Kevin Lloyd Cox – Benton, IL

Kevin Lloyd Cox, 63, of Benton, IL passed away at 2:45 p.m., on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Marion VA Medical Community Living Center.

He was born on September 9, 1955, to Lloyd Cox and JoAnn Campbell in Benton, IL. Kevin was a dog groomer in Benton for 14 years. He married the former Caryl Neiman, and she proceeded him in death.

Kevin was a United States Navy Veteran. He loved playing golf, boating and spending time with his pet companion Yodi.

He is survived by his mother, JoAnn Campbell; four brothers and two sisters, Courtney Cox and wife Leslie, Jackie Giacoman, Raul David Giacoman, Maria Elena Byrd, Jon Christopher Giacoman and Justus William Cox; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Kevin was preceded in death by his father, Lloyd D. Cox; and wife, Caryl Cox.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL.

Per Kevin’s wishes cremation will take place, and services will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Angelina Foundation or the Franklin County Animal Shelter, and will be accepted at the funeral home.

Online condolences can be given at www.patefh.com.

Virgil Mullen – Benton, IL

Virgil Mullen, 85, of Benton, IL passed away Monday morning, May 13, 2019 at his home.

He was born on April 5, 1934 in Cascilla, Mississippi, the son of Joseph Edward & Lola Mae (Mitchell) Mullen.
He married JoAnn Mullen on June 9, 1957 in Joliet, IL and she preceded him in death on December 30, 2017.
Mr. Mullen along with his wife formerly owned & operated the Benton Bowl & Rend Lake Storage.

Mr. Mullen is survived by his children, David Mullen, and wife Janie, of Janesville, WI, Cindy Faulkner, and husband Carley, of Benton and Arlena Baier, and husband Max, of Valier, IL; grandchildren Natalie, Kyle, Cassie, Jessica, Andy and Art; great-grandchildren Aidan, Virgil, Sophia, Arlena, Karley, William and Greyson; sisters Francis, Frankie and Jeanie.

Mr. Mullen was preceded in death by his parents, wife, by a son-Norman Ray, by a grandson, Nathan and by nine siblings.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, May 18th at the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with Rev. Ken Petty officiating. Burial will be in the Harrison Cemetery in Buckner. Visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Friday at the funeral home. For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

Brozella “Brodie” Odam — Benton, IL

Brozella “Brodie” Odam, age 90, of Benton, IL passed away and went to be with her Lord and Savior, at 4:23 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Parkway Manor Nursing Home of Marion, Illinois.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at the Logan Church of God with Rev. Larry Odam and Rev. Rick Fowler officiating. Burial will be in the Plasters Grove Cemetery of Thompsonville. Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, and from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral hour on Wednesday at the church.

Brozella was born on July 10, 1928 in West Frankfort, Illinois, the daughter of Kirby Irvin and Mary Magdelene (Perryman) Irvin. She was married to Fred Odam, and he preceded her in death in 1986.

She was a member of the Logan Church of God where she was an active member especially in the kitchen.

She enjoyed attending church, and visiting with friends and family, especially her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Odam is survived by three children: Donna Baerg and husband Ron of Peoria, AZ, Fred Odam of Stonington, IL, Rev. Larry Odam and wife Glenna of Tulsa, OK; nine grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; two brothers: Troy Irvin of Key West, FL, and Ted Irvin and wife Carolyn of Benton; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two brothers Donald Irvin and Sam Irvin; four sisters: Janice Kay Irvin, Betty Myers, Ellafair Gunnells and Almeda Tadlock.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Logan Church of God, or to Church of God World Missions; and will be accepted at the funeral home on Tuesday evening or at the church on Wednesday.

To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Mrs. Brozella Odam, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com

Charlotte Ann Pedigo-Christopher, IL

Charlotte Ann Pedigo, 85, formerly of Christopher, IL passed away on May 11, 2019.

She was born on April 20, 1934 in West Frankfort, IL to Ervie and Florence (Freeman) Beers. She married Kenneth Pedigo and he preceded her in death.

She is survived by her children Jerry (Gail) Carpenter of Mulkeytown, Chrystle (Sean) Gowers of Christopher and Leigha Keltner of Benton; grandchildren Twila Ann Chooper, Jamie Dawn Carpenter, Devin Allen Galloway, Misty Lynn Carpenter, Jessica Nicole Melton, Bethany Ann Galloway, Sierra Rashawn Keltner, Natalie Nicole Keltner, Stormy George Keltner, Damion Markious Keltner; great grandchildren Ashlyn Taylor Spears, Drake Hunter Spears, Ezekiel Wiliam Key, Keilee Brooke Marie Key, and Kajin Ray Keltner and Alexea Smith.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one daughter Rox Ann Partin, three grandchildren Angela Christine Melton, Brooke Marie Bolen and Billy Ray Keltner.

