Donald “Dave” Niana-Christopher, IL

Donald “Dave” Niana, 83, of Christopher, passed away on Friday January 17, 2025 at Herrin Hospital.

He was born on July 9, 1941 in West Frankfort, IL to Dominic and Anna (Ferrori) Niana.

He is survived by his sister Linda Burkitt of Christopher, two brothers Richard “Peanuts” Niana of Buckner and John Niana of Christopher; nephews David (Brenda) Burkitt, Scott (Julie) Burkitt, John Matthew (Donna) Niana, Brad (Kelly) Niana; great nieces and nephews Nathan Burkitt, Leanna (Shane) Bennett, Luke (fiancé Marlee Russell) Burkitt, Emily (Adam) Becker, Dominic Niana and Samantha Niana; great great nieces and nephew Isabella Niana, Ava Bennett and Brooks Bennett.

Dave served in the United States Navy stationed in Bermuda doing surveillance during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was employed by E & E Mine Tool Service and then the United States Postal Service. He enjoyed playing golf, bowling but especially trips to Golconda and Reel Foot with his brothers and buddies. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion and served on the honor guard for many years.

A Memorial Service will be held on Monday January 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM at the Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher with Father Urban Osuji officiating. Visitation will be on Monday from 9:00 AM until the time of the service at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the St Andrews Catholic Cemetery Fund or to CASA, envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

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

Janet Elaine “Jan” Shadowen – Benton, IL

In Loving Memory of Janet Elaine Shadowen
March 14, 1953 – January 16, 2025

It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Janet Elaine Shadowen, known to all as Jan. She left this world on Thursday, January 16th, 2025, at 6:35 p.m., surrounded by her loving husband and devoted family and the love they carried for her. She was 71 years young.

Born on March 14, 1953, in Christopher, Illinois, Jan was the cherished daughter of Gladys Moore and James Travelstead and grew up in West Frankfort, Illinois. Jan’s life was a tapestry of love, faith, and kindness. She possessed an unmatched strength, a compassionate heart, and an enduring faith that guided her every step.

Jan was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend who found joy in the simplest things—cooking, photography, and the laughter of her loved ones. Her cookbooks overflow with recipes seasoned with love, and her photo albums, filled with memories of family and friends, tell the story of a life lived fully and beautifully.

She is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Marty Shadowen; her daughter, Tracey Shadowen-Fryar, Tracey’s husband Terry and her son, Jason Shadowen and his wife Shayna; and her adoring grandchildren, Lexi, Austin, Isaiah, and Noni. She also leaves behind her brother Edwin Travelstead and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is preceded in death by her mother Gladys, stepfather Carl, father James, her sisters Velma Bellee, Geraldine Shriver, and Carole Evrard, and two infant brothers David Travelstead and Ronnie Travelstead.

Jan’s family takes comfort in knowing she is reunited with loved ones who passed before her and is now at peace, resting in Heaven. Her unwavering faith and her favorite scripture, Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” were constant sources of comfort and strength, even in her hardest days.
In her final moments, Jan’s family played the music of her favorite artist, Neal McCoy, bringing her joy and serenity. Her journey was one of courage and grace, teaching everyone who knew her what it means to live a life filled with love and gratitude.

A celebration of Jan’s life will be held at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home, 410 South Main Street, Benton, Illinois on Sunday, January 19th, 2025. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Funeral services starting at 2 p.m. and cemetery services immediately following at Denning Cemetery in West Frankfort IL. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Fires of Revival Ministry in Benton Illinois in her memory.

Jan will forever be remembered for her laughter, her enduring faith, and the light she brought into every room. Her legacy of love and kindness will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.
Rest easy, Jan. You were deeply loved and will be missed beyond words. Your love and light will remain with us always.

For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com

Shirley Elaine Calloni-Benton, IL

Shirley Elaine Calloni, 82, of Benton, passed away on Sunday January 12, 2025 at Marshall Browning Hospital in DuQuoin.

