Obituary index

Ross Sowers

[January 11, 2011]  MIDDLETOWN -- Ross A. Sowers, 72, of Middletown, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2011, at 12:24 p.m. at St. John's Hospital in Springfield.

Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Robert Irvin officiating.

Burial will be in Graceland Fairlawn Cemetery, Decatur.

Mr. Sowers retired from Kelly Construction of Decatur.

He served in the National Guard.

He was born Dec. 16, 1938, in Decatur. His parents were Thural and Nellie Camp Sowers. He married Loretta Noon on Aug. 3, 1968, in Decatur.

He is survived by his wife, of Middletown; one son, Richard (and Robin) Sowers of Decatur; four daughters, Debra Roles of Decatur, Sheila (and Lance) Mahan of Paducah, Ky., Carol (and Stephan) Upshaw of Downers Grove and Jody Jones of Bethlehem, Ga.; five grandchildren, Julia Roles, Shelby Sowers, Emily Sowers, Benjamin Upshaw and Zachary Upshaw; six brothers, Robert Sowers, Wayne (and Rosemary) Sowers, Rex (and Nancy) Sowers, Eugene (and Rosie) Sowers, Darrell (and Linda) Sowers and Gary Sowers, all of Decatur; and two sisters, Virginia Foster of Riverside, Calif., and Carol (and Jim) Shafer of Decatur.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Marvin.

He was a member of the Illinois Live Steamers Association, Florida Live Steamers Association and St. Louis Live Steamers Association.

Memorials may be made to Middletown United Methodist Church.

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