• LeRoy Allison, 89, Lincoln

• Richard Beare, 85, Atlanta

• George Bigelow, 60, West Palm Beach, Fla., formerly of Mount Pulaski

• Warren Budds, 78, San Jose

• Rita Jordan, 82, Chestnut
  (obituary to be posted)

• Victor Knight, 60, Lincoln

• James Malerich, 80, Lincoln

LeRoy Allison

LeRoy Allison of Lincoln passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001, in Annapolis, Md., at the age of 89.

He was born in Muskogee, Okla., on Jan. 12, 1912, to William F. and Grace Jokisch Allison. His father was teaching at the reservation in Muskogee and managing the reservation store. The family soon returned to Illinois, and he spent most of his childhood in Mason City, where he attended elementary and high school. He attended Illinois Wesleyan University for two years, then the University of Illinois where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance in 1935.

From 1937 until 1969, Mr. Allison was in the grain elevator business, initially with his father and brother Paul, at some 10 locations in central Illinois. In 1947, he purchased the elevator at Elkhart — then a modest wooden structure — and expanded the handling and storage capacities there to the point that, in the 1960s, the Allison & Co. facility in Elkhart was one of the largest privately owned grain elevators in Illinois.

In 1947, Mr. Allison also bought his first farm in Logan County — west of Lincoln between the Lincoln Elks golf course and Salt Creek. Part of this farm later became the Forest Hills development.

In the 1950s, he was among the first to appreciate the large demand that lay ahead for new housing in Lincoln and began development of Mayfair, which, with its broad curving streets, was a bold concept in Lincoln. Mayfair is today the largest and most successful housing development in the city. In addition to Forest Hills and Mayfair, Mr. Allison started several smaller developments in Lincoln, including Westville.

In 1961, Mr. Allison was a co-founder of Logan County Bank, and served a chairman and president of the bank from its inception into the 1970s.

In the late 1960s, he began spending the winter months in Naples, Fla., and over the next 30 years had several real estate holdings and projects in that city.

Throughout his adult life, Mr. Allison was an active member of the Lincoln Elks, serving as both Exalted Ruler of the Lodge and trustee of the Elks Crippled Children’s Trust. He was among the group who planned and carried out the purchase of the swimming pool, the construction of the addition to that facility that now serves as the clubhouse, and the expansion of the golf course to its present 18-hole size. In connection with the golf course expansion, he donated to the lodge the land for two of the new holes.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Lincoln.

He married Constance Filbey in 1937, and they had three children before the marriage ended in divorce in 1949. She lives in Laguna Hills, Calif. He married Alice Hammond in 1972; she preceded him in death.

Two brothers, William of St. Louis, Mo., and Paul of Bloomington, also preceded him in death. His sister-in-law, Catherine Allison of Bloomington, survives.

Mr. Allison is survived by three children — Theodore, who with his wife, Mary Lou (Doyle), lives in Annapolis, Md.; Stephen, who with his wife, Kathleen (Nash), lives in Newport Beach, Calif.; and Gayle Shaw, of Encinitas, Calif.; nine grandchildren — Kelly Allison Whitten, who with her husband, Dr. Brian Whitten, lives in Portland, Ore.; Christopher Shaw of San Diego, Calif.; Michael Allison, who with his wife, Cheryl, lives in Downers Grove; Douglas Allison, who with his wife, Kristin (Burns), lives in Laguna Beach, Calif.; Stephanie Shaw of San Diego, Calif.; Timothy Allison, who with his wife, Heather, lives in Chatham, N.J.; Jeffrey Shaw, who with his wife, Michelle, lives in Petaluma, Calif.; Caroline Allison Albrecht, who with her husband, Thomas Albrecht, lives in Seattle, Wash.; and Megan Allison of Portland, Ore.; four great-grandchildren — Kharissa Shaw of El Cajon, Calif.; Allison Albrecht and Andrew Albrecht of Seattle, Wash.; and Claire Allison of Downers Grove; three stepchildren — Richard Hammond of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Jack Hammond of San Diego, Calif., and Jill Hammond Smith of Columbia, Mo.; and seven stepgrandchildren.

A visitation is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 26, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Holland and Barry Funeral Home.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Lincoln, followed by lunch at the church.

A private burial service at Union Cemetery will take place following lunch.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made in Mr. Allison’s memory to the Lincoln Elks Crippled Children’s Trust. Those may be mailed to Lincoln Elks Lodge 914, 1020 1525 St., Lincoln, IL  62656.

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Richard Beare

Richard E. Beare, 85, of Atlanta died at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2001, at the Christian Nursing Home in Lincoln.

His funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Quiram Funeral Home in Atlanta. The Rev. John Horner will officiate.

Burial will be in Oak View Cemetery, rural Armington.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Beare retired in 1985 after 35 years of employment with R.A. Cullinan, Tremont. He previously farmed for several years.

He was born Sept. 21, 1916, in rural Armington, to Thomas and Emma Zeitler Beare. He married Mary Fitchorn in Lincoln on May 24, 1935.

Surviving Beare are his wife, several nieces and nephews, and caretaker Babette Ware of Atlanta.

He was preceded in death by four sisters.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Atlanta Rescue Squad, St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Atlanta or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Victor Knight

Victor L. Knight, 60, of Lincoln died at 7:35 a.m. Monday, Oct. 22, 2001, at his home.

His funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at Jefferson Street Christian Church in Lincoln, with Craig Smith officiating.

Burial will be in Old Union Cemetery, Lincoln.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Holland and Barry Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Knight was a barber in Lincoln for 34 years.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1962.

He was born Oct. 25, 1940, in Shelbyville to Herman and Ruth Bullard Knight. He married Sue Bast in Marine, Ill., on Sept. 4, 1965.

Surviving Knight are his wife, of Lincoln; two children, Jeremy Knight of Springfield and Jennifer Knight of Lincoln; one grandchild, Cheyenne Knight; one brother, Gary Knight of Chatham; and one sister, Linda Thomas of Newburgh, Ind.

He was a member of Jefferson Street Christian Church in Lincoln. He had taught Sunday School in the past.

He graduated from Flora Township High School in 1959. He was also a graduate of Belleville Barber College.

Memorials may be made to Jefferson Street Christian Church.

Warren Budds

Warren F. Budds, 78, of San Jose died at 12:35 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, 2001, at his home.

His funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at Hurley Funeral Home in San Jose, with Father Gerald Virdun and Jon Hamilton officiating.

Burial, with military rites, will be in Lakeside Cemetery, Pekin.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the funeral home.

Budds retired from Caterpillar in Mossville in 1979. He was a design engineer in his last position there.

He was a first lieutenant and flight engineer in the Air Force during World War II.

He was born Nov. 20, 1922, in Pana to Warren and Carmen Posteur Budds. He married Thelma Reardon. She died Dec. 10, 1970. He married Bertie Simer on Feb. 26, 1972, at St. Charles Catholic Church in Pekin. She survives.

Also surviving are four sons, James Cooper of Pekin, James (and wife Kay) Budds of Pekin, Cleatus (and Patricia K.) Cooper of Jackson, Tenn., and Danny R. Cooper of San Jose; four daughters, Carmen E. Volsen of Missouri, Diane Sparks of Mason City, Teresa A. Loeffelmann of Forest City and Annette (and Jim) Frye of Pekin; 20 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bill Budds of Pana; and one sister, Maxine (and Harry) Beeson of Pana.

He was also preceded in death by one sister.

He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Delavan.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society.

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