Pennie A. Williams Mabry, 69, of Benton passed away on Monday evening September 22, 2025 at the Herrin Hospital.

Pennie was born in Christopher, Illinois on July 9, 1956 the daughter of Roy & Shirley (Good) Marvel.

Pennie was married to James E. Williams and then to Frank Mabry.

She was of the Baptist faith and a member of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

Pennie is survived by her:
Children: Amanda, Christina, Sarah, Chad, Kyle & Tyler
3 Step-children: Scott, Troy & Darik
10 Grandchildren
1 Brother: Steve Marvel of Benton

She was preceded in death by her Parents, Grandparents, Husbands, 2 Sisters Nancy Wright & Julie Marvel and Brother Danny Marvel.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, September 26th at the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with Rev. Dean Severin officiating. Burial will be in the Masonic & Odd Fellows Cemetery in Benton. Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. on Friday at the funeral home.
For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

David Michael Cox, 77, of Sesser, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on September 16th, 2025.

David was born on December 17th, 1947, to Clyde (Boss) and Neva Cremeens Cox in Duquoin, IL. He was a member of the graduating class of 1966 at Benton Consolidated High School. Following graduation, David served in the United Stated Army before starting a lifelong career in coal mining. He dedicated many years underground before serving as an MSHA inspector. David officially retired from the mining industry in December 2009 after 40+ years of service.

David was a member of Valier First Baptist Church, the Rend Lake Masonic Lodge, and The Road Rebels Car Club. He was a classic car enthusiast who enjoyed traveling to local car shows. Many of his days were joyfully passed in the garage, where he loved working on projects. David loved spending time outdoors—whether mowing the yard, cheering on his grandkids at their baseball games, or relaxing by the shore at Panama City Beach. Most of all, David cherished his family, who were the center of his world and the source of his greatest pride. He will be remembered for his kindness, dedication, and the love he so freely gave. His legacy lives on through his friends and family.

David is survived by his wife at heart of 15 years, Dixie Miller; two daughters, Jana Cox and Gretchen Pool; Also survived by, Tonya Cloe, Michael (Lori) Miller, and Chad (Valerie) Miller, all of Sesser; grandchildren, Kennedy (Connor) Cloe, Kassedy (Tristan) Cloe, Evan Miller, and Beckett Miller; and one great-grand princess, Kollynns House. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Dolores Schutt, his wife, Cindy Cox, and his close friend and cousin, Keith Ward. Visitation will be held on Monday September 22nd, 2025 from 10:00am until the time of service at 1:00pm at Brayfield- Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser, IL with Richard West officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hammond Cemetery or SSM Hospice of Mt. Vernon, IL.

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

Patsy May Hopkins, 58, of Benton passed away Monday evening September 15, 2025 at her home.

She was born in DuQuoin, Illinois on December 21, 1966 the daughter of Earl & Minnie (Armstrong) Poe.

She married Paul E. Hopkins on March 26, 1986.

Mrs. Hopkins is survived by her:
Husband: Paul E. Hopkins of Benton
2 Sons:
Matthew Hopkins & wife Brooke of Benton
John Hopkins & wife Amber of Benton
8 Grandchildren: Aiden, Taven, Phoebe, Mackinzie, Zayne, Hayden, Liam & Jennica
Sister: Susan Chitwood of Metropolis
Brother: Bill Poe of Texas
Brother Dean Poe of West Frankfort
Brother: Gene Poe of West Frankfort
Mrs. Hopkins was preceded in death by her Parents, 1 Sister and 3 Brothers.

A Memorial Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Saturday, September 20th at the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.
For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

Betty Loraine (Cochrane) Sink, age 83, of Ina, Illinois passed away Tuesday, September 16th, 2025, at her home surrounded by her loved ones.

Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Morton and Johnston Funeral Home of Benton, Illinois, Monday September 22nd, 2025. Funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. with Brother Brad Ryan officiating. Graveyard Service following at Masonic and Odd Fellows Cemetery of Benton, Illinois.
Betty Loraine Sink was born on September 7th, 1942, in Ewing Illinois; the daughter of Frank Cochrane and Loraine (Williams) Cochrane. She married Rodney Elvis Sink from Frisco, IL on September 18th, 1965.

Betty was a member of the Ina Free Will Baptist Church. She was a very active church member throughout her life. She most recently enjoyed helping at vacation bible school. She was a homemaker and genealogist that found deep meaning in connecting the dots between generations, each name on a document is a story waiting to be told. Her greatest joy was spending as much time as possible with all her grandchildren.

Surviving are three children: Mark Elvis Sink and wife Tammy of Belleville, IL, Leann Roberts and husband Riley of Ewing IL, Becky Graham of St. Augustine, FL; grandchildren including: Travis Sink of Harrisburg, IL, Daman Sink of DuQuoin, IL, Jeremy Joplin and finance Ashley Lombardi of Belleville, IL, Kessa Roberts and husband Brandon Bernard of Ewing, IL, Kacee Roberts and husband Kyle Neal of Ewing, IL, Peyton Roberts and wife Abigail Beasley of Ewing, IL, Joshua Graham and wife Kayla Jordan of St. Augustine, FL, and Janel Graham of St. Augustine, FL ; Great-Grandchildren: Sofia Sink, Mark Sink, Brynlee Bernard, Gunner Bernard, Slade Bernard, Tate Neal, Hallie Neal, Staley Roberts, Layla Roberts, Liam Graham, Conrad Graham, and Ronan Graham.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and son-In-law David Graham of St. Augustine, FL.

In lieu of flowers the family kindly requests that donations be made to Morton and Johnston Funeral Home.
For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

Eddy Allen Rogers, age 82, of Christopher, Illinois, passed away Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital of St. Louis, Missouri.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, September 22, 2025, at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, with Rev. Donnie Colson officiating. Burial with Military Honors by the Christopher American Legion Post # 528, will be in the Masonic and Odd Fellows Cemetery of Benton. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday, at the Leffler Funeral Home.

Eddy was born on May 21, 1943, in Franklin County, Illinois; the son of James Edward Rogers and Beulah (Cluck) Rogers. He married the former Susan Laverne Leyerle on August 15, 1969, and she preceded him in death on October 17, 2023. Together they shared 54 years of marriage.
Mr. Rogers was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

He was a carpenter. Formerly, he and his son Brad maintained the Lake of Egypt Docks. He was a member of the Illinois State Rifle Association.
Eddy enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading, shooting guns, antique tractors, and his antique Model A truck. He was an International Harvester mechanic. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

Surviving is his son Brad Allen Rogers and wife Dana of Mulkeytown, Illinois; three grandchildren: Lucas Allen Rogers, Tinley Marie Rogers, and Christopher Monteith; two brothers: Donald Rogers of Granite City, Illinois, and Jim Rogers of Christopher, Illinois; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, two brothers: Tom and Bob, and three sisters: Darlene, Doris, and Freda.
Memorial contributions in memory of Eddy, may be made to the Disabled American Veterans and will be accepted at the funeral home.
To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Eddy, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com.

Katie Lee Taylor, age 86, of Smyrna, Tennessee, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, September 15, 2025, at the Smyrna Care Center of Smyrna, Tennessee.
She was born on February 7, 1939, in Murphysboro, Illinois; the daughter of Glenn and Lillian Hayse. She married Bobby Joe Taylor on December 24, 1955, and he preceded her in death on February 7, 2003. Together they shared forty-seven years of marriage.

Mrs. Taylor was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church of South Chicago Heights, Illinois where she was a former Sunday School Teacher. She loved her church and enjoyed worshipping with her church family until her health failed her.

