Bee Allen

Bee Allen

URBANA – Bernita "Bee" Allen, 90, of Urbana died at 6:50 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 17, 2013) at Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Grace United Methodist, 2004 S. Philo Road, Urbana, with visitation from 9 to 11 on Wednesday prior to service time. The Rev. J. Michael Smith will officiate and burial will be at Patterson Cemetery, St. Joseph.
Mrs. Allen was born Oct. 27, 1922, in Louisville, Ill., the daughter of Edgar and Hattie (Schoonover) Rodgers. She married Milford Ray Allen on Dec. 24, 1948, in Rantoul and he survives. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Darlene Allen of St. Joseph; daughter, Pauline Schaudt (Don) of Urbana; grandchildren, Brad Allen (Tonya) of Tuscola, David Allen (Susan) of St. Joseph, Stephanie Hough (Michael) of Petersburg and Kelly Slade of St. Petersburg, Fla.; great-grandchildren, Karli Allen, Maddie Allen and Logan Allen; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her son, Larry, on July 29, 2000; brothers, Oscar, Bill and Paul Rodgers; and a sister, Doris Rasmussen.
Mrs. Allen attended Rantoul schools and was a beautician at John Parson's Salon in Campustown and retired from the Natural History Division of the Illinois State Geological Survey. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and was a member of the XYZ's and United Methodist Women. Prior to coming to Grace Church, she taught Bible School and Sunday School in Champaign.
Memorials may be made to Provena Covenant Medical Center Hospice Program or to Grace United Methodist Church. Condolences may be offered at www.renner-wikoffchapel.com.

Miriam Kleist

Miriam Kleist

OGDEN – Miriam Kleist, 85, of Ogden passed away at 12:10 a.m. Thursday (Feb. 7, 2013) at the Champaign County Nursing Home, Urbana.
Funeral services will be noon Saturday, Feb. 9, at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, with Pastor Kathy Murphy officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olive Cemetery, Mayview. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at the funeral home.
Miriam was born Feb. 24, 1927, in Fort Wayne, Ind., the daughter of Fred and Linda Jenkins. She married Leroy C. Kleist on Nov. 1, 1952, in Angola, Ind. He preceded her in death on April 7, 2006.
She is survived by three sons, Wayne (Helen) Kleist of Elkton, Ky., Allen (Jane) Kleist of Collierville, Tenn., and Carl (Deborah) Kleist of Gifford; one daughter, Vanessa (Stan) Cribbett of Urbana; nine grandchildren; and one sister, Betty Hefty of Auburn, Ind.
She was preceded in death by one son, parents and two brothers.
Miriam was a member of the United Methodist Church of Ogden. She enjoyed crochet and knitting and watching the Chicago Cubs. She was a member of the Eastern Star Ogden.

Lois Crider

Lois Crider

ST. JOSEPH – Lois A. Crider, 82, of St. Joseph passed away at 8:30 a.m. Friday (Feb. 1, 2013) at Country Health Nursing Home in Gifford.
Lois was born July 20, 1930, in Ogden, the daughter of Harvey and Ethel Towner Boyd. After graduation from Ogden High School, she married Dean Crider on Aug. 13, 1949, at her parents' home in rural Penfield. He survives.
She is also survived by two sons, Terry (Mary) of St. Joseph and Dan (Anne) of Arrowsmith; one daughter, Suzanne (John Bruns) of Cissna Park; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Lois and Dean raised their family on a farm outside St. Joseph, where Lois loved being a farm wife. She also showed ponies, grew African violets and enjoyed playing cards.
Throughout her life, Lois was involved in many activities and organizations including 4-H leader, various pony clubs, Home Extension, Prime Timers, African Violet Society, Casey Curly Q's Square Dance Club and Farm Bureau, and she was the organizer of the Champaign County Lady Land Owners.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two sisters, Mildred Martin and Jane Dillingham.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, with Michael Crider and Matt Crider officating. Burial will be in Friends Stanton Cemetery, St. Joseph. Visitation will be from 4 - 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Country Health Nursing Home in Gifford or the St. Joseph Fire and Rescue.

Larry Knight

Larry Knight

ROYAL – Larry Knight, 71, of Royal stepped into Heaven on Tuesday (Jan. 29, 2013) at his home.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 1, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Gifford, with Pastor Steve Lombardo officiating. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Royal.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph. Prayer service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Larry was born Dec. 2, 1941, at Fithian, the son of Lester and Pauline McClure Knight. He married Beverly Loschen on Feb. 16, 1985, at Royal. She survives.
Also surviving are his children, Tim Knight of Jamesburg, Troy (Jasmine) Knight of Clarksville, Tenn., and Jennifer (Jeremy) Seggebruch of Cissna Park; grandchildren, Tyler and Abbie Knight, Troy Knight Jr., Alexis, Addison and Ava Seggebruch; brothers, Don Knight of Flora and Dick Knight of Atlanta, Ga.; and sister, Beulah Mangione of Muskegon, Mich.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Bob Knight.
Larry was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Gifford.
Larry worked for Allerton Supply Company, Fithian, for 35-plus years.
Larry enjoyed fishing with his grandchildren and attending their sporting events. He enjoyed cooking pies and ribs, and watching old western movies.
Larry was a veteran of the U.S. Army from 1962 to 1965, serving in Vietnam with the 555th Transport Division and receiving a Good Conduct Medal and Vietnam Service Medal.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Patricia Bolt

Patricia Bolt

URBANA – Patt Bolt, 74, of Bethpage, Tenn., formerly of St. Joseph, passed away at 2:43 a.m. Wednesday (Jan 23, 2013) at Provena Covenant Medical Center, Urbana.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, at Owens Funeral Home, 101 N. Elm St., Champaign. The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, at the funeral home. Burial will be at Mount Olive Cemetery, Mayview.
Patt was born April 27, 1938 in Lowenstoft, England. She married John Bolt in 1957. He survives.
She is also survived by her mother, Nora Fletcher; two brothers, and one sister, all in England; her children, Cindy (Tim) Brown of St. Joseph, Dave (Elisa) Bolt of Champaign, Betty (Tony) Kite of Urbana, Lori Marshky of St. Joseph and Margie Farmer of Cape Coral, Fla., nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
She enjoyed sewing, gardening, decorating and baking.
Condolences may be offered at www.owensfuneralhomes.com

Mary Parker

Mary Parker

LODGE – Mary Katherine Parker, 70, of Lodge passed away at 5:17 p.m. on Jan. 15, 2013, at Provena Covenant Medical Center, Urbana.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at Trigg and Calvert Funeral Home, DeLand, with pastor Donald Morr officiating. Burial will follow at Stanton Cemetery, St. Joseph. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Breast Cancer Society.
Mary was born Dec. 9, 1942, in Champaign, the daughter of Richard and LaVone (Crider) Plotner. She married Bailey Glenn Parker on May 29, 1966, in St. Joseph.
Survivors include her husband, Bailey Glenn Parker of Lodge; two sons, David Glenn (Julie) Parker of Weldon and Timmothy Earnest (Chris) Lyons of San Jose, Calif.; one grandson, Nicholas Seth Parker of Weldon; siblings, Charles (Cheryl) Plotner of St. Joseph, Earl (Betty) Plotner of Kansas City, Kan., Carl (Nelda) Plotner of St. Joseph and Patricia (David) Marshall of Norway, Maine. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Mary was a member of the Bement Baptist Church. She enjoyed crocheting and knitting and also did volunteer work for family services and the SHARE program.
Online condolences may be made at www.calvertmemorial.com.

Barbara Butler

Barbara Butler

ST. JOSEPH – Barbara A. Butler, 91, of St. Joseph passed away at 2:55 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 15, 2013) at Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph. Burial will be in Patterson Cemetery, St. Joseph. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Barbara was born Nov. 10, 1921, in Syracuse, N.Y., the daughter of John and Frances Rinck Bowker. She married Robert N. Butler on Aug. 25, 1948. He preceded her in death on Nov. 22, 1986.
She is survived by her children, Jean Butler of Denver, Colo., Pam (Jimmy) Butler of New Orleans, La., and Bruce (Mary) Butler of Champaign. Grandsons Matt (Amy) Butler and Brian (Heather) Butler; five great-grandchildren, Jack, Owen, Blake, Caroline and Ian Butler; and one brother, Dr. John H. Bowker, of Coral Gables, Fla., also survive.
In 1951, Barbara and her husband moved to St. Joseph and purchased the Dale Publications, a group of weekly newspapers and printing business, serving as co-publisher and co-editor until Aug. 1, 1979. On July 1, 1980, she became Supervisor of St. Joseph Township, becoming the first female township official in St. Joseph Township, retiring in 2000.
She served in the Red Cross as a recreation worker post-World War II in the Pacific on four islands in the Philippines.
She was a member of the St. Joseph Woman's Cclub, St. Joseph Unit 634 American Legion Auxiliary, Piatt County Salon 569 Eight and Forty, and Altrusa International of Champaign. She was active in Senior Republicans. She was a graduate of State University of New York at Albany in 1943. She was the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the year in 1991. Barbara was a lifelong college football fan. She attended her first game in 1930 and went to two games in 2012. She was also active with Carle Foundation Hospital's Cancer support group. She enjoyed being a member of the St. Joseph Red Hat Society and being a 4th grade pen pal.
Memorials may be made to the Eastern Illinois Food Bank, 2405 N. Shore Dr., Urbana, IL 61801 or the World War II Museum, 945 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70130.