She was born on June 8, 1942 in Christopher to Walter and Ellen (Humphrey) Overturf. She married Thomas Calloni SR. on October 22, 1962 and he survives of Benton.

She is also survived by her children Thomas Calloni Jr. of Benton, Jeffrey (Jennifer) Calloni of Lafayette, IN and Steve (Cara) Calloni of Zeigler; grandchildren Austin Calloni, Addison Calloni, Blaine Calloni, Brianna Calloni, Bethaney Calloni, Riley Gress and Caleb Hall, six great grandchildren and two brothers Harold and Kevin Overturf.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister LaDonna Calloni.

Shirley loved to go fishing, camping and working in her garden, but mostly she loved her family.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday January 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM at the Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher with Terry Lybarger officiating. Visitation will be on Saturday from 11:00 AM until the time of the service at 1:00 PM.

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

Saul Griffiths-Christopher, IL

Saul Donovan Griffiths, 34, of Christopher, passed away on Tuesday January 7, 2025 at his home.

He was born on December 26, 1990 in Fort Worth, TX to Samuel Griffiths and Beth Ann (Flatt) Holland.

He is survived by his mother Beth Ann Holland of Christopher, his two children Deacon and Della, one brother Sean Griffiths of Christopher and one sister Sarah Griffiths of Christopher.

He was preceded in death by his father Samuel Griffiths and his brother Samuel Griffiths.

A Celebration of Life visitation will be held on Tuesday January 21, 2025 from 11:00 Am until 1:00 PM at the Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher.

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

Robert D. Burlison-Benton, IL

Robert Dean Burlison, II, age 76, of Benton, IL, passed away Monday, October 14, 2024, at the Mount Vernon Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of Mt. Vernon, Indiana.

Robert was born on December 23, 1947, in Benton, IL, the son of Robert Gene Burlison and Phyllis V. (Hawkins) Burlison.

He was a U.S. Air Force Veteran during the Viet Nam War.

Bob worked for the U.S. Government writing F-16 repair manuals.

Surviving are two half-brothers, Gary Pasterik of Champlin, Minnesota and Mark Pasterik of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Bob had numerous acquaintances through social media across the world.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Cremation services have been entrusted to the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, IL.

A graveside service with Military Honors provided by the Benton American Legion Post #280 and the V.F.W. Post #2671, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 17, 2025, at the Masonic & Odd Fellows Cemetery of Benton.
To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Bob; visit www.lpfuneralhome.com

Darrell Ray Brown-Sesser, IL

Darrell Ray Brown, 71, of Sesser, passed away on Sunday January 12, 2025 at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, IL.

He was born on July 6, 1953 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt Vernon, IL to Delbert and Alma (Newbury) Brown. He married Charlotte K. (Webb) Brown.

He was employed by Old Ben Coal Company Mine No. 21 until it’s closure. He then worked as a semi-truck driver until his retirement in 2015.

Darrell is survived by his wife of 48 years Charlotte Brown of Sesser, one son Guy Brown of Marion, one sister Linda (Terry) Miller of Sesser, brother-in-law Chuck (Debbie) Webb of Ewing, three sisters-in-laws Linda (Clay) Holman of Waterloo, Carolyn (Rod) Zettler of Sesser and Brenda (Rick) Witcher of Mulkeuytown, two niece Angela (John) Furlow of Benton, Laura (Ryan) Simpkins of Farmington, NM, nephews Rich (Selena) Miller of Sesser, Jared Webb of Benton, Caleb (Rebecca) Webb of Benton, Brian (Tammy) Holman of Waterloo, Steve (Brittanye) Holman of Palm Desert, CA, Justin (Ali) Holman of Benton, Mark (Andrea) Holman of Mt. Juliet, TN, Travis (Chelsea) Zettler of Sesser, and Tim (Hunter) Witcher of Sesser and numerour great nieces and nephews.

Darrell enjoyed gardening, Jeep Riding, and taking his antique tractor to shows. He enjoyed playing games with family. Darrell was a member of the Sesser First Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents Delbert and Alma Brown and his mother-in-law and father-in-law Charles and Freda Webb.

