Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
Jon Burge, the disgraced Chicago police commander and felon whose sordid legacy of torture and other misconduct exacted an agonizing price from the city, has died in Florida at age 70, according to police union officials and a Florida funeral home.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
The first gunshot wound shown in the darkened courtroom Wednesday traced an ugly red path across the top of Laquan McDonald’s head.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
Peggy Lou McCann, 87, of Carthage, MO and a former resident of Ewing, IL died Monday morning, September 17, 2018 in Mercy Hospital in Joplin, MO.
She was born in Jefferson County, near Belle Rive, IL on July 10, 1931, the daughter of Loria & Pearl (Monday) Whittington. She married Junior Ray McCann on March 17, 1951, at the First Baptist Church in Ewing, IL. He preceded her in death on May 23, 1983.
She is survived by one daughter, Susan Pearce and husband Billy Joe, of Carthage, MO; one son, Russell McCann and wife Gina, of Carterville, IL; one brother, Tom Whittington and wife Sue, of Benton; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mrs. McCann was preceded in death by her parents and by one sister, Patsy D. Herring.
Graveside services will be held at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Elder S.E. Williams Cemetery near Ewing, IL with Rev. Mark Minor officiating. There will be no visitation and those attending the service are requested to meet at the cemetery.
Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton is in charge of arrangements.
For more information or to sign the online guest register please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com
Danny “Foot” Drysdale, 61, of Sesser, IL passed away on Monday September 17, 2018.
He was born March 14, 1957 in Christopher to Franklin and Ruth (Scott) Drysdale. He was married to Patty (Kramer) Drysdale on February 14, 1984 and she survives of Sesser.
He is survived by his wife Patty; children Chelsea (Donnie) Basenberg of Zeigler, Alicia Swanagan of Gillette, WY and Amber Keith of Gillette, WY; grandchildren Chloe Basenberg, Christian Basenberg, Nicolette Basenberg, Wyatt Abbott and Louis Abbott; brothers and sisters Geno Drysdale, Debbie King, Marion “Mav” Drysdale, Kevin Drysdale, Melissa Galloway, Melinda Bruns.
He was a musician and played many instruments, enjoyed fishing and loved his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister Pamela Drysdale and one brother Rodney Drysdale.
Funeral services will be on Saturday September 22, 2018 at 1:00 PM at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser with Brother Eddie Paul Davis officiating. Visitation will be on Saturday from 12:00 PM until the time of the service at 1:00 PM. Burial will be at Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Patty Drysdale to help with funeral expenses.
For more information go to our website www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com
Nathan M. Sill, 37 formerly of Benton, IL., born on September 30, 1980, in West Frankfort, IL., died Friday, September 14, 2018.
Nathan was very intelligent, and always felt the need to help others.
He is survived by his mother, Anita J. Rice; step-father, Michael S. Rice; a sister and brother, Angela Winkleman and Timothy Lytle; a niece and nephew, Alivia and Briar Winkleman; and many cousins and friends.
Nathan is preceded in death by his sister, Savauhna Hammond.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL.
A memorial gathering will be held on Monday, September 24, 2018, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at Immanuel Baptist Church, 516 North Main Street, Benton, IL.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pate Funeral Home to assist the family with funeral expenses, and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Visit www.patefh.com to view obituary and sign online guest registry.
Mary Louise (Abney) Richardson, 93, of Benton, IL passed away at 4:44 p.m., on Monday, September 17, 2018, at Herrin Hospital.
She was born on December 24, 1924, to Alonzo and Nellie (Dooley) Abney in Harrisburg, IL, and raised in Saline County, IL. Louise was a homemaker. On April 18, 1945, she married Forrest B. Richardson in Crown Point, Indiana.
Louise was the proud wife of a minister, the Rev. Forrest B. Richardson. Throughout her life she was involved with helping her husband in his ministry by assisting with church music, a Sunday school teacher, participating in the ladies ministries and cleaned many churches. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother. She enjoyed spending time with her family, fishing, socializing at Heritage Woods of Benton, playing the piano for friends, working word searches, solving puzzles and spoiling her grandchildren.
