Menard County Review, Friday, Feb. 21, 1975

ATHENS -- Kenneth (Luke) Yoakum, 48, of Seattle, Washington was found dead at his home Friday, February 14.

Mr. Yoakum was born May 31, 1926 in Athens, the son of the late Robert Otis and Edith M. Yoakum. He attended the Athens Schools.

He is survived by two sons, David and Kevin Yoakum, both of Seattle, Wash.; one daughter, Mrs. Carl A. (Kenna) Rogers, Jr. of Springfield; one brother, Jack Yoakum of Twist, Wash.; three half-sisters, Mrs. Walter (Rose) Abel of Athens, Mrs. Lois Cantrall and Mrs. Willetta Mortimer, both of Springfield; one half-brother, Allen Yoakum, Jr. of Cantrall; two grand-daughters, Lisa and Angela Rogers of Springfield; three nephews and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Menard County Review, Friday, February 14, 1975 page 8

ATHENS- Mrs. Beulah Bowers of Kansas City, Kansas informs the Menard County Review that Mrs. Leota Griffith of Harrison, Ark. passed away in January.

Mrs. Griffith was a former resident of Athens.

Menard County Review, Friday, February 21, 1975

Mrs. Mary E. Winterbauer, 78, of Springfield, a former resident of the Athens area, died Monday evening at Dirksen house.

She was born in Christian County, the daughter of Philip and Katherine McMahon Winterbauer and had lived in Springfield for many years. She was a member of St. Agnes Church, Altar and Rosary Society, CD and A Madonna Court and Third Order of St. Dominic.

Surviving are four sisters, Sister Thomas Aquinas, O.P. of Sacred Heart Convent; Mrs. Susan Campbell of Athens, Mrs. Clare Mcay of Springfield, Mo. and Mr. and Mrs. Josephine Dorgan of Springfield; three brothers, Edward Winterbauer of Athens, Henry Winterbauer of Chicago and Phil Winterbauer of Springfield; several nieces and nephews.

Services were held at 9 a.m. Thursday at St. Agnes church, Rev. James Casey officiating and burial was in Calvary Cemetery, Springfield with Staab Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Menard County Review, Friday, February 21, 1975

FANCY PRAIRIE- Harm Folkers, 78, of Fancy Prairie died at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, February 12, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.

Mr. Folkers, a retired farm laborer, was born October 5, 1896 at Scotts Grove, Iowa the son of Henry and Meta Stutt Folkers.

Surviving are his wife, Grace; one son Myron Folkers of Fancy Prairie; one sister, Mrs. Mabel Ricklefs of Monticello, Iowa; three brothers, John, Henry and W.T. Folkers all of Scotts Grove, Iowa; and one granddaughter, Melissa Folkers.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 at Mott and Henning Funeral home in Athens with Rev. John Klueter officiating. Burial was in Hall Cemetery at Athens.

Menard County (Review), Friday, January 17, 1975

Word has been received here of the death of Raymond E. Custer, 82, of WaKeeney, Kansas, that occurred Dec. 6 following a long illness.

Mr. Custer was born in Marion county, Kansas and moved to Menard County with his parents, Charles and Emma Snyder Custer, when a small boy. He graduated from Petersburg High School in 1910. After terms at West Point and Rolla School of mines, he enrolled at Ft. Hays State College, Hays, Kansas, and later received his Master's Degree in Education from Kansas University.

He was a veteran of World War I and participated in the Meuse-Argonne, St. Mihiel and Defensive Sector Toul engagements in France.

Mr. Custer taught school at Athens and taught and coached at Ellsworth, Kansas, was coach and principal at Gove, Kansas, and served as principal of Trego Community High School in WaKeeney for 19 years. The last 10 years of his educational career were spent with the State Department of Education in Kansas as a high school supervisor. After leaving this position, he was able to devote full time to ranching and farming.

Mr. Custer as a member of the Presbyterian Church, of the WaKeeney Masonic Lodge, the American Legion, and various educational organizations.

He was married to Edna Walker of WaKeeney in 1919 and she died in 1925. To this union was born a son, Raymond E. Custer, Jr. of WaKeeney. In 1927, he married Edna's sister, Eva, and to this union were born Charles of Chicago; Jeanne (Mrs. Warren Conner) of Ashland, Kansas; Kathleen (Mrs. Roberts Banston) of Pass Christian, Miss., Sara (Mrs. Max Overton) of Chicago. There are 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Other survivors are two sisters, Mrs. H.V. Knowles of Jacksonville Ill. And Mrs. L.A. Tomlin of Sarasota, Fla. Besides his first wife Edna, he was preceded in death by a brother, Carl, of Denver, Colo., and a sister, Mrs. Henry Stone of Springfield.

Funeral services were held Dec. 9 at the WaKeeney Presbyterian Church with internment at the WaKeeney Cemetery. A military tribute climaxed the brief grave-side service.

Menard County Review, January 31, 1975

ATHENS- Virgil L. Yocum, 69, formerly of R.R. 1, Springfield, died at 7:30 p.m. Monday, January 27 at the Illini House in Springfield.

Mr. Yocum was born July 17, 1905 in Clinton, Ind., the son of William and Alma Brown Yocum. Prior to retirement, he was employed by the Salvation Army.

Surviving are his wife, Charlotte Rosalie (Fagg); one son, Charles Yocum of Athens; four daughters, Mrs. Richard (Mary Gean) Farrington of Clinton, Ind., Mrs. Velma Fox, Mrs. Sam (Virginia) Fox and Mrs. Forrest (Anna) Pryer, all of Springfield; one brother, Frank Yocum of Springfield; two sisters, Mrs. John (Lucille) Canedy of Springfield and Mrs. Mae Graves of Riverton; 23 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 30 at Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home in Springfield with Rev. Lawrence Hamrick officiating. Burial was in Roselawn Memorial Park, Springfield.

