Paul Sileven, 78, of Benton, passed away Wednesday morning, Feb. 5, 2014 at his home.

Paul was born in Benton, IL on August 9, 1935, the son of Fred and Flora (Denham) Sileven.

He married Donna (Higgins) on February 6, 1955 in West Frankfort, and she preceded him in death on August 11, 2011.

Paul was a bodyman for Bert Baker Chevrolet and then for Taylor Motors.

He is survived by two daughters, Candy Schelsky, of Benton and Vera and husband Jerry Bruce, of Benton; five grandchildren, Vickie Karrick and husband William, Greg Abbott and wife Angela, Amos E. Abbott and wife Malerie, Stacia Sloan and husband Andy and Amy Kolodziej and husband Johnny.

Also surviving are 12 grandchildren, Alissa, Megan, April, Andrew, Christian, Aleesha, Emma, Caitlyn, Caden, Cameron, Tensley Mae Sloan and Sandler Dash Sloan.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, a sister, Violet Simpson and by an infant brother, Virgil Leon Sileven.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with Pastor Harol Whitlock officiating.  Burial will be in Masonic and Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton.  Visitation will be after 11 a.m. on Friday at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.

Shane F. Marvel, 38, of Benton, passed away January 22, 2014.

He was born on April 27, 1975, in McLeansboro, the son of Steven and Debra (Lance) Marvel.

He married Terri Hudachko on Feb. 20, 1999 in Benton.

Mr. Marvel was an avid hunter.

He is survived by his wife, Terri Marvel, of Benton; his father Steve Marvel, of Benton and his mother Debra Marvel, of Benton.

Mr. Marvel is also survived by two daughters, Nichole Gibson and Stephanie Marvel; two sons, Zackary Marvel and Tyler Arnett; two grandsons, Carter Williams and Caden Gibson and a daughter-in-law, Jessie Williams.  He is also survived by several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Mr. Marvel was preceded in death by a son, Josh Williams.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 28 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with Pastor Roger Webb officiating.  Burial will be at Masonic & Oddfellows  Cemetery in Benton.  Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the family and will be accepted at the funeral home.

Dwyght Lee Roberson, 56, of West City, passed away Friday, January 24, 2014 at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with Pastor Kurt Sanders officiating.  Burial will be at Horse Prairie Cemetery, in Sesser.  Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.

For those who wish, memorials can be made to Sue Roberson to help defray medical expenses.

Connie Patten, 66, of Benton, passed away Friday evening, January 17, 2014 in Carbondale.

She was born in Christopher, IL on Dec. 22, 1947, the daughter of Roy and Rosalind (Overturf) Hanner.

She married Steve Patten in Valier on Nov. 6, 1976, and he passed away on Jan. 17, 2014.

Mrs. Patten was a retired beautician and full-time Home Health Caregiver.

She attended God’s House of Prayer in Carterville, IL.

Mrs. Patten is survived by two daughters, Anna Lampley and husband Steve, of Benton and Kelly Patten and Matthew Neal, of Benton; grandchildren, Kara Abney, Samantha Lampley, Dakotah Lampley, Alexis Abney, Makayla Abney, Douglas Lampley and Devin Neal; one brother, Leroy Hanner and wife Jessie, of Detroit, Michigan.

Mrs. Patton was preceded in death by her parents, by one brother, Ronald Hanner and by two sisters, Rita Issler and Shirley Long.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 23, 2014 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with burial in Shiloh Cemetery in Whittington.  Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with Pastor Marty Beers and the Rev. George Calhoon officiating.

Steve Patten, 62, of Benton, passed away on Saturday morning, January 18, 2014, in Benton.

He was born in Kansas on September 26, 1951, the son of Harlan Lee and Rose Marie Jensen Patten.

Steve married Connie (Hanner) on Nov. 6, 1976 in Valier, and she preceded him in death on January 17, 2014.

He was an Air Force veteran.

Steve had worked as a dog catcher for Franklin County Animal Control for several years and was a retired truck driver.

He is survived by two daughters, Anna Lampley and husband Steve, of Benton and Kelly Patten and Matthew Neal, of Benton.  Also surviving are his grandchildren, Kara Abney, Samantha Lampley, Dakotah Lampley, Alexis Abney, Makayla Abney, Douglas Lampley, Devin Neal; his mother, Rosie Patten, of Benton, a brother Keith Patten and wife Marla, of Logan and three nieces, Amy Lampley and husband Brandon, Mandy McDough and Lacy Patten.  Steve was preceded in death by his father, by his wife and by his grandparents, Harry and Marie Jensen.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 23, 2014 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.  Burial, with military rites conducted by the Benton American Legion and VFW and the Illinois National Guard Honor Squad, will be in the Shiloh Cemetery in Whittington.  Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.  Pastor Marty Beers and the Rev. George Calhoon will be officiating.