She enjoyed taking care of her grand babies, attending church, teaching Sunday School, and her daughter said, “while attending church she always had a baby in her lap.”
Katie is survived by a daughter Jacqueline “Jacki” Blanton-Boone and husband Jerry of LaVergne, TN; two sons: Terry Taylor of Peotone, IL, and Tim Taylor and wife Kim of Big Fork, MN; nine grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one great-great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a son Michael Glenn Taylor, one brother and six sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, Illinois. Burial will follow in the Masonic & Odd Fellows Cemetery of Benton. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton.
Memorial contributions in memory of Katie, may be made to the family.

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

James Roy Lance, 78, Carbondale, IL (formerly of Sesser, IL) went Home to be with the Father on Sunday, September 14, at 9:27 in the evening in his home at The Landings in Carbondale, Illinois surrounded by family.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, September 18th at Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser with Pastor Ken Petty officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser. Visitation is from noon until 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Jim was born November 20, 1946 to Roy Everett and Lois (Clark) Lance. Jim married his High School sweetheart Beverly (Murray) May 20, 1964 and they enjoyed 61 wedded years together. Jim wore many hats during his life, an example of his ability to do so many things. He was a State and Federal Meat Inspector, Coal Mine Mechanic, and retired as a Prison Guard. Throughout his life he loved the farm and everything that went with it. He grew up on a peach and apple orchard (Clark & Brower Orchards), was a grain and hay farmer, and also raised hogs, cattle and sheep. He and his father Roy planted a smaller orchard later in life and spent many days together in a labor of love.

The roles he loved the most, though, were those of loving Husband, Dad, Papa, Grandpa, Papa Great and Uncle Jimmy. He loved with his whole heart and his family and friends loved him back with all of theirs. He mixed that love with a pinch of orneriness that kept everyone laughing and on their toes. In recent years as he was robbed of many memories his eyes would playfully twinkle with a smile and his family knew he was still with us. Jim loved hunting and fishing and spending time in the outdoors. He loved fishing and quail hunting and training bird dogs in his younger years. As he grew older he spent countless hours in the woods deer hunting with his son, Clark, and then grandsons Jamie and Jaden. After an eventful January day in 2022, where it seemed every single person whose life he ever touched (and there were so many) was out looking for him, Jim and Beverly spent his final years at The Landings in Carbondale. There, not surprisingly, they found even more family.

He was loved deeply by so many of the nurses and staff that cared for him the last three years. That love for “Jimbo” was never more evident than in the final days as so many of those nurses past and present came to see him one last time. Jim was a longtime member of Grace Awakening Church in Benton where he and Bev were a fixture for many years until he was unable to attend. Pastor Ken Petty and wife Joyce and the entire congregation helped the family through joy and sorrow and prayed diligently as Jim battled for 15 years after his diagnosis.

Jim is survived by his loving wife, Beverly, along with son Brent Lance of Chicago, and son Clark Lance and wife Stacey of Sesser. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Adrian Lance of Indianapolis, Em England and husband Damian of Litchfield, Joel and Mia Lance of Springfield, Jamie Lance and wife Katrina of Sesser, along with Jaden and Jace Lance of Sesser, and great-grandchildren Ryland and Charlotte England and Easton, Whitley and Kendri Lance. He is also survived by loving sisters-in-law Judy West and Cindy Davey and husband Mike along with nieces Amie Monteggia and husband Joey, Laura Brandon and husband Doug, and Nicole Myers along with nephew Chad Genisio and wife Heather. He was preceded in death by his parents Roy and Lois Lance, and sister Gay Lance.

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

Dr. Jerry D. Hill, 91, of Benton, Illinois, passed away peacefully in his beloved home on September 10, 2025. He was a gentle soul who will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the many people whose lives he touched.

Born on April 29, 1934, in Crab Orchard, Illinois, to Clyde and Cleo (Chester) Hill, Jerry remembered with great fondness his time growing up in this small community. It was a time and place where “if somebody needed help, you helped them.” He carried this experience with him throughout his life, and maintained his kindness, sense of humor, and concern for the well-being of others until the end.
He worked a variety of jobs while growing up and making his way through school. When his coal-miner father broke his back in an accident that left him unable to continue in the mines, Jerry helped him drive a truck to haul water and ice. He also worked for the highway department in the summer, stoked a coal furnace at a fraternity house in exchange for a room, worked at an ER in Chicago, and even sold awnings over the phone.

