Obituaries
Obituaries in Highland, Lebanon, Pocahontas, Albion, Allendale, West Salem, Collinsville, and Cisne and their surrounding areas in Illinois
Janice M. Straeter
Feb 19, 2026
Janice M. Straeter, 74, of Highland, IL, passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at home, surrounded by family.
She was born on June 22, 1951, in Breese, IL, to Edmund and Dolores (nee Beckmann) Wellen. On May 7, 1971, she married Virgil Straeter in Aviston, IL.
Janice graduated from Mater Dei High School in 1969, then got her certificate from Sanford...
Donald Buren Cullison
Feb 16, 2026
Donald Buren Cullison, 93, of Albion, Illinois passed away on Monday, February 16, 2026 at Oakview Nursing and Rehabilitation in Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
Donald “Donny” was born on August 6, 1932 in Albion, Illinois to Edward and Mary (Smith) Cullison. He was a member of the United States Army. He married Phyllis J. (Taylor) Cullison and they enjoyed many years together...
Kenneth Eugene Martin
Feb 15, 2026
Kenneth Eugene Martin, 75, of West Salem, Illinois passed away on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at his residence.
Kenneth was born on February 4, 1951 in Chicago, Illinois to Harold and Lillian (Satre) Martin. He served our country in the United States Army from 1970-1972. He married Mary Jane Fishel in 1978 and they had many happy years together. He was...
Richard L. "Dick" Faust
Feb 15, 2026
Richard L. “Dick” Faust, 86, of Lebanon, passed away on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
Born on August 30, 1939, Richard was a lifelong resident of Lebanon, where he grew up on the family farm and built a life rooted in hard work, faith, and family. He was an agricultural farmer, raising cattle and hogs in earlier years, and dedicating himself to...
Jeffrey Alan Carlson
Feb 12, 2026
Jeffrey Alan Carlson, 65, of Mt. Carmel, Illinois passed away on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign, Illinois.
Jeff was born on January 10, 1961 in Fairfield, Illinois to Charles and Patricia (Walker) Carlson. He grew up in the Edwards County area, attending West Salem Grade School and Edwards County High School. He worked as an auto...
Marilyn "Kay" Mason
Feb 8, 2026
Marilyn “Kay” Mason, 83, of Wadesville, Indiana passed away on February 8, 2026 at Heart to Heart Hospice House in Evansville, Indiana.
Kay was born in Olney, Illinois on June 28, 1942 to Loren M. and Pluma (Smith) Litherland. She married Robert L. “Bob” Mason in 1961. They spent many happy years together and were active in Edwards County and the...
Sandra A. "Sandy" Sutter
Feb 7, 2026
Sandra A. “Sandy” Sutter, 85, formerly of Highland, IL, passed away on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at her residence in Imperial, MO.
She was born on October 10, 1940, in East St. Louis, IL, to Ralph and Myrtle (nee Reeder) Shellito. Sandy grew up in East St. Louis before moving, where she graduated from Belleville East High School in 1959 and...
Stanley Zdan Sr.
Feb 3, 2026
Stanley Zdan Sr., age 93, passed away peacefully on February 3, 2026, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon, Illinois.
Stanley was born April 24, 1932, in St. Louis, Missouri, Stan was a devoted husband and family man. He shared 75 years of marriage with his beloved wife, Ann Irene Zdan, whom he married at the age of 18. Together, they...
Joyce Kandlbinder
Feb 2, 2026
Joyce A. Kandlbinder, 81, of Ferguson, MO, passed away on Monday, February 2, 2026, at Caseyville Nursing Home in Caseyville, IL.
She was born on February 4, 1944, in St. Louis, MO, to Lambert and Dorothy (nee Noell) McMillen.
Joyce was a gentle and loving woman whose life was defined by kindness, patience, and devotion to her family. She found joy in...
Pamela S. "Pam" Moore
Feb 1, 2026
Pamela S. “Pam” Moore, 70, of Belleville, IL, passed away on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Memorial Hospital in Belleville.
She was born on October 21, 1955, in East St. Louis, IL, to Milton and Ruth (nee Frazer) Moore.
Pam was a free spirit who loved to connect with nature. She was a dragon lover and storyteller. She used art as a...
