Shirley Rose Wilkerson, 78, of Johnston City passed away Sunday afternoon, July 18, 2021.

She was born in Franklin County, IL on Dec. 26, 1942, the daughter of Raymond and Oveda (Neal) Gulley.

She was first married to Jim Hutchens and later married Bobby Wilkerson. Mr. Wilkerson preceded her in death on April 25, 1998.

Mrs. Wilkerson was retired as a caseworker for the State of Illinois, and was a member of the North Benton Baptist Church. She liked to travel and visit family. She enjoyed her plants and her garden.

Mrs. Wilkerson is survived by her son, Eric Hutchens and wife Lynn, of Greenwood, SC; a daughterm Karen Pickering, and husband Bill, of Christopher, IL: grandchildren, Alecia Davis (Brian), Ashley Hutchens, Matt Hutchens (Taylor), Brandi Alexander (Lee), Ryan Miller (Brandon); great-grandchildren, Skylar, Riley, Alaina, Emric, Kane and Gavin; a sister, Judy Border, of Benton, IL.

Mrs. Wilkerson was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Bobby Wilkerson, and by a sister, Sharon Trill.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 22, 2021 at the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Masonic & Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton. Visitation will be after 11 a.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.

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

Nancy Elaine “Shorty” Tasky, age 78, of Benton; passed away at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at the Benton Healthcare and Rehab Center of Benton.

Her wishes were to be cremated.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 24, 2021, at St. Joseph Catholic Church of Benton, with Father Urban Osuji officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 24, 2021, at the church.

Cremation services are through the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton.

Nancy was born on February 25, 1943, in Franklin County, Illinois; the daughter of Virgil Moore and Fern (Cashen) Moore. She married Bill E. Tasky on September 6, 1958; and he survives.
Mrs. Tasky was a former waitress having worked at Engert’s Café, Circle Drive and the Holiday Inn. She also formerly worked as a beautician. Later she became an LPN and worked for almost 30 years as a nurse. She retired from the Marshall Browning Hospital in Du Quoin.

Shorty loved shopping, especially for shoes, watches, and purses. She collected Tiffany lamps; and loved to supervise Bill in their garden.

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church of Benton.

Surviving is her ex-husband Bill Tasky of Benton; two daughters: Kim Mandrell and husband Mike of Benton, Christine Richardson of Benton; a son William David Tasky of Virginia; grandchildren: Heather Young and husband Keith of Benton, John Tasky and wife Heather of West Frankfort, Lacey Cooksey and husband Andrew of Thompsonville, Michael David Tasky of Virginia, Sabrina Tasky of Virginia, Damian Parker and wife Amanda of Murfreesboro, TN; great-grandchildren: Alex, Jace, Grayson, Dexter and Adylynne; a brother David Cummings of Benton; a half-sister Rebecca Robinson of Zeigler..

She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant daughter Terry Lynn Tasky; a son Bruce Allen Tasky; and a son-in-law D.T. Richardson.
Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Nancy Tasky, to the Franklin County Animal Shelter 13163 Oddfellow Lane, Benton, Illinois 62812.
To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Shorty, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com

David Allen Hatchett, 55, of Benton, IL died Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at his home. David was born December 24, 1965, in Murphysboro, IL the son of Donald and Elaine Hatchett. He served in the United States Army with an honorable discharge after graduating Benton High School.

David was a thoughtful brother and son and enjoyed music, forensic documentaries, old movies, and a good laugh in his pastime. When it came to culture, he frequently mentioned that he had always felt he had been born in an era too late. David was a cancer survivor of recent years.

Surviving relatives include his brothers, Jon Hatchett and wife Becky of West Frankfort, IL, Daniel Hatchett and wife Perlen of Benton, IL, Jeremy Hatchett of Benton, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents. David was a gentle man who was loved and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL.

Visitation will be from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Monday, July 19, 2021, at the Pate Funeral Home, Benton, IL.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. July 20, 2021 at the funeral home with Pastor Jason Todd officiating. Burial will be in the Plasters Grove Cemetery, Thompsonville, IL.

Online condolences may be made at www.patefh.com

Elaine LaVerne Hatchett, 86, of Benton, IL, died at 8:04 a.m. Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at Good Samaritan Hospital, Mt Vernon, IL.

Elaine was born on July 10, 1934, in Chicago IL the daughter of Ceasar “Jimmy” and Monica “Melba” Shimkus. She married Donald Lewis Hatchett in Chicago on June 13, 1959 and they were married for 55 years until Donald’s death in 2015. Elaine attended and graduated from the Mount Sinai Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago from 1957-1960. She moved with Donald to Fenton MO and then to Benton IL and said goodbye to the city-life from then on. She worked as a registered nurse at Franklin Hospital in Benton as floor supervisor and of the emergency room until taking the school nurse position at Thompsonville Community School from 1989-92. She later worked as a nurse in home health care services until her retirement in 1996.

Elaine was a loving, devoted and faithful wife, a nurturing and compassionate mother, and a strong woman with an opinion that she wanted people to hear, with “listen” being one of the favored words in her vocabulary. After becoming accustomed to life in Southern Illinois, she took a liking to gardening and canning the produce of the garden and the fruit of the orchard trees on her property. She enjoyed collecting and learning recipes to add to the variety of homemade meals she enjoyed preparing for her family. She enjoyed traveling and visiting new unfamiliar places across the United States, Canada, and abroad.