Funeral services will be on Wednesday May 15, 2019 at 1:00 PM at the Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 11:00 AM until the time of the service at 1:00 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Tower Heights Cemetery in West Frankfort.

For more information go to our website www.gilbertfunralhomes.com

Dems should drop anti-Trump platform and become a genuine party

America needs a true opposition party. Instead, it has a crazed resistance movement stuck in 2016. Consider the ­evidence.

Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.

Your Daily Prayer – A Prayer for Choosing Life

A Prayer for Choosing Life – Your Daily Prayer – May 11

A Prayer for Choosing Life
By Pastor Jack Graham
“You have been my guide since I was first formed… from my mother’s womb you are my God” (Psalm 22:10-11).
Several years ago, I read an article about a very well-known couple in our city who were expecting a baby. The problem, however, was that around the time of finding out she was pregnant, the wife also was diagnosed with a malignant tumor on her liver.

Strong chemotherapy was needed, which the baby wouldn’t survive. So the couple had a decision to make. They could either abort the baby and begin treating the cancer. Or, the mom could carry the baby to term without chemo, but risk the cancer spreading.
A strong faith guided them through these stormy waters. And the two decided not to abort the baby. The wife was quoted as saying, “This baby was a gift to me. It wasn’t my right to deny this gift.” And praise the Lord, she was also treated for cancer after delivery and made a full recovery!
Across our nation and our world today, there are tough choices women and their families are facing. But in all circumstances, the greater choice is the sanctity of life. That’s because to deny a living baby the right to be born is not anyone’s call but God’s.

Choose life, even in the toughest circumstances, and trust God to bring healing and grace to even the toughest situation.

Dear Lord, help us to promote the sanctity of life. May our words and deeds show everyone in our community that they are loved. Teach us to value every human life. When we look at a person, give us your eyes so we may see your son or daughter. Amen.

Pastor Rick Warren: Leave a Legacy of Hospitality

Leave a Legacy of Hospitality
By Rick Warren

“Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24 NCV).

Awesome families teach their kids that they’re not the center of the universe. They teach their kids that God made them and shaped them for a mission. They model dedication, service, generosity, and prayer. Average families don’t do those things. Awesome families do.

I am the man that I am today first of all because of my parents. They instilled in me certain values to care about other people.
My parents were very, very poor, but they both had the gift of hospitality. They loved to give to others even though they didn’t have much. We lived out in the country, and my dad would plant an acre garden with all kinds of vegetables. There was no way our family could eat all that food, but he did it just so he could give it away, because he didn’t have any money to give away. So we always planted more and then gave it away to help other people who were in need.
Our home was constantly filled with other people. If people were in pain, they were at our house. If they were on the road, they were at our house. If they were going through a conflict, they were at our house. If they were a well-known Christian leader coming through town, they were at our house. One day my dad added up how many meals my mom had cooked for guests in our home in one year. It was over a thousand meals! I grew up learning an attitude of “give your life away” and that it’s not about me. It’s about helping other people.
That’s what awesome families do. They teach each other to show love and to do good deeds. Good deeds are called ministry. They are called service.
A good example of this is Cornelius’ family in the book of Acts: “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly” (Acts 10:2 NIV).
What a great legacy! Wouldn’t you like to have people writing that about you and your family one day?
Whether you have children or not, God wants you to leave a legacy like that. You’ll find people younger in age—or younger in the faith—all around you. Will you take the time to help others become what God has made them to be? Would you help them discover God’s mission for their life?
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over

What kind of legacy do you want to leave? How are you working toward leaving that kind of legacy?
If you don’t have children, who are the young people in your life whom you can encourage to live out their purpose and help others?
What keeps you from opening up your home to others?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

Illinois might start charging $1,000 per year to own an electric vehicle: ‘It’s outrageous’

A proposed hike in Illinois’ annual registration fee for electric vehicles, from $17.50 to $1,000, is being called unfair by current EV owners, and a sales disincentive by manufacturers — just as the new technology is beginning to gain broader traction.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

‘No major shift’ on Illinois’ pensions this session, lawmaker says

The state’s largest unfunded debt will likely continue to linger when lawmakers return to finish the final three weeks of the legislative session.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Agriculture is now Illinois’ top industry

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News