Funeral services will be on Friday January 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser with Pastor Chris Hottensen officiating. Visitation will be on Friday from 11:00 AM until the time of the service at 1:00 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be at Williams Chapel Cemetery.

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

Roy Weldon Pinkston Jr-Sesser

Roy Weldon Pinkston, Jr. of Sesser, Illinois, passed away January 11, 2025, at the VA Hospital, Community Living Center (CLC) in Marion, Illinois. Roy was born March 24, 1947, in Mt. Vernon, Illinois to the late Roy Weldon Pinkston, Sr. and Frances (Sheley) Pinkston. Roy married Patricia G. (Walker) Pinkston on March 24, 1972.

Along with his wife Pat of 52 years, Roy is survived by daughter-in-law Debbie Pinkston of Benton, IL, sister-in-law Sandra Pinkston of Mt. Vernon, IL, Steve Pinkston of Missouri, and brother-in-law Charles and wife Diann Walker of Tallapoosa, GA.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents, brother John Pinkston, sister Cheryl Walton and his beloved son Roy Weldon Pinkston, III.

Roy proudly served his county in the US Navy from 1965 – 1975 as a Radioman, Fleet High Speed Code Operator, and teletype repair. After the Navy, Roy worked for Mt. Vernon Neon as a neon tube binder. And later served the City of Sesser as a police officer, firefighter, and Chief of Police, retiring after 20 years of dedicated service.

Funeral services will be on Thursday January 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser with Brother Mark Wells officiating. Visitation will be on Thursday from 11:00 Am until the time of the service at Noon. Burial will be at Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser.

The family would like to thank the incredible staff at the Marion VA hospital and especially the hospice care staff of the CLC.

Fawn Lorenz-West Frankfort, IL

Fawn Annette Lorenz, age 52, of West Frankfort, IL, passed away at 7:00 a.m. Thursday, December 5, 2024, at her friend’s home in Thompsonville, after a five-month battle with lung cancer.

Fawn was born on September 19, 1972, in Kankakee, IL; the daughter of Jo Anne (Herzog) Marcotte.
She was a bartender having worked for several area bars. She was also a member of the Benton Eagles Aerie 2898.
Fawn enjoyed crafting, her annual trip to the Covered Bridge Festival, traveling, back road cruising. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially with her granddaughter Olivia.

Survivors include two sons: Dylan Lorenz of West Frankfort, IL, Dalton Thompson of Benton, IL; a granddaughter Olivia Jean Annette Lorenz; a brother Thomas Engleman of Markleville, IN; her boyfriend Monty Reiger of Benton, IL; three nieces Jill Alfrey and husband Greg, Susie Engleman, Heather Albright all of Indiana; her close friends: Jean Harbour of Thompsonville, IL, Becky Conley of Benton, IL, Janice Poteete of Benton, IL, Michelle Ing of Akin, IL, Deserae Mohr of Benton, IL, and Melissa Reiger of Benton, IL.

She was preceded in death by her loving mother.
Fawn’s wishes are to be cremated.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Benton Eagles.
Cremation arrangements are with the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, IL.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions, in memory of Fawn, may be made to the State Bank of Whittington Go Fund Me Account, to assist with the cremation expenses.
To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Fawn, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com

Showdown between ex-speaker and prosecutors set for Monday at corruption trial

(The Center Square) – Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and U.S. government attorneys are expected to face off Monday morning at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in downtown Chicago.

Here’s a link to the story at Center Square.

Good Genes, God and Chocolate Cake!