She loved, honored and obeyed God and His law, and was a faithful and devoted servant toward God in prayer daily.

Surviving relatives include her children, Jon Hatchett and wife Becky of West Frankfort, IL, Daniel Hatchett and wife Perlen of Benton, IL, Jeremy Hatchett of Benton, IL, brother Richard Shimkus and wife Patricia of West Frankfort, IL, one grandchild Rachel Eckles and husband Sam of Goreville, IL, two great-grandchildren Mason Hatchett of Herrin, IL, and Dominick Eckles of Goreville, IL, and one great-great-grandchild Kyrie Hatchett of Herrin, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Donald Hatchett, two infant sons, one infant daughter, grandson Scott Hatchett, and most recently her son David Hatchett. Elaine was loved and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL.

Visitation will be from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Monday, July 19, 2021, at the Pate Funeral Home, Benton, IL.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. July 20, 2021 at the funeral home with Pastor Jason Todd officiating. Burial will be in the Plasters Grove Cemetery, Thompsonville, IL.

Online condolences may be made at www.patefh.com

Clifton Dean Cogdill, age 87 of Logan, passed away at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at the Benton Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.

Graveside Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, July 19, 2021, at the Rose Hill Cemetery of Marion, with Tom Judd officiating. Family and friends are asked to go directly to the cemetery. Arrangements are with the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton.

Mr. Cogdill was born on October 29, 1933, in Corinth, Illinois; the son of Herman Samuel Cogdill and Bessie (Walker) Cogdill. He married the former Virginia M. (Grimes) Brock in 1994, and she preceded him in death on July 19, 2000.

He was a jeweler and watchmaker and formerly operated Cogdill’s Watch and Repair Service of Harrisburg, IL.

Mr. Cogdill was a member of the Caldwell Baptist Church of Benton; and in recent years attended the Benton Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Cliff enjoyed playing the piano, especially classical music and church hymns. He also enjoyed to crochet.

Surviving are two brothers: Jack Cogdill and wife Kim of McHenry, IL, Cletus Cogdill and wife Ruth Ann of Port Charlotte, FL; step-children: Eddie M. Brock and wife Elizabeth of St. Peters, MO, , Dennis Brock and wife Mary of Logan, Dale Brock and wife Lutricia of Logan, Mary Sue Perry and husband Jerry of High Ridge, MO; thirteen grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; a niece Ann Field and husband Robert of Johnston City, IL; a nephew David Cozadd and wife Marjie of Tacoma, WA.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; a brother Don Cogdill; a sister Wilma Carter; and a step-son Bobby R. Brock and his wife Diane.

Memorial contributions in memory of Clifton Cogdill, may be made to the Amazing Truth Missionary Society, P.O. Box 68, Thompsonville, IL 62890.

To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Clifton Cogdill, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com

Danny Quillman, 58, of Coello, passed away on July 11, 2021 at 6:53 P.M. at his residence. He was born September 26, 1962 in Christopher, Illinois to Squam Quillman and Emma Jane (Spann ) Quillman.

He is survived by his sister, Nancy Shurtz of Christopher, 2 nieces, Elizabeth Patalano of Herrin and Sarah Ranzinger of West, Texas. Also surviving are 2 great nieces ,2 great nephews his special friend, Wilma and several cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother-in-law, David Shurtz and by his former wife, Terri.

Danny was self employed and loved his dog, Pickels.

A celebration of life service will be held on Monday, July 19, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. at the Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher with Rev. Larry Cook officiating. Visitation will be after 10:00 A.M. on Monday at the funeral home. Burial of ash’s will be in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery

Paula Ann Merkel, 57, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, formerly of Sesser, passed away on Saturday, July 10, 2021 at the Crossroads Community Hospital in Mt. Vernon. She was born August 25, 1963 in Chester, Illinois to George Merkel and Joyce (Rhine ) Merkel.

She is survived by her mother, Joyce Cox of Sesser; 3 daughters, Kassie Stroud of Maryland, Ashley Stroud of St. Louis, Mo. and Alexis ( Joel ) Klenke of Union, Mo.; step children, Jessica LeVault of Jackson, TN; Garrett (Molly) LeVault of Jackson, TN. and Colin LeVault of Jackson, TN.

Also surviving are 3 brothers, George Merkel of Corkland,Tn; Bob (Cynthia) Merkel of Mt. Vernon and Chris (Jennifer) Cox of Carlyle as well as several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her biological father, George Merkel, her father who raised her, James E. Cox and by a grandson, Gili Zion.

Paula was a member of the West Salem Trinity United Methodist Church in Mt. Vernon.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on Saturday, July 17, 2021 from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the West Salem Trinity United Methodist Church in Mt. Vernon.

Gilbert Funeral Home In Christopher is in charge of arrangements.

Therefore I tell you don’t be anxious about your life….. Look at the birds of the air…. consider the lilies of the field how they grow…. If God clothes the grass of the field…. how much more will he clothe you? ….

Matthew 6:25-31