She is survived by seven children, Forrest W. Richardson and wife Diane of Marion, IL., Katie Richardson-Roach and husband Artie of Logan, IL., Burt Richardson and wife Jill of Herrin, IL., Jim Richardson of West Frankfort, IL., John Richardson of Carrier Mills, IL., Nell Richardson-Jones and husband John of Christopher, IL., Jeanne Richardson-Crnokrak and husband Bill of West Frankfort, IL; a daughter-in-law, Lyn Richardson of West Frankfort, IL; 15 grandchildren, Aaron Richardson, Joel Richardson, Lori Hammers, Shawn Roach, Temetra Gibson, Bob Richardson, Amy Richardson-Harkins, Julie Richardson-Nolen, Billy Richardson, Kari Jones-Ramsey, Tim Jones, Brandon Jones, Jordan Murphy, Alex Crnokrak and Anna Crnokrak; 23 great grandchildren, Sarah Richardson, Kaydee Richardson, Cody Hammers, Reider Hammers, Chloe Roach, Mikaylan Roach, Quinn Gibson, Bailey Richardson, Ella Richardson, Kaitlyn Wilburn, Oliva Harkins, Sophie Harkins, Ava Harkins, Isabelle Nolen, Amelia Nolen, Jason Richardson, Nathan Ramsey, Chuck Jones, Paul Jones, Teddy Jones, Sam Jones, Remy Murphy and Jase Murphy; one great-great grandchild, Beckham Wilburn.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Alonzo and Nellie (Dooley) Abney; husband of 59 years, Forrest B. Richardson; a son, Marty Richardson; a daughter-in-law, Judy Stump-Richardson; five brothers and four sisters.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL.
Visitation will be held Thursday, September 20, 2018, from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., at Pate Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 21, 2018, 10:30 a.m., at Pate Funeral Home.
Burial will follow services at Logan Church of God Cemetery, Logan, IL.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois, and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Online condolences can be given at www.patefh.com.
It’s 1991, all over again.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.
A Prayer to Help You Know God’s Delight in You
By: Jennifer O. White
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me – Psalm 18:19
Jesus is known as Emmanuel, meaning God is with us. He has chosen to dwell with us because He is delighted with us. He is also our Wonderful Counselor: our ever-present fountain of God’s wisdom. He is God’s wise Word delivered to us in human form long ago and now present with us by His Holy Spirit.
Are you delighted with yourself?
God longs for us to be united with Him in thought and deed. Choosing to see ourselves through His eyes is a life-changing, joy-restoring act. If we have trouble delighting in ourselves, the Holy Spirit is with us to help us change our thoughts. Here is a simple prayer to help us reach for the help He is ready to deliver:
God, I need help believing that You are delighted with me. Please fill me with Your wisdom and defend me against condemning thoughts about myself. I know I am lovingly, wonderfully made by you. I know that you know every breathe I take, and I know that you are acquainted with all my thoughts, the passions of my heart, my longings and trials. Nothing about me is lost to you, and all you know about me, both the good and bad, never changes your love for me. I know when you look at me you see something ‘very good.’ Help me know these things, help me live confidently and at peace because of your delight in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
This simple change can usher in healing in hearts and our relationships. When we rest in God’s love for us, we gain the courage to consider how much He must delight in other people. When we grow in our love of Him, we grow to love ourselves more, and can love others better too. This is the life changing love that God offers all of us!
Editor’s Note: Portions of this devotional were taken from Jennifer White’s A Prayer to Help You Know God’s Delight in You. You can read that piece in full here.
By Rick Warren
”From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 TLB).
The number one question I’m asked as a pastor is, “Why is this happening to me?” I’ll tell you why: It’s to help you grow up spiritually. Everything in life is designed to help you grow up spiritually—the good, the bad, the ugly, the stuff you bring on yourself, and the stuff that other people do to you. God is not the author of evil. But God can bring good out of bad things.
Instead of asking, “God, why is this happening to me?” ask, “God, what do you want me to learn from this?” Every situation in life will either make you bitter or better. You choose how you will respond to it.
Every problem has a purpose, and the purpose is to help you grow up spiritually to be more like Jesus Christ.
So if one of the purposes of your life is to grow up spiritually and to become like Jesus, what is Jesus like? When you look at him, you see what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit. It says, “He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 TLB). These are the qualities God wants to build in your life.
How does God produce those qualities in your life? How does God grow character and help you grow up spiritually? God teaches you these qualities by putting you in the exact opposite situation.
He teaches you love by putting you around unlovely people. He teaches you joy in the middle of grief. God teaches you peace in the middle of chaos. He teaches you patience in the Department of Motor Vehicles!
God will teach you all of these qualities throughout your life—and it will take the rest of your life. It’s a process. He will use all kinds of situations in your life to help you develop spiritual depth and become more like Christ.
The long-awaited murder trial of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke continued Tuesday with key testimony from Van Dyke’s partner and other eyewitnesses in a racially fraught case that has roiled the city for nearly three years. Here are five takeaways from the second day of the trial:
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