A combined 394 years old, the Laird Sisters continue to be a force of nature

By Jim Muir

It’s always a unique, entertaining and interesting story to hear of an individual that lives a long, full life into their late 90s or even beyond to the 100-year-old mark. When considering the Laird sisters – Fanny, Mitzie, Mary and Wanda – multiply unique, entertaining and interesting by four.
The four sisters are the daughters of Joe and Mary Ann Laird, who raised five children in a single-level frame home located at 612 West Reed Street, in Benton, Illinois. It was the last house on the street, where West Reed intersects with North Du Quoin Street. Joe was a coal miner and Mary Ann was a homemaker. After marrying in 1919, Joe and Mary Ann had five children in rapid succession. James Fred, was born in 1920, Fanny May, was born in 1921, Mitzie, was born in 1924, Mary, was born in 1927 and the baby of the family, Wanda, was born in 1930.

Laird Family Picture – Seated left to right, Mary, Fannie, Mary Ann, Joe and Mitzie. Standing, left to right, Wanda and James Fred

James Fred was born deaf and, as was the custom in that era, he was sent to a school for the hearing-impaired in Jacksonville, Illinois. James Fred lived to be 89 years old and died in 2009.

The four sisters lived their lives in Benton, attending school and graduating from Benton High School, during or shortly after World War II. Here’s where the stories for Fanny, Mitzie, Mary and Wanda takes on all those adjectives (and several more) that were mentioned earlier.
First, and the most amazing aspect of this story, is that all four sisters are still alive. That’s a combined 394 years of living for the Laird sisters. Fanny is 103 and resides in a nursing facility in Kentucky, Mitzie, who is 100 years old, lives in Florissant, Missouri with her son, Mary, at age 97, lives by herself in the same house in rural Sesser, Illinois that she has called home for the past 76 years. And only a short distance down the country road, Wanda, who is the “youngster” of the four Laird sisters at age 94, also lives alone in the same house she has resided in for 75 years.

Wanda (left) and Mary, pictured Dec. 26, 2024.

While Fanny’s health has deteriorated some in the past year, the other three sisters are bright, charming and, as the old-saying states, “sharp as a tack.”
One of the interesting and unique anecdotes about the two youngest sisters (Mary and Wanda) is that they married brothers, Tom and Walter Newbury, who both operated successful farming operations northeast of Sesser. Mary and Wanda have lived and raised their respective families, as the crow flies, about two miles apart for more than seven decades. And the fact that Mary and Tom Newbury had four children and Wanda and Walter Newbury had two children, means that there are literally dozens and dozens of double-cousins and double-second and third cousins that were created from the two Laird sisters meeting the two Newbury brothers back in the 1940s.
In an effort to tell the story of the Laird sisters, an interview was arranged with Mary and Wanda. Several family members attended the interview to listen to Mary and Wanda recall dates of births, deaths and weddings with uncanny accuracy from decades past. In all, there were children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren involved in the interview, making it a four-generation event. Mitzie was later interviewed by phone from St. Louis.

Family members pointed out that what the sisters don’t have stored in their sharp memory, they have documented in handwritten notes on calendars and in journals that have been kept through the decades.

As one family member stated: “If something newsworthy happened it’s written down. It might take a while to figure out which calendar or which volume its in, but if we look long enough, we can find it.”

Mary said she recalled her life in Benton growing up as “good, but we were very poor.” All the sisters attended Lincoln Grade School, a neighborhood school that was located only a few blocks from the Laird family home. All four sisters also attended Benton High School, located on East Main Street. All four walked to school every day. Mary said her dad worked at Orient No. 2 Mine, in West Frankfort, Illinois, but noted that during that era the mining industry was not considered steady employment during that era. She also remembered that her dad was working at Orient 2 when it was the site of one of the worst mining disasters in the nation. On December 21, 1951, 119 miners were killed when a methane-fueled explosion ripped through the mine. Joe Laird was on a different shift and was not at work that fateful night.

Mary described her family life growing up as “great” but also very mundane.

“Our big outing every week was going to church,” Mary recalled. “We were there every time the doors were open. We went on Sunday morning, Sunday night and again on Wednesday night. We never missed church.”

She said the family attended the Benton Church of God, which she believed was “located off of Bailey Lane to the south near the railroad tracks.”
As an illustration and life lesson that one contact can change a life, Mary related the sequence of events that led to her meeting her future husband, Tom Newbury, which of course, led to Wanda meeting Walter Newbury.

