Obit of Toney R. Dubree

CHATSWORTH — Toney R. Dubree, 49, of Chatsworth, died March 23, 2016, at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Normal. Service: None. Cremation will be private. Memorials: charity of the donor's choice. Survivor: his sister, Barb (Meryl) Bates.

Obit of John H. "Huey" Barton

John H. “Huey” Barton, 51, of Chatsworth, IL passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016 in Ford County, Illinois. A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 30, 2015 at Calvert & Martin Funeral Home in Chatsworth. Following visitation, cremation rites will be accorded. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the funeral home to help the family with final expenses. Calvert & Martin Funeral Home in Forrest is handling the arrangements for the family. Huey was born January 10, 1965 in St. Louis, MO, a son of Charles and Jean (Click) Barton, Sr. His father survives in Waterloo, IL. Also surviving are his four sisters: Jeanne (Gerald) Taubershmidt of Forrest, IL, Angie McClure (Edward Hathaway) of Forrest, IL, Kathy (Steve) Gibbs of Mascoutah, IL, and Kim (Ed) Bequette of Springhill, FL; three brothers: Joe Hicks of Florida, Duane Hicks of Cahokia, IL, and Keith Barton of Waterloo, IL; he was loved by many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother; two brothers: Charles Barton, Jr. and Poncho Garza; and one niece: Amanda Hawkins. He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan. Huey built palettes for Stork Enterprises for ten years. Huey enjoyed life and was a loving brother, uncle, great uncle, and friend who will be greatly missed.

Chatsworth Birthdays

BIRTHDAYS IN THE NEWS

Mrs. Weller aka Eileen turns 97 on March 23!!

Virginia Lee turns 90 on March 21!

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Bluebird Celebration a success!

From the Pontiac Daily Leader

By Luke Smucker

Posted Mar. 17, 2016

Chatsworth, Ill.

In an effort to bring the bluebird back to the Chatsworth community, Pontiac Township High School environmental earth science students and Life Skills students worked with Prairie Central Junior High School students, the Chatsworth Citizen's Advisory Board, Livingston county Board members and local residents to place 80 bluebird houses throughout the Chatsworth community last Saturday.

The species is significant to the village because prior to Chatsworth High School consolidating they were the Bluebirds.

Pontiac Township High School teacher and Livingston County Board member Paul Ritter said the project began with an anonymous donation of 36 bluebird houses, which inspired the Chatsworth community to come together in efforts to bring more Eastern bluebirds to the area. 

"This project is about the community pulling together to experience something that can be enjoyed by everyone." Richard Runyon, mayor of Chatsworth and member of the Citizen's Advisory Board said.

"The bluebird is native to our area and with it being the old high school mascot, it is near and dear to our hearts. With the diminished population of these beautiful birds, this community effort is not only a great thing for our residents, but also for the environment we love." 

The event was officially called the Chatsworth Bluebird Celebration. It was held at the Chatsworth American Legion to recognize the students and teachers with approximately 150 people attending. Joe and Janet Fornerius, bluebird experts from Dwight and members of the National American Bluebird Society, hared tips with the audience like where bluebirds like to next, how to care for the houses and how to identify the bird by its song.

Students at the Chatsworth Elementary School created wall and table decorations for the celebration and certificates of appreciation were presented in recognition of their work. 

"We expect more folks to jump on board and want to install their own birdhouses," Runyon said. "Our local Corner Hardware store is stocking bluebird house kits complete with the conduit and rebar to erect them."

"Already, residents from Strawn, Forrest, Piper City and Fairbury have shown an interest in coming on board with this project and we welcome everyone who wants to participate. This gives all of us in our communities something to look forward to this spring." 

reflecting on the weekend, Life Skills student Robert Betts said, "it was a fun way to give back to Chatsworth."

"I really enjoyed how nice the mayor was," Betts said. "It gave me a good feeling to help put up the bird houses. It's not very hard to put these houses together and I think it was a great experience to be part of it. I haven't seen a bluebird yet, but maybe I'll get to see one in the future." 

For more information on the project, contact Runyon at 815-674-5497 or email rarunyon@frontier.com.

