Marilyn A. Butzow, 76, of Crescent City passed away Monday, December 24, 2018 at Prairieview Lutheran Home in Danforth. She was born November 21, 1942, the daughter of Ellot and Elsie (Stinebring) Black and they preceded her in death. Marilyn married Rudolph Lee Butzow in Danforth on July 11, 1964 and he preceded her in death on October 24, 1981. Along with her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her brother, Sidney Black; father-in-law, Fred Butzow, and mother-in-law, Agnes Butzow.

Marilyn is survived by two daughters, Barb (Josh) King of Milford and Becky (Bob) Love of Bloomington; two sisters, Ruth (Dennis) Boyer of Crescent City and Nancy (Bob) Goris of West Lafayette, IN; three grandkids, Olivia, Rudolph “Rudy”, and Ryan King; eight nieces and nephews, Cheri (Mark) Rogers, Amy (Chris) Warke, David Light, Brian (Sara) Black, Melanie Black, Lonnie (Cheryl) Black, Brent (Terrie) Witte, Julie (Brian) Hasbargen, and Jason (Michele) Witte; one sister-in-law, Barb (Joe) Witte of Watseka; and two great-nieces, Abbey and Becca Rogers.

Marilyn loved gardening, cooking, and spending time with her family, especially on family vacations. She worked as a hairdresser for fifty-seven years, as well as the ARC of Iroquois County for over twenty-five years.

Visitation will be held from 2:00-6:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 30, at the Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka and one hour prior to the funeral service on Monday, December 31. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 31, 2018 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Crescent City with Rev. Joel Brown officiating. Burial will follow the service at Flesher Cemetery in Crescent City.

Memorials may be made to Prairieview Lutheran Home or Iroquois Memorial Hospice.

Please share a memory of Marilyn at www.knappfuneralhome.com

Betty Ann Rabe, 90 of Versailles, MO and formerly of Crescent City and Watseka passed away on December 14, 2018 at Good Shepard Care Center in Versailles, MO. She was born on February 18, 1928 in Waterloo, IA the daughter of Fred and Dora Schellhorn Koehn. Betty married Wallace R. Rabe in Woodworth on December 2, 1945 and he preceded her in death on June 6, 1974. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her two daughters- Rita Harrison and Beth Ann Parrish and three brothers.
Survivors include six grandchildren- Miles Rabe, Camilla Searcy, H.D. Smith, Wesley Smith, Tracy Easterly and Tina Milligan; 11 great grandchildren; and 9 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday December 20, 2018 at 1:00 pm at Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka with Rev G. Robert Heimgartner officiating. Visitation will one hour prior to the funeral service at the funeral home. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Watseka.

Memorials may be made to Lutheran Brotherhood.

James “Jimmy” Gellinger, 61, of Crescent City, Illinois, passed away on Thursday, December 6, 2018.

He was born on September 27, 1957 in Watseka, Illinois, the son of Richard Gellinger and Marietta (Scott) Gellinger.

Jimmy worked custodial for John Deere for 25 years. He enjoyed watching sports, especially baseball always cheering on the CUBS. He also liked fishing and helping people in town getting their mail.

Surviving Mr. Gellinger is his mother, Marietta Gellinger of Crescent City, IL; sister, Lynda (Tim) Stone of Watseka, IL; nieces and nephews, Emily and Matt Tuttle, Nick and Julie Stone, Joe and Sarah Stone, and Zack and Heidi Stone; and twenty-two great nieces and nephews.

He is also preceded in death by his father, Richard; maternal grandparents, Ralph and Marie Scott; and paternal grandparents, Grover and Lottie Gellinger.

Visitation will be held on Monday, December 10, 2018 from 4-8pm, at Baier Funeral Home in Watseka.

Funeral Services will take place on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at 11:00 am, at Baier Funeral Home in Watseka. A one hour visitation will take place prior to services. Pastor Robert Sabo will officiate.

Burial will follow at Flesher Cemetery in Crescent City, IL.

Laverne Farney, 93, of Cissna Park passed away on Monday, December 3, 2018 at Heritage Health in Hoopeston.

