Ilah M. Piper, 86, of Bloomington and formerly of Sesser, died March 9, 2013 at Heritage Health Care, in Bloomington.

She was born July 1, 1926 in Williamson County, the daughter of Walter Theodore Boswell and Martha Emily (Norris) boswell.

She married Donald Lee Piper on July 7, 1946 in Sesser.

Ilah worked as an optometric assistant at the office of Dr. John Slightom, in Harrisburg. Ilah grew up in So. Illinois and lived there her entire life until 2002 when she moved to Bloomington to be closer to her family.She developed a host of friendships in Bloomington, all of which she cherished.

She is survived by one son, Tim (Lee) Piper, of Lexington, IL;one granddaughter Lori (Tony) Kaufman, of Bloomington, IL and by great-grandchildren Alyssa and Jackson Kaufman, of Bloomington.

Also surviving is one sister, Donna (Joseph) LeVault, Thomasville, PA.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband and one brother, Norris Boswell.

Visitation will be at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home in Bloomington on Monday, March 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Visitation will be 10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Wednesday March 13 at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home Sesser with a graveside service to follow at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser with the Rev. Julie Smith officiating.

Memorial can be made to the American Heart Ass. And will be accepted at the Funeral Home

For more information visit our web site at gilbertfuneralhomes.com

Maxine (Taylor) Reed, 88, of Benton, passed away at 10:10 a.m. Sunday, March 3, 2013 at Franklin Hospital in Benton.

She was born in Whittington, IL on June 28, 1924, the daughter of Denzil and Velva (Spencer) Taylor.

She married Guy Reed on July 2, 1974 and he died on Sept. 30, 1992.  Mrs. Reed was a member of the Williams Chapel Church and attended the First United Methodist Church in Benton.

She is survived by one brother, Stanley Taylor, of Ewing, one sister LaWanda Mezo and husband James, of McLeansboro, a niece, Beth Hill and husband Michael, of Ewing and a great-nephew Taylor Hill, of Ewing.

Maxine was preceded in death by her parents, husband and by a sister-in-law Doris Taylor.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, March 8 at the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.  Burial will be in Elder S. M. Williams Cemetery, in Ewing.  Visitation will be after 11 a.m. Friday until the time of the service at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.

George Dale (Curley) Ragland, 87, of Tamaroa, IL passed away on Friday, March 1, 2013 at Marshall Browning Hospital in Du Quoin.

He was born in Tamaroa, IL on Feb. 11, 1926, the son of George Franklin (Sr.) and Ora Cockrum Ragland.

He married F. Jean Plumlee, on July 3, 1949 in Piggott, Arkansas, and she survives.

He was an active member and deacon at Bear Point Free Will Baptist Church, serving as a deacon for 47 years.

He was a UMWA member, retiring from Consol No. 2.  He was a member of the Perry County Farm Bureau and his family was very important to him.

Mr. Ragland is survived by his wife, F. Jean Ragland, of Tamaroa and children Vickie (John) Hollis, of Effingham, IL; Karen (David) Harrison, of Sesser; Greg (Nancy) Ragland, of Tamaroa, IL; Nancy (George) Keith, of Tamaroa, IL.

Also surviving are 11 grandchildren, Jason Ragland, Prudence (Bob) Kumming, Alyson (Brian) Lewis, Johnny (Jessica) Hollis, Doug (Diana) Harrison, Jared (Erica) Hollis, Ashley (Isaac) Miller, Paige Ragland, Alexis Keith, Colin Keith, Jordan Ragland and 11 great-grandchildren Maddie Kate, Sydney, Nolan, Ava, Sophie, Mason, Justus, Cohen, Carter, Rowen and Jaxon.

Mr. Ragland was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Charles E. Ragland, by sisters Maxine Taylor, Elaina Noward, Imogene Anderson and Verdine Ragland.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 4 at the Bear Point Free Will Baptist Church in Sesser with the Rev. Larry Cook and Pastor John Hollis officiating.  Burial will be in the Paradise Cemetery in Tamaroa. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Bear Point Free Will Baptist Church and from 11 a.m. until the funeral hour on Monday.