Mernard County Review, January 9, 1975

ATHENS- John P. Meurer, 92, of Springfield died at 7:25 a.m. Saturday, January 4 at the Haven Convalescent Center in Springfield.

Mr. Meurer, a retired farmer, was born March 1, 1882 in Oregon, the son of Mr. And Mrs. John Meurer.

He is survived by several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at 9:30 a.m. Monday, January 6 at the Athens Hold Family Catholic Church with Rev. Peter Mascari officiating. Burial was in Hall Cemetery.

Mott and Henning funeral home of Athens was in charge of arrangements.

Menard County Review, Friday, April 6, 1979

ATHENS- Oliver "Lucky" VanEman of Athens died at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday, April 4 at St. John's Hospital in Springfield. He was 65 years of age.

Mr. VanEman was born February 21, 1914 in Menard County, the son of Frank and Laura Edith McKee VanEman. He was a member of the Indian Point Presbyterian Church.

Surviving are his wife, Thelma; one daughter, Mrs. Janet Wells of Athens; one son, J.F. of Jacksonville; two brothers, Hubert of Athens and Robert of Kimberling City, Mo.; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Bakur of Astoria, N.Y. and Mrs. Velda Miller of Elgin; and four grandchildren.

Services will be held Friday, April 6 at 1:30 p.m. at Mott and Henning Funeral Home in Athens with Rev. William Pullin officiating. Burial will be in Lebanon Cemetery.

Menard County Review, April 13, 1979

Petersburg woman's sister dead at 95.

Mrs. Lucille Otstott Ray, 95 years old, died at Antioch, California on Saturday, April 7. She was the sister of Florence Clark of Petersburg and a former resident of Springfield and Decatur.

Mrs. Ray was born near Athens on March 22, 1884, the daughter of Francis Marion and Sarah Hunt Otstott. She was married twice, her first husband Arthur Boulware preceded her in death in 1939 and her second husband, Lewis Ray in 1958. She was a registered nurse and practiced nursing for the Wabash R.R., Springfield Memorial Hospital and Decatur hospital. She moved to Antioch California in 1958.

Surviving is her sister, Mrs. Clark of Petersburg and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by seven brothers and sisters.

Funeral services were held at Antioch with burial in Oakview Memorial Cemetery with Higgins Mortuary in charge of the services.

Menard County Review, Friday, April 13, 1979

ATHENS- Mrs. Evelyn A. Claypool of Mason City died at 1:15 p.m. Friday, April 6 at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln. She was 46 years of age.

Surviving are her husband, Arthur; one son, Eric of Mason City; two daughters, Kristina Claypool of Mason City and Kathryn Demler of Cuba; four grandchildren; parents, Mr. And Mrs. Rudolph Gustafson of Athens; one sister, Judith Critchloe of Vandalia.

Services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 9 at the Cain Funeral Home in Mason City and burial was in Elmwood Cemetery, Greenview.

Menard County Review, Friday, April 13, 1979

ATHENS-Miss Clara Nelson of Springfield died at 6:50 p.m. Sunday, April 8 at Dirksen House at the age of 91 years.

She was born in Athens, the daughter of Adolph and Mahalia Mellinger Nelson. She retired in 1953 from the Sangamo Electric Company. She was a member of the First Christian Church the Sangamo Electric 35-Year Cub, and Triple Link Rebekah Lodge 577. She was preceded in death by two brothers and four sisters.

Surviving are one niece, Mrs. Fred (Dorothy) Krone of Springfield; one nephew, Donald Vasconcelles of Littleton, Colo.; several great-nieces and one great-nephew.

Services were held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 11 at Bisch Memorial Chapel in Springfield with Rev. Ronald Frazier officiating. Burial was in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Menard County Review, Friday, April 20, 1979

Mrs. Mary A. Ferguson, formerly of Athens, died at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, April 15, at Sunny Acres Nursing Home, Petersburg, at the age of 87 years.

She was born December 24, 1891, the daughter of Robert and Victoria Levitt Yoakum.

Surviving are one son, Earl of Athens; four daughters, Mrs. Lucille Drury of Schilla Park, Mrs. Gladys Glenn, Mrs. Maurine Denton and Mrs. LeEtta Fawns, all of Athens; 16 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 18 at Mott and Henning Funeral Home in Athens with Rev. William Pullin officiating. Burial was in Hall Cemetery, Athens.

Menard County Review, Friday, April 20, 1979

Dorothy M. Showalter of Fancy Prairie died at 8:45 a.m. Monday April 16 at St. John's Hospital, Springfield. She was 61 years old.

She was born June 29, 1917, the daughter of William H. and Louella Humphries Greer. She had been a custodian at Fancy Prairie Elementary School for several years.

Surviving are her husband, Frank; four daughters, Miss Delores Showalter of Fancy Prairie, Mrs. Diane Hipsher of Fort Collins, Colo.; Mrs. Gail Miller of Elkhart and Mrs. Sharon Mitts of Fancy Prairie; two sisters, Mrs. Kay Baugher of Athens and Mrs. Audrey Ratliff of Greenview; five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Services were held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 18 at Mott and Henning Funeral Home, Athens, with Rev. Charles Hendricks and Rev. James Thompson officiating. Burial was in Walnut Hill Cemetery, Williamsville.

Memorials may be made to the Fancy Prairie Basic Life Support Unit

Submitted by: Rajean Gallagher