“There was a man at the church that was a manager at FS Grain, in Benton, and he was looking for a bookkeeper and he offered me a job,” she said. “I graduated high school on a Friday night and I started working at FS on Saturday morning.”

And since local farmers frequented FS Grain on a regular basis, it was there that she met her future husband, Tom Newbury. And seven months after that initial first date, the couple were married on August 21, 1948 standing in the front yard of the Laird residence at 612 West Reed Street, in Benton. From that union, Tom and Mary had four children, Mary Jane (Gee), who passed away two years ago, Tom, Jr., Janice (Page) and Janine (Kelley). Tom, Sr. and Mary were married for 62 years until his death in 2010 at the age of 86.

Tom Newbury, Sr. pictured from the 1940s.

Tom, Jr. said his dad remained proud of that “front yard wedding” his entire life.

‘He used to talk about people that would spend thousands of dollars on a wedding and then the marriage wouldn’t last,” Tom, Jr. said. “He used to say, ‘they don’t have any sticking power. Then he would say, ‘after all the years…our front yard wedding is still holding.’”

Mary said she found great pride that her life had primarily consisted of raising and taking care of her family and helping on the farm. When posed with a question about regrets in her life, or doing things differently, Mary gave a poignant answer.

“I honestly don’t have any regrets at all,” she said. “I can’t think of one thing that I would do differently. I’ve lived a good and a full life.”

Actually, Mary accepting a job at FS didn’t change just two lives, it changed four. After Mary met Tom Newbury and began dating, it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out how Mary’s younger sister Wanda and Tom’s older brother Walter got together. Four months after Tom and Mary said their “I do’s” Walter and Wanda were married on December 25, 1948. So, within a matter of four months’ time in 1948, Mary and Wanda, after spending their entire lives on West Reed Street, in Benton, moved to rural Sesser and began life as the wives of busy farmers.

Wanda and Walter had three children, James Walter, who passed away shortly after birth, then David (1952) and Barb (1954) were born. Walter passed away in 2021 at the age of 98. At the time of his death, Wanda and Walter had been married for 73 years.

Wanda recalled that Walter made her a promise before marriage – a promise that he kept over and over through the decades.

“He told me that he would provide for our family and he would work hard and take care of us,” Wanda said. “And he did that his entire life.”

Wanda recalled a harrowing story about a fateful day on the farm when she feared for the lives of herself and her children, David and Barb. On April 5, 1958, a tornado originated in Perry County, traveled east and damaged and destroyed scores of homes in Sesser and then continued east toward the still-standing Horse Prairie Church. Walter and Wanda’s home was just a short distance east of the church. Walter was at a grain bin a few miles north of the home and saw the tornado approaching and actually saw a silo blow away, but didn’t have enough time to get back to the family residence. Wanda recalled in great detail and emotion, those few frantic minutes of that spring day nearly 70 years ago.

“I had just walked out the back door to feed the chickens and I saw the tornado approaching from the west,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. “I ran back in the house and grabbed my babies (David was six years old and Barb was three years old) and we made a run for the basement. Just as we got down the stairs, the entire house was just gone, it just blew away, there was nothing left.”

Wanda said she “cried out to God” as she headed down the basement stairs.

“I just prayed, ‘God take it all…but save me and these babies,” she said. “And I believe God was watching over us and protected us during that tornado.”

Almost 67 years later, David still remembers those moments.

“We (David and Barb) were standing in the front window and we saw the black cloud, but we didn’t know what it was and mom grabbed us and just as we got to the basement the house was just gone. I can still remember looking up and it was just pouring down rain on us. And I can remember some family members coming and pulling us out of the basement. They always talk about the noise that a tornado creates, I still remember that noise, it’s something you never forget.”

Wanda added that they had just had the house remodeled and the carpenters had finished the day before the tornado.

“We hadn’t even paid the carpenters or the lumber yard yet and it was all gone,” she said.