In lieu of flowers memorial in Mr. Ragland’s memory may be made to the Mission Fund at the Bear Point Free Will Baptist Church.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.

Mary “Pinky” Williams, 94, of Christopher, died Saturday, March 2, 2013, in Stonebridge Senior Living Center in Benton.

Mary was a homemaker and was a member of Valier First Baptist Church.

Mary was born Sept. 21, 1918, in Evansville, Ind., to Ellis and Mildred Autha (Hawkins) Pinkston.

She married Clifford Lee Williams.

Survivors include children, Tom and Geneva Williams of Valier, Bill and Jean Williams of Lincoln, Neb., Janet and Bill James of Evansville, Ind., Bonnie and Mike Porvaznik of Valier, Charlene Hampton of Christopher, Steve and Lori Williams of Christopher, Connie and Steve Cutler of Christopher, Theresa and Jay Evans of Carmi, and Ricky Jo Williams of Herrin. Mary is also survived by several grandchildren; great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband; one son, Jerry Cavins and his spouse and two daughters, Rose George and Patricia Bowers and their spouses.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 4, in Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher, with the Rev. Harl Ray Lewis officiating. Interment will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Valier. Visitation will be from 11 a.m to the time of the funeral service at 2 p.m. Monday at Gilbert Funeral Home.

Mary Lou Overturf, 87, of Ewing, passed away Saturday afternoon February 16, 2013 at Stone Bridge Senior Living Center in Benton.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 20 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with the Rev. Jerry Montgomery officiating. Burial will be in Thurmond Cemetery, Ewing.  Visitation will be after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

BENTON — B. Gene Anderson, 69, died at 6:40 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, at his home with family at his side.

The son of Lannie L. and Esther Galbraith Anderson, Gene was born Oct. 13, 1943, in Benton.

He attended Benton grade schools and then spent his junior high, freshman and sophomore years at DeKalb schools before his family returned to Benton, where Gene completed his junior and senior years at BCHS, graduating in 1961. It was during those DeKalb years that, at age 14, Gene accepted Christ as his personal savior.

In 1964, Gene enlisted in the U.S. Army and served two years in Germany. After returning to civilian life, Gene began working for the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 1987 as a rural letter carrier for Route 1 in Macedonia. Also during that time, he owned Anderson Wholesale in Thompsonville and Anderson Motors in Pittsburg.

In 1980, Gene was diagnosed with renal disease and, on Jan. 31, 1981, he began a 32-year journey of three-days-a-week kidney dialysis. He always looked at dialysis as a job, going three days a week for 32 years without vacation or sick days. He considered his paycheck to be “life.”

Gene was something of a celebrity among kidney dialysis circles in Illinois, being Mount Vernon nephrologist Dr. Steven Zelman’s longest living patient. The staff at Benton DaVeta Dialysis Center nicknamed him “Energizer Bunny.”

He was a loyal Benton Ranger and Rangerette basketball fan who attended most games. When declining health prevented that, he could always be found sitting at home listening to the games, play by play, on the radio. Also, for many years, he served as official scorekeeper for Rangerette basketball games.

Gene was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, National/Illinois Rural Letter Carriers Association, Benton American Legion Post 280 and National/Illinois Society Sons of the American Revolution.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Sheila Lewis Anderson; son, Duane Anderson of Centennial, Colo.; daughter, Sherry Kay (Garrett) Collier of Benton; grandchildren, Megan Anderson of Centennial, Colo., and Kameron and Kendra Metzger of Benton; mother, Esther Taylor of Benton; sister, Sandra (Russell) Gant of Benton; brothers-in-law, Al (Glenda) Lewis of St. Paul, Texas, and Evan (Denise) Lewis of Thompsonville; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Lannie Anderson; stepfather, Cecil Taylor; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Harrison and Thelma Lewis.

A celebration of Gene’s life will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton with Pastor Sammy Simmons and Gene’s Sunday School teacher Larry Miller officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church Helping Hands Ministry.

Morton and Johnston Funeral Home in Benton is in charge of arrangements.