Obit of Ralph E. Stover

Ralph E. Stover, 60, of Pontiac, passed away at 10 p.m. Thursday (March 17, 2016) at Pontiac Healthcare and Rehab in Pontiac. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Duffy-Baier-Snedecor Funeral Home in Pontiac. An additional time for visitation will be from 10 a.m. Wednesday until the 11 a.m. services at First United Methodist Church in Pontiac, with the Rev. Tom Goodell officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in Chatsworth Cemetery in Chatsworth. Ralph was born on Aug. 19, 1955, in Kankakee, the son of Orville R. and Irene E. (Swan) Stover. Surviving are three brothers, Richard L. Stover, of Pontiac, Roy D. (Della) Stover, of Lexington, and Raymond E. Stover, of Pontiac; three half siblings; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Preceding him in death were his parents; and seven half siblings. Ralph was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pontiac. He loved to play cards, Rummy, Euchre, and Bingo and enjoyed attending church. Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice. Please sign his online guestbook atduffyfuneralhome.com.

Obit of Dr. James Richard Milstead

Dr. James Richard Milstead 62, of Frankfort, died at 3:40 a.m. March 11, 2016 at his home. Born September 13, 1953 in Fairbury, Illinois to the late Carl Richard & Mary Lou (Blundy) Milstead. He married Becky Sans on August 12, 1978 in Thawville, Illinois and she survives. Dr. Milstead was a 1971 graduate of Forrest-Strawn-Wing High School. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War from 1971 – 1975 as a B52 tail gunner. After the war he received his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University and went on to graduate from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 1982. He was an Emergency Room physician at the Clinton County Hospital in Frankfort, Indiana for many years, serving also as the ER director. Dr. Milstead was also an ER doctor for Union Hospital in Terre Haute, until October 2015. Jim was an active member of the First Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Frankfort, Indiana where he served as a mission team leader, a deacon and an elder. He and his wife had been involved in short-term mission work around the world for more than 20 years. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors for Hope in the Harvest Missions International, a non-profit organization working in Liberia, as well as medical director for Grace on Wings, the nation’s only charity air ambulance service. Dr. Milstead published two books, No Other Choice and Answering the Call.
VISITATION AND SERVICES Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Monday, March 14, 2016 at the Goodwin Funeral Home, Frankfort, Indiana. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at the First Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 352 W. Clinton St., Frankfort, IN 46041. Friends may also visit one hour prior to services at the church. Pastor Paul Copeland will officiate. Burial will be in Green Lawn Cemetery, Frankfort, Indiana. In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to Hope in the Harvest, c/o First Evangelical Presbyterian Church at the address above or Grace on Wings, P.O. Box 42788, Plainfield, IN 46242 or online at graceonwings.org. SURVIVED BY: He is survived by his wife Becky of Frankfort, two daughters, Susan (Scott) Haynes and Angela (Hans) Vargas of Frankfort; son Dustin (Rachel) Milstead of Carmel, sister Karen (Andy) Freehill of Carlinville, Illinois; brother, Tom (Jody) Milstead of Burlington, Indiana; seven grandchildren, Trenton, Bryson, Cameron, Madison and Jackson Haynes, Ian & Kira Vargas and two unborn grandchildren. PRECEDED BY: his parents

Obit of Robert Joseph Rebholz,Sr.

Robert "Bob" Joseph Rebholz Sr., 88, of Parkland, Fla., and a former resident of Bourbonnais, passed away Friday (March 4, 2016) in Coral Springs, Fla. He was born March 12, 1927, in Chatsworth, the son of Joseph and Mary Margaret Ortman Rebholz. Bob married Theresa "Terry" Africano on April 4, 1948. Bob worked as a salesman at Mobil Chemical for 38 years. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing bridge. He and his wife enjoyed world traveling as well. Bob was a member of The Elks. Surviving are his wife, of Parkland, Fla.; son, Robert Joseph Rebholz Jr. and partner, Michael Faulkner, of Plantation, Fla.; daughter, Cynthia Rebholz Booi and husband, Daryl Booi, of Greensboro, N.C.; four grandchildren, Caroline Booi Nystrom, of Santa Clara, Calif., Douglas Booi, of Hawthorn Woods; Rebecca Booi Lococo, of San Francisco, Calif., and Amy Booi, of Las Vegas, Nev.; six great-grandchildren, Matthew, James, Luke and Peter Nystrom, and Samantha and Abigail Booi; and brother, William Rebholz, of Chatsworth. Preceding him in death was a sister, Mary Ann Davis. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Maternity BVM Catholic Church, Bourbonnais. Entombment will be in All Saints Cemetery, Bourbonnais. Please sign his online guestbook at clancygernon.com.

Bluebird Project

The Bluebird Project has started!

Read here.

Bluebird Celebration

Sat.,Mar. 12

American Legion Hall

6 pm

Pulled Pork Sandwiches-Hot Dogs-Cookies

Everyone Welcome!!

Sponsored by the Chatsworth Advisory Board