Area Obituaries

Ronald Dee Cooper, 83, of Arcola, Illinois, passed away at 9:45 am on March 24, 2026, at Willow Breeze in Mattoon, Illinois. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main St., Arcola, IL, with Rev. Seth Emerson officiating. Visitation will be held…

Christopher “Chris” William Greer, 50, of Monticello, IL, passed away at 12:00 AM on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at Newman Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Newman, IL. Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at Penn Station, 122 East Progress St., Arthur, IL. A graveside memorial…

Sadie F. (Schlabach) Plank, 91 of Arcola, IL passed away at 1:15 AM on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at her home. Funeral services will be held at 9:00 AM on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at the HCK West Building, one mile south of Arthur, IL.  Bishop Reuben Kaufman will officiate.  Burial will follow in the…

Adrian “Jake” Albert, 102, of Bement, IL, formerly of Oakley, IL, passed away on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 from 9 am until time of the funeral service at 11 am at Cerro Gordo United Methodist Church. Burial with military honors will follow at Cerro Gordo Cemetery. Memorials…

Thomas D. Bennett, 86, of Tuscola, died on March 23, 2026 at 11:50 a.m., at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. Tom was born November 16, 1939 in Centralia, Illinois to Maxwell A. Bennett and Doris E. (Carpenter) Bennett. He moved with his parents to Rantoul, where he was raised, and graduated from Rantoul Township High…

Katana Sue (Flanagan) Ponder, of Hammond, IL, went to be with her Lord and Savior on March 25, 2026. She was born on January 18, 1949, the daughter of the late Mary Fern (Heit) Carlyle and William “Bill” Carlyle. On August 12, 1973, she married Harold Ponder in Arcola, IL. Harold preceded her in death…

Aileen B. Elliott,  Lovington, passed at 9:50 a.m. Sunday, March 22, 2026, eight days short of her 101st birthday, in her residence surrounded by her family. Private family graveside services will be in the Keller Cemetery, Lovington, with Pastor Al Rennert officiating. Memorials are suggested to the Arthur Ambulance Service or to the Lovington Ambulance…

Ron Harris, 79, of Effingham, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2026. He was born on May 25, 1946, and lived a life marked by hard work, creativity, and a deep love for family and simple joys. Ron had a lifelong passion for cars—especially classic and hot rods. A founding member of the Ramblin’ Relics…

Debbie R. Nacke, 73, of Arcola, died at 6:00 a.m. Thursday, March 19, 2026 at her residence surrounded by her family. Debbie was born December 1, 1952 in Tuscola, the daughter of Willis and Mary Barbee Jolley.  She married Mark Nacke on December 28, 1982. She is survived by her husband, Mark Nacke of Arcola;…