Obituaries

Jerre Hout, 82, of Olney, passed away Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at St. Vincents Hospital, Evansville, IN. 

    Charles Keith Holman, 72, of Carmi, passed away on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. He was born on December 25, 1951, in Evansville, the son of Robert L. and Mary (Carr) Holman. Keith married Vickie Fishback on June 8, 1973, and she survives. He graduated from Crossville High School in 1970. Keith worked as a miner at Wabash Mine at Keensburg, Illinois. He was a member of the UMWA and Ducks Unlimited. He loved to golf, fish, and cook. Keith enjoyed watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and tried out for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. He loved his dog, Candy, and most of all, spending time with friends and family.

     Betty Lou O'Daniel, 86, of Effingham, Illinois, passed away on Saturday, May 25, 2024. She was born on August 18, 1937, in Jamestown, Tennessee, the daughter of Homer Linder and Flawny (Peavyhouse) Linder Stover.. Betty married Edward Hillary O'Daniel, Jr. on August 4,1979, and he preceded her in death on April 1, 2010. She worked as an elementary school teacher and a remedial reading specialist at Jefferson School in Carmi until her retirement.

Sandra Kay Mecum Knight, 81, of Carmi, IL, passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Wabash Senior Living. She was born on April 4, 1943, in Norris City, IL, the daughter of Marion Earl and Louise Jannel (Wooten) Henson. Sandra married Franklin D. Mecum in 1960 in Norris City, and together they shared 42 years of marriage before his passing on December 2, 2002. She later married Bertis G. Knight in 2005, in Kentucky and together they shared over 15 years of marriage before his passing on July 13, 2021. Sandra spent her career serving others while working as a nurse. She attended Trinity Assembly of God and assisted in the ministries at Lonesome Roads and also served in jail ministry locally. She shared Jesus and His love everywhere that she went.

Runa Mae Wells, age 70, of McLeansboro, IL passed away peacefully Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. in Evansville, IN at the Linda E. White Hospice House surrounded by her husband and children. She was born June 16, 1953 in Carmi, IL, the youngest of Plesent Harlan “Hap” and Wilma Mae (Hutchcraft) Puckett. She married George Thomas Wells of Mt. Vernon, IN on March 24, 1972 in McLeansboro, IL and he survives. They celebrated 52 years of marriage and were blessed with two children; Son Steven and Daughter, Salena. She always loved George as her husband and best friend. She always said he was a gift from God.

Randall C. “Randy” Thompson, 66, of Albion, Illinois, formerly of Grayville, Illinois, died Monday, May 27, 2024, at Select Specialty Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. He was born August 16, 1957, in Saline County, Illinois, the son of Thurman and Louise (Phelps) Thompson.

Shirley WyVonne McComas, 88, of Grayville, Illinois, died Thursday, May 23, 2024, at Villas of Holly Brook in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. She was born October 18, 1935, the daughter of Woodrow and Gertrude (Nolen) Funkhouser. She was married to Finis “Mac” McComas on December 25, 1955, and he preceded her in death on May 27, 2015.

Goldie Larua Gustafson, 61, of Springerton, IL passed away on Thursday, May 23, 2024 at Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro, IL.

Dallas Dean Nelson, 83, of Blairsville, IL passed away on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at his home in Blairsville.  Dallas was born on March 19, 1941 in Barnhill, IL to Gifford & Eunice (Hays) Nelson.  On November 8, 1962 he married Linda (Sanders) Nelson, who survives.

Larry Dean York, 80 of Enfield, died at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Fairfield Memorial Hospital. He managed the family farm until passing it on to his sons. Larry was born December 21, 1943, near Springerton, Illinois, to Ivan and Dorothy (South) York. He married Judy Kay Bean on January 2, 1971, at Lebanon North Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Fairfield, and together they shared over 53 years of marriage.