He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University in 1955 and his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in Chicago in 1959.
After dental school, Jerry served as a dentist in the U.S. Air Force at the former Schilling Air Force Base in Salina, Kansas. Although he loved his time there, he chose to return to southern Illinois to be closer to the parents who had sacrificed to help with his education. In 1961, he moved to Benton to take over Dr. Dudley’s dental practice. He soon met the love of his life, Karen Graddy. They were married on August 24,1964, and together they had a daughter, Alicia Ann Hill (now Alicia Hill Ruiz), who was born in 1969.
Jerry had a calm and gentle presence that helped put people at ease in the dental chair. He saw the dignity and humanity in everyone he met and genuinely enjoyed interacting with his patients. He practiced full-time in Benton until 1977 and then served as the dentist for the Choate Mental Health and Development Center until 1998. Although he sold his private practice to Dr. Robin Labuwi in 1978, he continued to see patients part-time in that office until 2015.

Away from his practice, Jerry found joy in the simple pleasures of life. He loved his family and friends and enjoyed nothing more than sharing meals with them. He was an avid golfer and a member of the Benton Country Club for more than five decades. He not only loved the game but also the chance to be outdoors, socialize with friends, and keep an eye out for bald eagles. He had one hole-in-one and won the Club Championship in 1975. In the last few years, he enjoyed sitting in the car and watching others play.
He played basketball for Crab Orchard High School and later enjoyed attending Benton Ranger and SIU Saluki basketball games. He loved dogs, especially his German Shepherds, Neiko and Zeke, and cherished family vacations at Kentucky Lake. In his later years, he enjoyed watching birds and squirrels in his yard and marveled at their different abilities.
Growing up, Jerry attended the Crab Orchard Methodist Church. When he moved to Benton, he joined the First United Methodist Church where he was married and attended services for many years.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Karen Hill, and his brother, Bob Hill. He is survived by his daughter, Alicia Ruiz (Michael), his nephew Jeffrey Hill, niece Leah Jo Hill, and his grandnephews Jonathan, Justin, and Jared Gravatt.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the compassionate team at PRN Professionals Home Service, who made it possible for Jerry to stay comfortably in his home; Residential Hospice Services for their professional and gentle care; and the many friends and staff at the Benton Public Library, the Plaza, Burton’s, Bob Evans, and O’Charley’s who brightened his days.
Thanks also to Jay Sala and staff at the Benton Country Club for helping him enjoy his favorite place the last few years when he was no longer able to play golf.
A very special thank you goes to former employees Carole Book, Marianne Higginson, and Donna Higginson for their decades of support and unwavering friendship.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 P.M. on Saturday, September 20, at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton. Visitation will take place from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Burial will follow at the Masonic and Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jerry’s honor to the Benton Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, This Able Veteran, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

James D. “Danny” Joplin Jr., 76, of Christopher, went home to be with the Lord, Saturday September 13, 2025. His loving wife Debbie was by his side and his beloved dogs ‘Boomer” and “Sassy” at their home. Danny was born on April 4, 1949 to James and Jean (Bigham) Joplin in Benton, IL. He was a retired mine construction worker, Danny married Deborah Lynn Hood on December 27, 1988 and she survives of Christopher.

He is survived by his wife Debbie and his stepson Greg (Marci) Hood of Coello, IL; brother Mark (Enola) Joplin of New Castle, IN. Danny loved fishing, boating, camping, traveling, especially morning coffee on the deck with his wife and dogs watching the birds and nature in their flower gardens. He loved life.

He was preceded in death by his parents James and Jean Joplin, two infant sisters and one brother Mike Joplin.

Private graveside services will be held at the Mulkeytown Cemetery with his brother Rev. Mark Joplin officiating.

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