Mike E. Lemons, 60, of Mt. Vernon, died at 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, at his home.He was born Wednesday, Aug. 24, 1949, in Mt. Vernon, the son of John and Marge (Colgrave) Lemons. He was married to Beth Taylor.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m Sunday at First Free Will Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon with the Rev. David Shores officiating.Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m Saturday at Hughey Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon.Interment will be at Mt. Vernon Memorial Gardens in Woodlawn.

Mr. Lemons is survived by his parents; son, Michael Lemons and wife Elizabeth of Nashville, Tenn.; three daughters, Amanda Lemons of Nashville, Tenn., Courtney Lemons of Mt. Vernon and Breanna Lemons of Mt. Vernon; granddaughter, Ramaya White of Nashville, Tenn.; two brothers, Harold Lemons and wife Norma Jean of Ina and William Lemons and special friend Janet of Mt. Vernon; and a sister, Doris Poole of Mt. Vernon. Several nieces and nephews also survive.He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

Mike was a computer draftsman for Joy Mining Machinery in Mt. Vernon and was a member of First Free Will Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon.For those who wish, memorials may be given to the First Free Will Baptist Church and will be accepted at the funeral home, or from the online obituary at www.hugheyfuneralhome1969.com, or mailed to Hughey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 721, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Hughey Funeral Home where you may call 242-3348 or visit www.hugheyfuneralhome1969.com for further information and to send condolences.

We are all saddened by the passing of Olive Ann Gregory this week.

Olive Ann is the wife of Marvin Gregory, a deacon at Blue Point Church. She
has been suffering from liver cancer for a few months, but she went home to
be with the Lord on Thursday, December 3rd.

Her funeral will be at Blue Point Church on Sunday at 2:30pm. Visitation
will precede the service from 12:30-2:30.

Reverend George E. Ritter

MARION – the Reverend George E. Ritter, 86, went to his eternal heavenly home at 12:43 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, in Heartland Regional Medical Center.

The Rev. Ritter, known to some as “Uncle Red,” was born July 21, 1923, in Johnston City, the son of George E. and Alice A. (Shelton) Ritter.

He married Reba Horton on June 23, 1946, and they have been blessed with more than 63 years of marriage.

He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force from April 1943 to January 1949.

He began pastoring in August 1950, serving churches in southern and north Illinois, Arkansas and Alabama. He continued until ill health forced his retirement in February 1993. Following several months of convalescence, he was able to do pulpit supply in area churches. The Rev. Ritter was a member of Scottsboro Baptist Church and former owner of Ritter’s Custom Cabinets.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his sister in law, Audrey Ritter of Johnston City; nephew, Bruce Ritter of Johnston City and his children, Denel Morris and husband, Jeff, of Herrin and Brian Ritter and wife, Gabrielle, of St. Louis; nephew, James Ritter and his wife, Brenda, of Johnston City and their children, Jarrod Ritter and wife, Cindy, of Marion, Jeremy Ritter and wife, Wendi, of Goreville, Jennifer Pribble and husband, Richard, of Herrin and Joy Ritter of Herrin; great-great nieces and nephews, Brent, Kylie, Taylor, Zoey, Alyssa, Madison, Haley, Abigail and Kelley Jo; Reba’s cousin, Marvin B. Horton of Harrisburg, who has always been more like a brother to George and Reba and his children, Melissa Belt and husband, Brian, of Harrisburg and Brad Horton and wife, Kandie, of Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gilbert Ritter; and two infant sisters.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, in Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home, with the Rev. Ivan Ryan officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Lawn Cemetery in Harrisburg, with military rites performed by Marion’s VFW Post 1301, American Legion Post 147 and National Guard Flag Detail Unit. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

For those who prefer, memorials may be made to Scottsboro Baptist Church Building Fund. Envelopes will be available and accepted at Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home, 800 North Market Street, Marion, IL 62959.

JOHNSTON CITY – Gilbert E. Fletcher, 97, formerly of Johnston City, passed away peacefully at home, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, in Antioch, Tennessee. Continue Reading

The Reverend George W. Waggoner – A Faithful Servant. Continue Reading

Lawrence Lemons, age 84, of Scheller, died at 11 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Crossroads Community Hospital in Mt. Vernon.

Continue Reading

The Rev. Robert L. Gilbert had established a career as a teacher and school administrator when he decided to become a Baptist minister.

“He felt that he was called by God to be a minister,” said his son David. “It’s a little unusual for someone at that stage of his life to change professions, to go from education to the ministry.”

In 1952, Mr. Gilbert stepped down as head of the Wheaton Academy in West Chicago to become a pastor in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Indiana.

He later served as foreign secretary of Baptist Mid-Missions, coordinating missionaries throughout the world.

Mr. Gilbert, 97, died on Sunday at Centralia Manor.

The Rev. Edward Fuller served with Gilbert during the 1950s and ’60s at Bethel Baptist Church in Erie, Pa., where Gilbert was pastor.

“I think he wanted to emphasize totally teaching the Word,” Fuller said. “That was his real desire in life and what he loved best. Even after leaving the pastoral ministry he went into international ministry going to other countries. That was in his heart — to explain the Bible.”

Mr. Gilbert’s secretary at Bethel used to call him the “Happy Elephant,” Fuller said, not because he was heavy — which he wasn’t — but because of the forceful way he could motivate his congregants and others.

“He had a wonderful way with people,” Fuller said. “He had a way of getting beside people and just nudging them along. They didn’t even know they were being moved in a specific direction.”

Mr. Gilbert was born on Nov. 9, 1911, in Chili, IN. He was attending Chili High School when he met classmate Mae L. Rife. They married after she graduated from Indiana Central College in Indianapolis and he got his degree at Manchester College in Indiana. He then earned a master’s degree in education at Indiana University and another in school administration from Purdue University.

He taught high school level history in Peru, IN, before becoming a principal in Riley, IN; school superintendent in Cambridge City, IN, and finally the head of Wheaton Academy in West Chicago.

He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1952 and served at the First Baptist Church in suburban Wheaton before moving on to Bethel in Erie, PA, and the Glen Park Baptist Church in Gary, IN.

“He was called by the Baptist Mid-Missions to be foreign secretary,” said his son David, former press secretary to Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson.

“He also became a vice president of Mid-Missions. He loved that job. He and my mother figured they traveled around the world at least three times. They went to all the places Baptist missionaries were working at the time — the Congo, South Africa, India and Mexico.” Frequently the missionaries were met with suspicion in countries where Baptist was not the predominant faith, he said.

“Part of my dad’s responsibility as foreign secretary was to meet with local political figures and try to smooth out those relationships,” his son said.
“He tried to convince the government officials that the missionaries weren’t there to take their people away from their religion, but to help them. They served them as nurses and schoolteachers and worked in the communities.”

Mr. Gilbert retired about 25 years ago and moved to Missionary Acres, a retirement community near Silva, MO. They later relocated to an assisted living facility in Centralia. Mrs. Gilbert died in 2002.

Other survivors include two daughters, Dr. Roberta M. Douglass and Lana S. Estes; another son, Jan R. Gilbert; 17 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.
He was a member of Pleasant View Free Will Baptist Church, and services will be at one Friday at the church. Services will be conducted by Dr. David L. Burgess.