Laverne was born August 16, 1925 in Cissna Park, the daughter of Solamon and Kathryn Fehr Farney and they preceded her in death along with one brother, Dale; two sisters, Twylla Beer and Loretta Baumgartner; and three nieces and nephews.

She is survived by two sisters, Myra Farney of Cissna Park and Nancy Hauptli of Cissna Park; one brother, Gerry (Geraldine) Farney of Cissna Park; and 15 nieces and nephews.

Ms. Farney was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church in Cissna Park.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until the 10:00 a.m. funeral service on Friday, December 7, 2018 at the Apostolic Christian Church in Cissna Park. Ministers of the church will officiate. Burial will follow at the Apostolic Christian Cemetery in Cissna Park.

Memorials may be made to the Apostolic Christian Church in Cissna Park.

Arrangements by Knapp Funeral Home in Cissna Park.

Please share a memory of Laverne at www.knappfuneralhomes.com.

Edmund J. “Ed” Menard, 91, of Clifton, passed away on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at the Manteno Veterans’ Home. Ed was born on February 21, 1927 in Bourbonnais; the son of the late Hubert and Mathilda (O’Dette) Menard. Ed married Bernice Dutour in L’Erable, IL on April 24, 1948; they celebrated 56 years together until she preceded him death on May 28, 2004. Ed proudly served our country during the Korean Conflict in the Marines. After his service to our country Ed worked for General Foods for 38 years retiring in 1982. Ed was an active member of St. Peters Catholic Church in Clifton volunteering his time as an usher and doing maintenance around the church. Never one to sit still Ed enjoyed coaching the Clifton Little League, tinkering in his garage, and tending to his yard, garden, and home. He was especially proud to own and maintain the oldest home in Clifton being built in 1857. Ed had a sweet tooth always enjoying candy, his wife’s baked goods, and assorted nuts with cashews being his favorite. Ed was an avid fan of the Cubs and Notre Dame.

Ed is survived by his children; Brenda (Greg) Yohnka of Clifton, Carl (Sandi) Menard of Flint, MI, his grandchildren: Jami (Steve Purvin) Menard of Chicago, Chad (Britney Weber) Menard of Temecula, CA, Jace (Taylor Drez) Menard of Oceanside, CA, Austin (Erin Huddleston) Yohnka of Nashville, TN, Elizabeth (David) Ferguson of Clifton, Amanda Menard of Flint, MI, Lance Menard of Rochester Hills, MI, a great-grandson Sebastian, the last of his generation of family sister-in-law Margaret Hemp of Milford, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins who all affectionately knew him as “Uncle Mickey.”

Ed was also preceded in death by his son Alan Menard, by a brother Rev. Wilfred Menard CSC, his twin brother Louie Menard, a sister Dorothy Miller, and his daughter-in-law Shelly Menard.

The family will receive guests at the Knapp Funeral Home in Clifton on Wednesday, December 5, from 4-7 pm. A funeral mass will be celebrated by Rev. Doug Hauber on Thursday, December 6, at 11 am at St. Peters Catholic Church in Clifton. To honor Ed’s wishes cremation rites will be accorded and a private inurnment will take place at a later date.

Those who wish are encouraged to leave memorials in Ed’s name to the Manteno Veterans’ Home or to St. Peters Catholic Church.

Brenda A. Lynn St. Peter, 59, of Crescent City passed away on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at her home. She was born on May 25, 1959 in Watseka, a daughter of William R. and Shirley Ann Bennett Barney.

Survivors include two daughters, Emily (Brandon) Magers of Paxton and Rachel Billings of Paxton; one grandchild, Bexley Magers; one sister, Barb (Russ) Denoyer of Watseka; one brother, Bill Barney of Watseka; and one niece, Cheyenne Denoyer of Quincy, IL. Brenda was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dennis Lynn; and one nephew, Dalton Denoyer.

Brenda was a member of St. Edmund Catholic Church in Watseka, where she taught CCD for several years. She also enjoyed riding her motorcycle.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 at St. Edmund Catholic Church in Watseka with Fr. Michael Powell officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. Burial will be at Beaver Cemetery near Donovan.

Memorials may be made to an education fund for Rachel and Bexley.

Arrangements are by the Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka.