Obituaries
Death of Gary Wayne Smith
Gary Wayne Smith, 79 of Gillespie, died at St. Francis Hospital, Litchfield on Friday, July 22, 2022, at 5:16 p.m. He was born on June 24, 1943, in Litchfield to Harry Smith Sr. and Maggie Linton Smith.
He married Frances Ann Boetta Smith on October 5, 1963, in Gillespie. He worked at PPG for 10 years, A. O. Smith for 10 years before working as a custodian for Community Unit School District 7. Gary was a veteran of the US Air Force after having served in Vietnam.
Gary was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was a longtime member of the Trinity Baptist Church in Gillespie where he served as a Sunday School Teacher and member of the Men’s Group. He played accordion in his band, Country Cousins, during high school and thereafter.
He is survived by his spouse, Frances Smith of Gillespie; daughters, Karla (Chad) Smith-Andrews of Abingdon, IL and Karyn (Norman) Mears of Decatur; grandchildren, Kayla, Kelly, Zachary, Kaytie, Garrett, Bella, and John Jr.; and great-grandchildren, Maggie, Adie, Karter, and Gwen.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Annette F. Smith; brothers, William Smith and Harry Smith Jr.; and sister, Betty Gentry.
Friends may call on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at Trinity Baptist Church in Gillespie from 12:30 until 2:00 p.m. Funeral services are Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church, Gillespie. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Gillespie.
Memorials are suggested to wishes of the family. Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie is in charge of the arrangements.
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Johnnie M. Monroe, 88, died on October 8, 2024, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO. He was born on September 4, 1936, in Shawneetown, IL to Loren & Edna (Cummins) Monroe, who both preceded him in death.
He married Carolyn (Adler) Monroe on December 19, 1964, and she preceded him in death on August 3, 2012. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Charles Robert Monroe and Loren Dale Monroe, and by his brother-in-law Harold Adler.
He is survived by his fiance’, Mary Adler; his daughter, Beverly Jo (Moe) St. Arnault; his grandson, Brian (Rhonda) Rigsby; his great-granddaughter, Brianna Rigsby; nieces and nephews, Karra Adler, Loren (Adrienne) Monroe, Robin (Dale) Turner, Dean (Kirsten) Monroe, Rebecca (Joe) Gould, and Angela (Nick) Coursen; and his brother-in-law, Bill (Kris) Adler. He is also survived by 14 great-nieces and great-nephews, several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, as well as Johnny (Mary) Witt, who Johnnie and Carolyn raised as their own for many years.
Johnnie was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Elgin, IL, for many years where he served as a deacon and completed several missionary trips to Mexico. He was also an active member of the New Douglas Madison #560 and Staunton #177 Masons, The Ainad Shriners of Southern Illinois, The Legion of Honor, and the Hillbilly Clan #39 Lodge.
He spent a lot of his spare time doing woodworking, photography, leatherworking, and many other craft works. One of Johnnie’s most amazing traits was his love for children, which is why he had such a passion to be part of the Shriners organization. He was also a Boy Scout leader and baseball coach for many years and never met a kid he didn’t try to help; this is why so many looked up to him as a father figure.
Johnnie served in the U.S. Navy from 1954 to 1956 and was a disabled veteran who survived a neck injury when he was young that paralyzed him from the neck down, yet he fought through that and lived a full and inspiring life. Johnnie was a person who lived life to the fullest and didn’t let anything stop him from doing what he enjoyed. He went full throttle at all times and never let any grass grow under his feet.
Friends may call from 5 to 8 PM on Friday, October 18, 2024, at Williamson Funeral Home in Staunton with Masonic Services to be held at 7:30 PM on Friday evening. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at Williamson Funeral Home in Staunton with Anthony Hudson officiating.
Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Staunton. Memorials are suggested to Shriners Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO. The Staunton Military Honor Guard will conduct graveside military rites.
