Obit of Eileen (Gillette) Sliker

OTTAWA — Eileen M. Sliker, 75, of Ottawa, passed away Sunday afternoon, July 22, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 26, at Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa with the Rev. Duane Kaufman officiating.

Eileen was born April 3, 1937, in Chatsworth, to William R. and Goldie (Lear) Gillette. She worked for the State of Illinois Department of Human Services for 17 years.

She is survived by her daughter, Renee Hermann, of Ottawa; seven grandchildren,Candace Sandberg, Jade Hermann, Baileigh Hermann, Blair Hermann, Jessa Hermann, Garrett Cupples and Shannon Sliker; two great-grandchildren, Ethan Stiles and Autumn Sandberg; and one brother, Donald (Betty) Gillette, of Ottawa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Richard William Sliker, and one brother, William Gillette.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

The online guestbook may be viewed and remembrances shared at www.MuellerFH.com.

Obit of Rosetta M. McQuillin

Rosetta M. McQuillin, formerly of Bradley, passed away Monday (July 16, 2012) in Chatsworth. She was born Sept. 16, 1922, in Kankakee, the daughter of Moses and Annie (Boudreau) Cote. Rosetta married Clayton T. McQuillin on Dec. 5, 1975, in Kankakee. He passed away Jan. 14, 2009.

She was employed at J.W. Mortell Company in Kankakee as a machine operator for 33 years and was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bradley.

Surviving are two daughters, Sandra Hale, of Shreveport, La., and Pamela Willis, of Chatsworth; seven grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Rosetta was preceded in death by her parents; eight brothers, Lawrence, Lloyd, Doris, Walter, Leroy, Vernon, Arnold and Donald Cote; three sisters, Mabel Gilbert, Yvonne Benoit and Vernell Brooks; one son, Wayne Eric; and three granddaughters, Tamela Weaver, Crystal Hale and Dawn Bonner.

A gathering time for family and friends will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Schreffler Life Story Funeral Homes, Kankakee Chapel, where a celebration service of Rosetta's life will be held at 10 a.m. Friday. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kankakee. Memorials may be made to the family wishes.

Please visit Rosetta's personal memory page at

schrefflerfuneralhomes.com, where you can learn more about her life, share a favorite memory or photo and sign the online guestbook. 

Obit of Norma Jean (Lee) Higley

Per email from Bob Saathoff: 

On Sunday, July 8, 3012, Norma Jean (Lee) Higley was the center of great joy and sorrow in heaven and on earth. At 7:45 p.m. her spirit left her earthly temple and went to walk in heaven with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There was great joy in heaven because another one of God's children had finished her sojourn on earth and returned to her place in heaven, both joy and sorrow on earth as those who loved her gathered around to say goodbye, The joy was for her, the sorrow was for us, her family. We will no longer be able to speak to her face to face, or over the phone, sit quietly in her presence and enjoy the peace around there. And tho all of us wanted her to stay, we told her to go and be with the Lord that she loved to her very core for none of us wanted her to stay here in pain; that was unthinkable to us.

She is survived by her beloved husband Howard Herschel Higley; her loving brother Ronald Neal Lee and his wife June; her son Richard Leon Higley and wife Jackie; her daughter Jacqui Faye Thomas and her husband M. Tristan; her daughter Rebecca Marie Longster and her husband James; her daughter Cheryl Lynn Porter and husband Michael; her son Stephen Lane Higley and wife Tricia; 3 brother's-in-law: George, Dale and Mark Higley; and one sister-in-law: Frances Owen. Surviving as well are 37 grandchildren and more than 50 great-grandchildren, along with God-given children and grandchildren too numerous to mention, and a plethora of nieces and nephews and friends who will miss her greatly.

Open house and fellowship, with refreshments, Thursday, July 12, 1012, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Fowler Baptist Church, corner of 12th and East Streets. Memorial service immediately following at 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Fowler Food Pantry, which Norma established and nurtured for more than 25 years. Make checks payable to Fowler Food Pantry, c/o Fowler Baptist Church, P.O. Box 167, Fowler, In. 47944. The food pantry was the ministry Norma loved, and it will continue doing the Lord's work in her memory.

Obit of Lester W. Dubree

FORREST — Lester W. Dubree, 85, of Forrest died at 9:50 p.m. Thursday (July 5, 2012) at Piper City Rehab and Living Center, Piper City.
His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Calvert & Martin Funeral Home, Forrest, with the Rev. Jerry Good of the Fairbury Church of Christ officiating. A visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the hour of the service at the funeral home. Burial will be in Strawn Cemetery, Strawn. Memorials in Lester’s name may be made to the American Lung Association.
Lester was born July 5, 1927, in Tompkinsville, Ky., a son of William and Edna (Mosier) Dubree. He married Vera Mae Stephens. She preceded him in death on July 22, 1996.
Lester is survived by one daughter, Linda Corbett, Mokena; two stepdaughters, Carol Nance, Chatsworth; and Debra Jo Newman, New Richmond, Wis. Also surviving are four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, seven stepgrandchildren and one stepgreat-grandchild, one stepgreat-great-grandchild; and one sister, Odell York, Tompkinsville, Ky. Lester was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister.
Lester was educated in Kentucky schools and had retired from Homeshield in Chatsworth. He was a member of Fairbury Church of Christ.
This obituary may be viewed and a guestbook signed at www.calvertmartinmemorial.com.