U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Gass
DECATUR -- Dorothy Ellen Gass, 89, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., formerly of Decatur, died Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2003).
Graveside services: 2 p.m. Wednesday in Westminster Memorial Park, Westminster, Calif. Memorials: donor's choice. Arrangements by: Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home, Lake Havasu City.
Member: Business & Professional Women's Association in both Huntington Beach, Calif., and Hemet, Calif. Survivors: daughters, Phyllis Tyler, Parker Dam, Calif.; Nancy Brown, Norco, Calif.; eight grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren.
Green
BLUE MOUND -- Levi W. Green, 86, Blue Mound, died Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2003).
Services: 10 a.m. Friday, First Christian Church of Blue Mound. Visitation was Thursday. Arrangements by: Ater-Wikoff Funeral Home, Blue Mound. Burial: Hall Cemetery, Blue Mound. Memorials: First Christian Church Building Fund or Blue Mound Fire and Rescue.
Horton
DECATUR -- Gerald F. "Jerry" Horton, 80, of Sun City West, Ariz., passed away Jan. 20, 2003, in Sun City West.
Services were Jan. 23, 2003, in Sun City West. Arrangements were by Camino Dell Sol Funeral Home, Sun City West. After cremation, his ashes were scattered over the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.
Jerry was born Dec. 12, 1922, in Piatt County, the son of Merlin E. and Anna Traxler Horton. Jerry graduated from Cerro Gordo High School and Colorado A.M., Fort Collins, Colo. He was an Air Force pilot and served in World War II. He retired from the Forest Ranger Service. He enjoyed the outdoors and was a marathoner. He married Margaret Thompkins in 1949.
Surviving are his wife; son, Tom of Placerville, Calif.; daughter, Suanna of Salt Lake City, Utah; three grandchildren; sisters, Dorothy H. Smith of Lenoi r City, Tenn.; LaVonne Bliefnick of Decatur.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, M. Wayne.
Sarver
DECATUR -- Delice Sarver, 75, Decatur, died Thursday (Feb. 6, 2003). Arrangements incomplete: Brintlinger & Earl Funeral Homes.
Lawton
DECATUR -- Sidney Lee "Sid" Lawton, 69, Decatur, died Saturday (Feb. 1, 2003).
Services: 10 a.m. Friday, Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Homes. Visitation was Thursday. Burial: Graceland Cemetery. Memorials: Shriner's Hospital for Children, 2001 S. Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63131-3597.
Meyer
DECATUR -- Betty V. Meyer, 79, Decatur, died Tuesday (Feb. 4, 2003).
Services: 2 p.m. Friday in Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Homes. Visitation: one hour before services. Burial: Macon County Memorial Park, Harristown. Memorials: American Cancer Society or American Lung Association.
Neal
DECATUR -- Stevie Michael Neal, 45, of Decatur passed from this life Tuesday (Feb. 4, 2003) in Springfield Memorial Medical Center.
Homegoing services will be 11 a.m. Monday in Church of the Living God PGT Temple 3 with Bishop Calvin Peppers officiating. Visitation will be one hour before services in the church. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Arrangements by: J.J. Moran & Sons Funeral Home.
Stevie was born Aug. 31, 1957, in Decatur, the son of Robert and Lillie Walker Neal. He graduated from Eisenhower High School and worked for a short period at Wagner Castings Co. He attended the Church of the Living God PGT Temple 3. A very strong man, Stevie fought a long and hard battle with kidney failure for 20 years.
He leaves not to mourn, but to cherish fond memories, his one and only daughter, Angel (Juan) White of Decatur; mother; sisters, Dorothy Mae Donelson and Wanda (Antoine) Dotson, all of Decatur; brothers, Robert (Lisa) Neal Jr., Curtis Neal, Wallace Neal and Gary Neal, all of Decatur; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father and grandparents.
The family would like to give special thanks and appreciation to the Kidney Dialysis Center on Wood and McKinley streets, the staff on 5B and 2E at Springfield Memorial Medical Center and the nephrologists, Dr. Mitra, Dr. Meta, Dr. Tamis, Dr. Kha and Dr. Weaber of Springfield Memorial Medical Center, for giving our loved one 20 years of great care.
Daddy, I miss you already. I wish you wouldn't have left, but I know you're free. Love, your daughter, Angel.
Huffman
DECATUR -- Walter Mason Huffman, 75, formerly of Decatur, passed away Dec. 6, 2002, in the home of his daughter, under the care of Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, Largo, Fla.
Burial was in Memorial Gardens, Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park, Clearwater, Fla. Memorials: Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. Arrangements by: Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home, Clearwater.
