Mary Butler

Mary Butler

St. Joseph – Mary Butler, 87, of West Lafayette, Ind., formerly of St. Joseph, passed away at 10:30 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 12, 2013) at Greentree Assisted Living in West Lafayette.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph. Burial will be in Patterson Cemetery, St. Joseph. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mary was born April 25, 1926, at Springfield, Ohio, the daughter of John C. and Edna Rapp Holloway. She married Richard D. Butler on Oct. 31, 1954. He preceded her on April 9, 1995.
She is survived by two daughters, Debra (Michael) Kreger of West Lafayette, Teri Pierce of Snyder, Okla.; three grandchildren, Amanda Kreger of West Lafayette, Daniel Pierce of Savoy and Robert Pierce of Champaign; and three great- grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Roy Holloway and Otto F. Holloway; and one son, Gary Butler.
Mary was a member of the St. Joseph United Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to the Gary Butler Memorial Fund at Busey Bank or donor's choice.

Ray Ideus

Ray Ideus

Thomasboro – Ray E. Ideus, 64, of rural Thomasboro (Flatville) passed away at 11:33 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 9, 2013) at his home after a courageous 3-year battle with cancer.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Flatville, with Pastor Barbara Busboom and Pastor James Lehmann officating. Burial will take place at Kopmann Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today (Friday) at Diers Hall at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Flatville. Freese Funeral Home, St. Joseph, is in charge of arrangements.
Ray was born Feb. 9, 1949, to Heye and Dorothy Ehler Ideus. He married Judith (Judy) Farmer on Feb. 18, 1967, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Flatville. She survives.
Ray is also survived by his mother, Dorothy Ideus Bahls of Country Health Nursing Home, Gifford; one daughter, Darcy Silver; son-in-law, Neal Silver; granddaughters, Carlee Rae Silver and Katey Lynn Silver, all of rural Rantoul; sisters, Delores (Alan, dec.) Harms of Royal, Linda (Gary) Carmien of rural Urbana; brother, Ron (Nancy) Ideus of rural Flatville; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.
Ray was preceded in death by his father and grandparents Ulfert and Grace (Bluhm) Ideus and Reiner and Sena (Kopmann) Ehler.
Ray graduated from Flatville grade school and Rantoul Township High School class of 1967. He was a lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where he served on church council, was a Luther League sponsor and enjoyed serving as an usher.
His interests included attending his granddaughters' events, camping, spending time with the family and friends, buying and selling farm equipment, and his passion and love of farming.
Ray and his family wish to express their gratitude for the care and support shown to them by everyone at Christie Clinic, Presence Hospice staff and his wonderful caregivers, Carleen and Jodi, whom the family could not have done without.
Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, Flatville, or donor's choice.

Lena Hinrichs

Lena Hinrichs

URBANA – Lena Blue Hinrichs, 99, of rural Urbana passed away Wednesday (Oct. 9, 2013) at Heartland Health Care Center, Paxton.
She was born March 2, 1914, the daughter of Oltman and Engel (Thompsen) Blue. She married Martin Hinrichs on Dec. 13, 1934. He preceded her in death on April 13, 1993.
Survivors include a son, Arlan (Donna) Hinrichs, and a daughter, Janice (Roger) Welch, all of rural Urbana. She was Oma to five grandchildren, Marcille Umbarger, Steve (Karen) Welch, Sharon (Bill) Albaugh, Robin Heintz and Wade Hinrichs; 11 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandsons; two step-great grandchildren; and one step-great-great grandson. She is also survived by two sisters, Erna Ehmen and Alma Ackerman.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and two sisters.
Lena's love for family and friends was ever present. She will always be remembered for her hospitality; having coffee and "a bite to eat" for relatives and visitors.
Lena was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14, at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, in Diers Hall at Flatville with a prayer service at 4 p.m. Lux Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
A special thanks to the nurses, CNAs and staff at Heartland Nursing Home in Paxton and Iroquois Memorial Hospice for their care.
Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church or to the donor's choice.