She said the family rebuilt at the same site in the house that she continues to live in today.

Laird Sisters pictured, left to right, Wanda, Mitzie, Fannie and Mary.

Since attending church had been such an integral part of both Mary’s and Wanda’s lives, they continued that practice when they made the move to rural Sesser, and since Horse Prairie Baptist Church was only a short distance away, that became the home church for both families through the decades. While neither Mary or Wanda are able to attend church now because of mobility issues, both still rely on their upbringing and emphasized that prayer and reading their bible is a daily practice.

“It’s the first thing I do in the morning, I read scriptures from the bible,” said Mary. “It’s the best way possible that I could start my day.”
Family members who attended the interview pointed out that Wanda began decades ago, at the request of her husband, reading the biblical account in Luke about the birth of Jesus.

“And I was able to read it again this year,” she said proudly, “so I am thankful for that.”
While Mary and Wanda both left Benton and still reside in Benton more than 75 years later, older sister Mitzie, also a Benton High School graduate (1943), got married and lived in various locations throughout the Midwest. She currently lives with her only son, Terry and his wife Keryl, in Florissant, Missouri. Mitzie, will turn 101 on June 5.

During a phone interview, Mitzie’s voice was strong and clear and she answered questions concisely and without hesitation.

The church the family attended also played an integral role in Mitzie’s life – it’s also where she met her husband.

“I met my husband Gene at church,” Mitzie recalled. “He was from West Frankfort and he was in the Army at the time. When he got out of the service we got married and moved to Paducah, Kentucky.”

Mitzie recalled that through the years her and Gene, and one son Terry, would live in Missouri and then moved to different locations in Indiana, including Kokomo, Hammond and Highland.

Mitzie’s life has not been without tragedy, her husband was killed in a car crash in 1984, when a young driver ran a red light and collided with her husband’s vehicle broadside at an intersection. Gene Harris was only 58 years old, and Mitzie never remarried.
Mitzie called it a “tremendous family blessing” that all four sisters had lived such long and healthy lives.

“We were all raised in a good home, with good parents that were good to us and siblings that loved each other,” Mitzie said. “We’ve all had good marriages and good children. None of our children have never been in any kind of trouble. All of us have been Christians and been active in church work and I think God has really blessed us.”

Mitzie said her health remains good and she is mobile enough to still walk “anywhere I need to go.”

“Sometimes I use a cane to help with my balance and sometimes I don’t,” she said. “Overall, to be 100 years old, I think I’m still in good health.”
Mitzie, just like Wanda and Mary, has attended church all her life and still reads her bible daily, providing a great example of the way they were raised and attended church regularly.

Echoing her sisters, Mitzie said, “I read my bible the first thing every morning.”
Mitzie, who has three grandchildren, said she still communicates with her three sisters regularly.

Pictured left to right, David and Barb Newbury (Wanda’s children), Wanda, Mary and her son, Tom Newbury, Jr.

“I talk on the phone to all of them every week,” Mitzie said. “After all these years I still enjoy talking to them and we still have lots to talk about.”
Mary and Wanda both said they try to stay active so they can continue to get around. Mary has a stationary bike that she rides daily (at age 97) and Wanda has a small device that allows her to sit on the couch or in a chair and pedal and keep her legs active.

When asked about what she attributed her long and healthy life to, Mary gave a touching, but also a surprising and humorous answer.

“I was sickly as a child, I had bronchial trouble and I’ve dealt with that all my life, but I think growing up in a good Christian home is the reason we’ve all lived long lives. But I also think it had something to do with the chocolate cake.”

That answer certainly prompted an explanation about how chocolate cake played into their long lives.

“When we were growing up, my dad left for work at 4 a.m. every day and as soon as he went to work my mom would bake a chocolate cake,” Mary recalled. “When we got up, at 6 a.m. we would have hot chocolate cake right out of the oven, with hot tea. Looking at all the long lives we’ve lived…I believe there had to be something in that chocolate cake.”

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News