Mr. Huffman was born May 27, 1927, in Stanford, son of Walter M. Huffman Sr. and Lillian Piggott Huffman. He was a member of the First Methodist Church, American Legion and a Navy veteran of WWII. For many years, he was a general manager for Weidenbacher Oldsmobile, Decatur. Before his retirement, he was vice president and general manager of Lakey Motors Auto Agency, Clearwater. He married Barbara Ann Coats in 1951.
Surviving are his son, Christopher Shane Huffman, Clearwater; daughter, Holly Michelle Huffman, Clearwater.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
O'Dell
DECATUR -- Atha Louise O'Dell, 87, Biloxi, Miss., formerly of Decatur, died Monday (Feb. 3, 2003).
Services: noon Saturday, Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home. Visitation: 9:30 a.m. until services. Burial: Graceland Cemetery. Memorials: Trinity Hospice, 15105 Lemoyne Blvd., D'Iberville, MS 39540, or donor's choice.
O'Dell
DECATUR -- Cheryl Ann O'Dell, 53, formerly of Decatur, died 9:50 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 4, 2003) in St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital, Centralia.
Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Saturday in Macon County Memorial Park, Harristown. Arrangements by Brintlinger & Earl Funeral Homes. Memorials: Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church.
Cheryl was born July 19, 1949, in Decatur, the daughter of Charles A. and Pauline Fern Williams O'Dell. She was formerly of Lincoln Development Center and, due to its closing, was transferred to the Warren G. Murray Developmental Center in Centralia.
Surviving are her parents; sisters, Marian A. Stevens and husband James of Aurora; Elizabeth F. Gephart and husband Joseph of Decatur; Barbara S. Moore and husband Al of Downers Grove; nieces and nephews.
Stine
DECATUR -- Roy C. Stine, 94, Decatur, died Tuesday (Feb. 4, 2003).
Services: 1 p.m. Friday, Harvest Christian Center. Visitation: one hour before services in the church. Burial: Graceland Cemetery. Arrangements by: Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home. Memorials: Harvest Christian Center.
Gause
DECATUR -- Dawn R. Rowe Gause, 36, Decatur, died Jan. 31, 2003.
Services: were Feb. 6, 2003. Visitation: two hours before services. Burial: Greenwood Cemetery. Arrangements by: Walker Funeral Service and Chapel.
Badgley
ROBINSON -- Rosella Badgley, 68, Robinson, homemaker, died Thursday (Feb. 6, 2003).
Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, Goodwine Funeral Home, Robinson. Visitation: two hours before services. Burial: Robinson New Cemetery.
Bannick
EFFINGHAM -- Lawrence Bannick, 82, Effingham, died Thursday (Feb. 6, 2003). Arrangements incomplete: Johnson Funeral Home, Effingham.
Bill
OLNEY -- H. Delbert Bill, 83, Olney, died Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2003).
Services: 1 p.m. Friday, Stasi-Grove Funeral Home, Olney. No visitation. Burial: Haven Hill Cemetery, Olney. Memorials: Blain Congregational Christian Church, Olney.
Geiger
OLNEY -- Lora Marie Geiger, 97, Olney, died Thursday (Feb. 6, 2003).
Services: 10 a.m. Monday, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Olney. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Summers-Kistler Funeral Home, Olney, with 7:30 p.m. Holy Rosary service. Burial: St. Joseph Cemetery, Olney.
Memorials: St. Joseph School Foundation Trust, Olney.
Grove
OLNEY -- Larry J. Grove, 62, Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Olney, died Saturday (Feb. 1, 2003).
Services: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Hope Chapel at Crest Haven Cemetery, Olney. No visitation. Burial: Crest Haven Cemetery. Memorials: Hope Hospice, Cape Coral, Fla. Arrangements by: Summers-Kistler Funeral Homes, Olney.
Cohorst
WHEELER -- Leonard H. Cohorst, 87, Wheeler, died Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2003).
Services: 9 a.m. Saturday, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Island Grove. Visitation: 4 to 8 p.m. Friday in the church with 6:30 p.m. parish wake service. Burial: St. Joseph's Catholic Church Cemetery. Arrangements by: Bauer Funeral Home, Effingham. Memorials: Alzheimer's Association or American Cancer Society.
Childers
TAYLORVILLE -- Emily L. Childers, 75, Taylorville, homemaker, died Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2003).
Services: 10 a.m. Saturday, McClure Funeral Home, Taylorville. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Burial: Oak Hill Cemetery, Taylorville.
Member: First Baptist Church of Taylorville. Survivors: sons, David M. and Roy L. "Buddy," both of Taylorville; brother, Robert Shivers, Taylorville; sister, Katherine Van Hoosier, Taylorville; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren. Preceded by: parents; husband, Vincent L. "Bud" Childers; five brothers.