Thomas A. Orrel
Jan 31, 2026
Thomas Allen Orrel, 84, of Albion, Illinois passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at his home in Albion, Illinois.
Tom was born on October 12, 1941 in West Salem, Illinois, the son of Frank J. and Carrie (Liddle) Orrel. Tom was a Navy Veteran. He was also a former New York City Police Officer. After that time, he was located...
Gerald E. "Jerry" Wallace
Jan 30, 2026
Gerald E. “Jerry” Wallace, 81, of Highland, IL, passed away on Friday, January 30, 2026, at his home in Highland.
He was born on February 26, 1944, in Townsend, MT, to Howard and Ruby (nee Olsen) Wallace.
Jerry was an avid golfer, and he enjoyed going to auctions and yard sales.
He was preceded in death by his parents; Howard and Ruby Wallace;...
Lonnie E. "Lon" Stone
Jan 29, 2026
Lonnie E. “Lon” Stone, 86, of Highland, IL, passed away at Cedarhurst of Highland on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
He was born on March 9, 1939, in St. Louis, MO, to Loren E. and Edna J. (nee AuBuchon) Stone. Lon married his first wife, Marie Gaudette, after graduating from High School and enlisted in the US Army shortly thereafter. He completed...
Dennis Ray Splittorff
Jan 29, 2026
Dennis Ray Splittorff, 69, of Albion, Illinois passed away on January 29, 2026, culminating a hard-fought and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He transitioned peacefully from this life, into the arms of his loving Father, surrounded by his loving family at the Linda White Hospice House in Evansville, Indiana.
Dennis, affectionately referred to as “Denny” was born May 22, 1956 to...
Faye Taveggia
Jan 27, 2026
Faye Ann Taveggia, 87, of Collinsville, IL, passed away on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, in hospice care at Anderson Hospital, in Maryville, IL.
Faye was born on January 10, 1939, in Collinsville, IL. Her parents were Henry and Thelda (nee Dickerson) Taveggia. She lived in her home at 612 Illinois Avenue, Collinsville, IL, until suffering a stroke six years ago. Thereafter,...
Betty Jean Simmons
Jan 27, 2026
Betty Jean Simmons, 85, of Clay City, IL went to her forever home Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at Deaconess Gateway Hospital in Newburgh, IN surrounded by family.
She was born on May 29, 1940, to Herman E. Sullens and Evelyn (Bricker) Sullens in Clay City, IL.
She married Ira Lee Simmons on August 31, 1957, in Henderson, KY. He preceded her in death...
Helen M. Chalcraft
Jan 26, 2026
Helen M. Chalcraft, 85, of Ellery, Illinois passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026, at The Villas of Holly Brook in Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
Helen was born October 10, 1940, in Wayne County, Illinois to Thomas Ralph and Emily (Fisher) Smerdon. She married Paul Chalcraft October 10, 1959, and they enjoyed over 66 years of marriage. In her lifetime, she worked...
Mitzie Bruce Karraker
Jan 16, 2026
Mitzie Bruce Karraker, 79, formerly of Fairview Heights, Illinois, passed away on January 16, 2026, at his home in Tunnel Hill, Illinois. He was born on November 20, 1946, in Cairo, Illinois.
He was united in marriage to Sharon Ketcham Karraker on July 30, 1979, in Vandalia, Illinois, and together they shared many years of love, family, and partnership.
Mitzie was a...
Charles Sweet
Jan 14, 2026
Charles E. Sweet, 80, of Collinsville, IL, passed away on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at his home in Collinsville, IL.
He was born on October 8, 1945, in East St. Louis, IL, to Edward and Annabelle (nee Bozart) Sweet. On November 21, 1964, he married the love of his life, Jacqueline “Jackie” Dammerman, in Belleville, IL.
Charles was known to many as...
Dennis "Mel" Koch
Jan 13, 2026
Dennis “Mel” Koch, 78, of Highland, IL, passed away on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at his residence.
He was born on September 19, 1947, in Highland, IL, to Louis and Estelle (nee Dill) Koch.
Dennis graduated from Highland High School in 1965. His nickname Mel came from a High School teacher that mispronounced his first name, and it stuck. He started college...
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