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Leslie “Butch” Peterson, 73 of Bunker Hill, passed away on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at Staunton Health and Rehab Center. He was born on April 10, 1951, in Highland to Lloyd and Bernadine Balke Peterson.
He married his high school sweetheart, Brenda Coleman on June 10, 1972, in Granite City. She survives. Also surviving are two sons and daughters in Law, Lonnie and Cassie Peterson of Fulton, MO and Larry and Deanna Peterson of Edwardsville; twin grandsons, Lane and Lloyd Peterson; two granddaughters, Madeline and Lydia Peterson; one sister, Cindy (Cottrell) Inman of Decatur; sister, Kris (Dehne) Kovarik of Edwardsville; nephews in Decatur, Mt. Olive and St. Louis; and a niece of Troy; great nieces of Granite City and Medora.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a step-mother, Helen Longston Peterson.
Butch was a member of the First Congregational Church in Bunker Hill and Local 520 Operating Engineers in Mitchell, IL. He worked for Diestelhorst Construction for many years. Butch’s hobby and passion was raising cattle.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024, at Kravanya Funeral Home in Bunker Hill where services will be conducted at 11 am on Saturday, October 12, 2024, with Uncle Sam Clements of Cleveland, TN officiating. Burial will follow in Bunker Hill Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association and Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Pallbearers include Joe Thyer, Barry Seiler, Johnny Jarden, Keith Strohmeier, Jim Meisenheimer, Harold Wolf and Al Moore. Honorary pallbearers will be Merle Wadsworth and Steven Behrens.
Kravanya Funeral Home, Bunker Hill is in charge of the arrangements.
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Kenneth Eugene Zirges, 70 of Staunton, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at 9:30 AM. His memorial services will be held at Williamson Funeral Home in Staunton on October 11, 2024. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, followed by a Memorial Service at 6:30 PM.
He was born in Staunton on December 30, 1953, to Melvin and Ruth (Best) Zirges. He graduated from Worden High School in 1972 and soon began his career at HANO in Mount Olive where he worked for 25 years. After leaving HANO, Kenny started his successful family landscaping business and spent over 15 years working for Farmer Environmental Services before his well-earned retirement.
Kenny married Lynette (Philippe) Zirges in Worden on September 3, 1983. They had two children, Tyler and Marissa. In 2020, Kenny welcomed his first grandchild, Clark Zirges. Kenny cherished his role as a husband, father, and grandfather.
Kenny was a passionate sportsman, mainly known for his dedication to golf. Rain or shine, you could find him on the Timber Lakes golf course 12 months of the year. His talents also extended to bowling, where he achieved a perfect 300 game in a tournament. A proud San Francisco 49ers fan, Kenny could often be seen in his scarlet red and gold, cheering for his team through the good times and bad. Equally loyal to Mizzou, he proudly supported his children’s alma mater and perhaps no fan was more devoted to Staunton High School girls’ athletics than Kenny.
Beyond sports, Kenny had a gift for making others feel welcome. Whether it was sharing coffee with friends, telling stories at local gatherings, or expertly grilling his famous ribs at the Staunton Rib Fest, Kenny’s joy for life was contagious. His warmth, generosity, and humor were constants in the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know him.
For over 40 years, Kenny and his family made cherished memories on their annual trips to Daytona Beach, Florida, where they enjoyed sunny days, great food, and precious time together.
Kenny leaves behind a loving legacy. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Lynette; his son, Tyler (Christine) Zirges; his daughter, Marissa Zirges; his beloved grandson, Clark Zirges; and his sister, Mary Ann (Emil) Albrecht.
Kenny was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin & Ruth Zirges. His family & friends will forever carry his memory in their hearts.
In honor of Kenny’s giving spirit, memorials may be made to Adopt-A-Pet of Benld or to the Staunton High School Athletics Department. His life was a testament to love, kindness, and community. His legacy will live on through all who knew him.
