncan of Englewood, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.

Bill attended the Vineyard Church in Urbana, where he strengthened his relationship with God.

He was the co-owner of Sambroe Cycles and also Royce Motorsports. Bill also worked as a Realtor and in property management before retiring in August 2019.

Bill loved his family and was a devoted husband and father. He enjoyed spending  time with family and friends, never met a stranger and could have a conversation with anyone.

He is now in rejoicing in heaven with family and friends.

Memorials may be made to Convoy of Hope or St. Jude's Hospital.

NG 5/7/2020

Gregory A. Stevens

LLERTON — Gregory A. Stevens peacefully passed away on Thursday (April 30, 2020) at his home of natural causes.

Greg was born on Oct. 7, 1953, in Champaign, the son of Neva Louise James and “Blackie” Stevens. He is preceded in death by both his mother and father.

He grew up in Rantoul, graduating from Rantoul High School in 1971. He went on and completed two years of college.

Greg is survived by his son, Ian Stevens; his daughter-in law, Jamie Stevens; and his three grandsons, Isaac Stevens, Jacob Stevens and Eli Stevens, all of Champaign. He is survived by his brother, Mark Stevens, and sister-in-law, Ruth Stevens, of Live Oak, Fla. He is also survived by his two nephews, Cliff Allen and Sam Stevens, and his niece, Leta Alexandra Stevens.

Greg loved Indy and NASCAR racing. In his younger years, he enjoyed motorcycle racing. He passed these passions on to his son, Ian.

If you would like, memorials may be made to Salt & Light Ministries in Champaign.

Lux Memorial Chapel, Rantoul, handled the arrangements for the family.

NG 5/6/2020

Alfrieda Alice Marx

SAVOY— Alfrieda Alice Marx, 96, passed away of natural causes on Monday (May 4, 2020).

Alfrieda was much loved by her immediate and extended families and by countless friends she cultivated throughout her life. She spent her final two years in a nursing home in Savoy, where she found opportunities to make new friends with fellow residents and staff members, some of whom she also tenderly harassed.

She was a survivor of cancer and bypass heart surgery. She coped with diabetes for decades. Dementia progressively robbed her of her memories in her later years, but she seemed to cherish the present moment all the more, and she always loved a party.

Alfrieda was born on April 28, 1924, to Thomas and Sophie (Plata) Petmezas in River Forest. She was the sixth of eight children, and they grew up in Chicago.

Her parents were immigrants — her father from Greece, her mother from Poland — and she lived through the Great Depression and World War II, turning 21 a week before VE Day. Her young life was defined by those events. Her parents made her proud of her heritage, and even prouder to be an American; the Depression and the war made her frugal and scrappy.

She married Leonard Marx on April 30, 1949, and they raised two sons, Allen and Gary, in Schiller Park. She was a proud homemaker, and she worked as a secretary in the dean’s office at East Leyden High School and in the principal’s office at Kennedy Elementary School. Shorthand was her second language.

Alfrieda and Leonard moved to a 14-acre farm east of Homer in 1983. After Leonard died in 1998, Alfrieda moved to St. Joseph, and later to Savoy.

Alfrieda was a creative force, and she was always cooking up something, not necessarily in the kitchen. She had a gift for visual art, drew caricatures and painted with oils, and the plays and skits she wrote for family gatherings were legend, if not notorious. She loved a good time, and it didn’t take much to get her to break into a rendition of “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.”

She loved to read, and once set her sights on finishing the entire Book of Knowledge encyclopedia collection. She was a fierce and feared competitor in Scrabble. She loved history and Hallmark movies, love songs and sweet stories. Mostly, though, she loved her family.

Her husband, Leonard, preceded her in death on April 29, 1998. Also preceding her in death were all of her siblings, and her daughter-in-law, Roberta (Bertie) Marx.

She is survived by her sons, Allen (Betty Lankford) of Urbana and Gary (Pam Kelley) of Carbondale; four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren and two stepgreat-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews and their families.

She was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Homer. A private graveside service will be held Saturday, May 9, 2020, at the GAR Cemetery in Homer. A celebration of her life will be scheduled for a later date.

NG 5/6/2020