Barbara Gulley, 82, of Buckner, passed away Jan. 14, 2014 at her son’s home in Buckner with her family by her side.

She was married to Nolen Gulley and he preceded her in death on Nov. 14, 2013.

She is survived by one son, Dennis Gulley, of Buckner.

As per Barbara’s request she will be cremated with no  funeral service.

Gilbert Funeral Home, Christopher, IL is in charge of arrangements.

For more information go to gilbertfuneralhomes.com.

Marie E. Toth, 87, of Buckner, IL, passed away Jan. 13, 2014 at Parkway Manor, in Marion, IL.

Marie was a homemaker.

She was born Jan. 4, 1927 in Buckner, the daughter of Bart Payne and Elsie (Flatt) Payne.

Marie was married to John Toth and he preceded her in death on June 23, 1996.

She is survived by one son, Dennis and wife Karen Toth, of Benton.  She is also survived by one grandson, Jeremy Toth.  She was preceded in death by her husband, eight brothers and two sisters.

Funeral services will be Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Gilbert Funeral Home, in Christopher, IL with the Rev. Steve Reeves officiating.  Visitation will be from 9 a.m until the time of the service at the funeral home.  Burial will be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Valier, IL.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association and will accepted at the funeral home.

Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher is in charge of arrangements.  For more information visit gilbertfuneralhomes.com.

Joseph  M. “Joe” Crawford, 70, of Sesser, passed away Jan. 12, 2014 at Helia Healthcare, in Benton.

Joe was born May 10, 1943 in Alton, the son of Eldon Crawford and Eddie (Carlton) Crawford.

Joe married Beatrice (Bryant) Crawford on August 8, 1962 and she survives.

He was a retired coal miner, last working at Freeman 6 Mine, in Waltonville, IL.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church, Du Quoin, IL.

Joe is survived by his children, Gail and husband Brian Forrester, Springfield, IL, Nancy Jo and husband Joe Ondo, Houston, TX, Rhonda Newbury and fiance Pete Anselment, Whittington, IL and Jennifer and husband Marvin Sullivan, Benton, IL.

Also surviving are grandchildren Gary and Amy Willis, Jr., Kristi and Randy Meadows, Patrick Crawford and Rebecca Newbury and fiance Brad Hunt, Samantha Newbury, Britney Sullivan, Hunter Sullivan and step-grandchildren Julie Shepard, Jennifer King, Nicole Newbury, Amanda Camdon,   He is also survived by great-grandchildren Jackson Willis, Katie Willis, Emma Willis, Madyson Meadows, Connor Meadows, Joseph R. Crawford, Dalton Crawford, Sabrina Beatrice Crawford, Ashton J. Crawford, Ava Loucks and Colton Sullivan and by one sister Verna Pfister, Woodlawn.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Roy Crawford.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home, in Sesser, IL with the Rev. Bryant Harris officiating.  Visitation will be Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.  Burial will be in Mulkeytown Cemetery, in Mulkeytown, IL.

Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  For more information go to www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com.

Funeral Home Directing:  Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home Sesser Il

For more information go to

Eunice(Hammond) Brown passed away peacefully on January 9, 2014, at Heritage Manor in Minonk, Illinois.

She was born on June 6, 1921, as one of 12 children of Syble and Clarence Hammond.

Eunice was a life long resident of Sesser, Illinois and married Louis Brown on November 24, 1945.  They were married 52 years when Louis passed away.    Together they raised five children – Martha Brown, Sebring, Florida, John Brown, Mulkeytown,  Illinois, Richard Brown, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Alice Kirkpatrick, Minonk, Illinois, and Ruth Gesell, Sumner, Washington.

She was preceded in death by all of her siblings except Mary Piacentini who resides in RockWall, Texas.  Eunice leaves behind seven grand children, one great grand child, and many relatives and friends.

Eunice lived a long and fruitful life.  She enjoyed caring for her yard and flowers, playing cards with friends, and going out to eat. Some of her favorite “haunts” were the Custard Stand in Sesser, the Maid-Rite in Christopher, and fish from the Sesser VFW. Together she and Louis enjoyed many trips to Texas with friends.  Anyone spending much time with Eunice also knows she never met a dessert/sweet item she did not like.  Her children want to express their appreciation to the many individuals who touched Eunice’s life.  She was fortunate to have met so many caring people during her life’s journey.

A memorial service for Eunice will be held at Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home  in Sesser, Illinois on Monday January 13, 2014 at 6:00 P.M., visitation  from 3 – 6 p.m at the Funeral Home. Coffee and deserts will be served immediately following at the Sesser VFW Post meeting room.   Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Heritage Woods, 1305 Bailey Lane, Benton, Illinois 62812 or Heritage Manor, 201 Locust Street, Minonk, Illinois 61760.  Her children truly appreciated the care, kindness, and support both facilities provided.

Burial will follow at a later date in Maple Hill Cemetery, Sesser IL.