Robert Reese

Robert Reese

URBANA – Robert Buren Reese, 67, of Urbana died Wednesday (Oct. 9, 2013) at his home.
He was born Aug. 3, 1946, to Buren and Marguerite Reese in Champaign. He married Janet Esworthy on Aug. 21, 1965, in St. Joseph.
Robert was a graduate from St. Joseph-Ogden High School class of 1964. He also graduated from Illinois Commercial College in Champaign in 1965. He worked for several years as an accountant in Bloomington-Normal. In 1972, he became a farmer and farmed for 41 years.
He is survived by his wife, Janet of Urbana; daughter, Diana (Mete) Sarabi of Champaign; son, James Reese of Urbana; one grandson, Roman Sarabi; and one brother, Jeff Reese of St. Joseph.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.
Visitation will be held at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, from 5 to 7 p.m. today (Friday, Oct. 12). Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Freese Funeral Home, followed by a burial service in Mount Olive Cemetery, Mayview.
Memorial contributions may be made to Neuro Muscular research Fund at Washington University in the memory of Robert Reese; attn: Traci Christenson, 660 S. Euclid Ave. Box 8111, St. Louis, MO 63110.

Guy Bauman

Guy Bauman

St. Joseph – Guy G. Bauman Jr., 93, of St. Joseph died at 10:05 a.m. Friday (Oct. 4, 2013) at Presence Covenant Medical Center, Urbana.
Guy was born Sept. 28, 1920, to Guy G. and Pearl Mae Benefiel Bauman in Urbana. He married Ann Arvilla Shirley on Nov. 16, 1949, in St. Joseph.
He is survived by his wife of St. Joseph and several nieces and nephews.
Guy was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and a brother.
Guy served with the Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war, Guy and his father operated Bauman Heating. Later, he became a member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local No. 230 and worked with them for many years. Guy was a member of the Church of Christ in St. Joseph. He loved to fish.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Mount Olive Cemetery, Mayview, with David Barcus officating. Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be given to the donor's choice.

Inez Britt

Inez Britt

Ogden – Inez Britt, 83, of rural Ogden died Friday (Sept. 20, 2013) at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana,
She was born Sept. 10, 1930, in Jesse Lake, Minn., the daughter of Magnes and Inga Kongsjord. She married Robert Britt of Ogden on Sept. 13, 1954. He preceded her in death.
She is survived by three sons, Jeffrey Britt of Eagan, Minn., John Britt of Champaign and Paul Britt of Indianapolis, Ind.; a daughter, Deborah Britt of Livermore, Calif.; and a grandson, Daniel Britt of St. Peter, Minn.
She worked for 30 years as a bookkeeper at Meier Duitsman Oil Co. in Royal.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at Freese Funeral Home, St. Joseph. Memorial services will be 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to the donor's choice.

Alma Denhart

Alma Denhart

ST. JOSEPH – Alma Denhart was graciously lifted up into the loving arms of her Lord on Sunday (Sept. 8, 2013).
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Burial will be in Mount Olive Cemetery, Mayview.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Freese Funeral Home, St. Joseph, with a 7 p.m. prayer service.
Alma was born Dec. 3, 1922, in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, a daughter of Heinrich and Katherina Funk. She met Merle Denhart while he was stationed in Germany after the war. After the war, Alma came to the United States and was married on Dec. 2, 1947, in Linden, Ind.
She is survived by her children, Ellen (Alan) Woods of St. Joseph, Christina Weyer of St. Joseph and Roger (Lanna) Denhart of St. Joseph; grandchildren, Anthony (Larisa) Woods of Hillsboro, Ore., Elizabeth (Mike) Barber of Fort Collins, Colo., Stacia Denhart of Mesa, Ariz., Matthew Weyer of Aurora, Marcus Weyer of St. Joseph, Jeff (Nicki) Steinman of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Brooke Steinman of Wixom, Mich. Great-grandchildren are Oliver Woods, Timothy, Mary, Lucas, Andrew and Joseph Barber and Alex Steinman.
Alma was preceded in death by her husband Merle, her parents, two brothers, and a daughter, Linda Holmberg.
Alma was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Royal Neighbors of America, and the St. Joseph Senior Citizens.
Alma loved to watch sports. She was a Chicago Cubs and Bears fan and an Illini fan. She would ride her bike to watch her grandchildren participate in sporting events or any other activity that they participated in.
She loved vegetables and flower gardening. She won prizes for her gardening talents at the St. Joseph Fall Festival and the Champaign County Fair.
She loved riding her bike all around town to do her grocery shopping, going to special events and visiting special friends and family, as this was her only method of transportation, since she never drove a car. Occasionally she would ride the Office of Aging van that picked up seniors in rural areas if she wanted to go to Champaign-Urbana. Her family would also take her places.
She loved being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She really loved people and never met a stranger.
She will be greatly missed by all who are thankful for her life on this earth.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16