Margaret Kurtz       Send a link to a friend

Archived Oct. 6, 2004

LINCOLN -- Margaret M. Kurtz, 78, of Lincoln died Monday, Oct. 4, 2004, at 9:05 p.m. at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Peasley Funeral Home in Lincoln, following a prayer service at 5 p.m.

Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Family Church, with the Rev. R. Anthony Lee officiating.

Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mrs. Krutz had been employed as a licensed practical nurse at St. Clara's Hospital, Deaconess Nursing Home and Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. She retired in February of 1988.

She was born Feb. 15, 1926, at Streator, to George and Mary Urdzik Yusko. She married John H. Kurtz on Sept. 2, 1952, in Lincoln. He died Sept. 22, 1982.

She is survived by one son, Larry R. Kurtz of Lincoln; two grandchildren, Matthew L. Kurtz and Christopher M. Kurtz, both of Lincoln; two sisters, Louise (and Leon) Hinkelman of Ottawa and Mary Lou Yusko of Streator; two brothers, James (and Beverly) Yusko of Streator and Larry (and Irngard) Yusko of Clearwater, Fla.; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and seven brothers.

She was a member of Holy Family Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church or the American  Diabetes Association.

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Charles 'Onie' O'Neill       Send a link to a friend

Archived Oct. 5, 2004

LINCOLN -- Charles Leo "Onie" O'Neill, 83, of Lincoln died Sunday, Oct. 3, 2004, at 8:50 p.m. at Proctor Hospital in Peoria.

A prayer service and visitation were on Wednesday at Peasley Funeral Home in Lincoln.

His funeral was Thursday morning at Holy Family Church in Lincoln, with the Rev. R. Anthony Lee officiating.

Burial is in Holy Cross Cemetery. American Legion Logan Post 263 conducted military rites.

Mr. O'Neill had been employed at Ball-Incon Bottle Factory in Lincoln for 32 years when he retired in 1987.

He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a recipient of a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He served with the 48th Engineers Combat Battalion.

He was born Feb. 13, 1921, at Lincoln to Charles and Nellie Ryan O'Neill. He married Viola Mae Biggs in September 1954 in Lincoln. She died Sept. 2, 1968.

He is survived by two sons, Pat (and Juanita) O'Neill of Lincoln and Mike (and Patty) O'Neill of Lincoln; three grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and six step-great-grandchildren.

He was a member of Holy Family Church, a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of American Legion Logan Post 263.

He was a member of the Glass Bottle Blowers Association for 30 years and past union president of both locals of the Lincoln plant.

He was association secretary for the Lincoln Bowling Association for 30 years and ran the Young American Bowling Alliance for 27 years. He was inducted into the Lincoln Bowling Association Hall of Fall in 2000.

He was also a well-known fast pitch softball pitcher.

Memorial contributions may be made to Carroll Catholic School or Lincoln Young American Bowling Alliance.

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David Drake       Send a link to a friend

Archived Oct. 4, 2004

BEASON -- David L. Drake, 83, died Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. at his home near Beason.

Visitation was on Wednesday at Holland and Barry Funeral Home in Lincoln.

His funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Beason United Methodist Church. Visitation at the church will begin at 2 p.m.

Burial will be in Harmony Cemetery.

Mr. Drake was a retired farmer.

He served with the 253rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion in Europe during World War II.

He was born May 19, 1921, at Cornland to Martin Bogarte and Clara Belle Robinson Drake. He married Merida Bivin of Mechanicsburg on Nov. 6, 1943.

He is survived by his wife; four children, Warren (and Geraldine) Drake of Mahomet, Harold (and Nancy) Drake of Beason, Martha (and John) Bunzey of Taylorville and Laura (and Marc) Enger of Farmer City; nine grandchildren, Sheryl, Robert and Doug Drake, Kevin and Erin Klee, Michael (and Diane), Sig and Melanie Enger, and Liz (and Tom) Pratt; four brothers, Robert E. (and Mary E.) Drake of Beason, Richard K. (and Joy) Drake of Farmer City, George E. (and Elinor) Drake of El Paso and Andrew V. (and Eileen) Drake of Morton; and a sister-in-law, Mary Drake.

Two grandchildren, Belle Marie Drake and Curtis A. Drake, and two brothers, Michael Warren Drake and Donald Louis Drake, preceded him in death.

He was a member of Beason United Methodist Church, where he had served as Sunday school teacher and on the board of trustees. He was also a member of American Legion Post 848, DeWitt Masonic Lodge 84 in Clinton, Farm Bureau and a life member of the National Rifle Association.

He had been a leader for the Deer Creek Ag 4-H Club and a Boy Scout troop committee member.

For many years he was a Logan County Housing Authority commissioner.

He attended school in Cornland and then graduated from Lincoln High School in 1939. He attended the University of Illinois before being drafted into the U.S. Army and graduated from the U of I College of Agriculture after the war.

He began farming near Beason in 1946. He and his brother Robert were named Conservation Farmers of the Year in 1973.

Memorials may be made to the Beason United Methodist Church or Hospice Care of Illinois.

James Conner       Send a link to a friend

Archived Oct. 5, 2004

LINCOLN -- James Dylan "Jimmy" Conner, 2, of Lincoln died Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004, at 5:35 p.m. at Alton Memorial Hospital, Alton.

Arrangements are pending at Bennett Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Jimmy was born July 9, 2002, in Alton to Brandon and Deborah Maloney Conner.

He is survived by his parents, brother Brandon Conner Jr. and sister  Samantha Conner, all of Lincoln; paternal grandparents Gerald and Teresa Conner of Wood River; maternal grandparents Jimmy and Loma Maloney of Lincoln; paternal great-grandparents Phyllis Morris of East Alton and Arthur and Betty McIntosh of Marion; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

 He attended Lincoln Christian Church.

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