Obituaries

Apr 13, 2025

Michael Ealy, 83, of Casey, IL, passed away on April 13, 2025.

He was laid to rest at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, and the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson was in charge of these arrangements.

Apr 11, 2025

Gina Lynn York, 55, of Centralia, IL, passed away on April 11, 2025, at St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia. Though she will be deeply missed, it brings comfort to know that she is no longer sick and has been reunited with her loving mother.

Born on January 23, 1970, in Clinton, IN, Gina was the daughter of David York & Jo...

Apr 10, 2025

Jim McKinney, 69, of Robinson, Illinois, passed away at home on April 10, 2025—still doing what he loved, still serving the community he called home. To understand Jim’s life is to understand a man deeply rooted in one place and completely invested in its people.

Born on October 31, 1955, Jim grew up here, graduated from Robinson High School in 1973,...

Apr 5, 2025

Margaret Mary "Peggy" Keen, 72, of Robinson, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on April 5, 2025, surrounded by her family.

Peggy was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Leonard and Jean Raczkowski. She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston in 1975. Over the years, she worked for four Chicago mayors in roles focused on budgeting, economic development, resource management, and the...

Mar 29, 2025

Joe E. Bliss, 84, of Oblong, IL, passed away on March 29, 2025, at Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson, IL. His passing marked the end of a long and faithful labor—hands that had shaped fields, cradled grandchildren, and quietly held the weight of generations finally laid to rest.

From the very beginning, Joe’s hands told...

Mar 28, 2025

Jack L. Blankenbeker, 95, of Robinson, IL, passed away on March 28, 2025, at Robinson Rehab and Nursing.

Born on July 25, 1929, in Flat Rock, IL, Jack cut his teeth on the dirt roads of Crawford County before heading north to Chicago, where he worked at Givens Winstead Service. Soon after, duty called, and...

Mar 28, 2025

C. Russell Preston, Jr., 78, of Robinson, IL, passed away on March 28, 2025, at Richland Nursing & Rehab in Olney, IL.

Born July 3, 1946, he was the son of Clyde & B. Jane (Pinkstaff) Preston, both of whom preceded him in death. A 1964 graduate of Lawrenceville High School, his career began with...

Mar 25, 2025

Patricia Ellen Deisher, 84, of Flat Rock, Illinois, passed away on March 25, 2025, at Union Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Born on December 17, 1940, in Honeycreek Township, Patricia was the daughter of Ernest and Lucille (Moore) Shidler. She grew up in the countryside near Flat Rock, where her love for family and a...

Mar 21, 2025

Jacob Lee-Alexander Coates, 29, of Mount Carmel, IL, formerly of Palestine, IL, passed away on March 21, 2025. Born on November 3, 1995, in Robinson, IL, Jacob arrived in this world with a story already attached. According to family lore, he was born with a tail—a detail that may or may not be true, but was too good not...

Mar 12, 2025

Ramona “Gayle” Lewis, 74, of Oblong, IL, passed away on March 12, 2025, in the comfort of her home. Born on March 10, 1951, in Robinson, IL, she was the daughter of Harold F. “Red” Lewis & Joy D. (Bruner) Lewis-Collings, both of whom preceded her in death. She was also preceded by her paternal grandparents, Orville Brody Lewis...

Mar 9, 2025

The whistle has blown, and the train has pulled into the station one final time for Thomas Clinton Woodward, Sr., 87, of Palestine, IL. A man whose life was built on iron rails, hard work, and unwavering devotion to his country and family, Tom passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 9, 2025, in the comfort of his home, surrounded...

Mar 9, 2025

Susan "Sue" Ballard left this world on March 9, 2025, at the age of 64. Born on November 4, 1960, at Fort Campbell, KY, while her dad was stationed there, Sue grew up in Robinson, IL, before the family moved to Palestine when she was 10. She wasted no time making a name for herself—mostly by getting into trouble....

Mar 5, 2025

Donnie Pollock, age 62, of Oblong, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on March 5, 2025. Born on February 1, 1963, in Princeton, Indiana, Donnie was a beloved husband, uncle, brother, son-in-law & friend whose vibrant spirit touched the lives of many.

Donnie found joy in playing his guitar with his favorite song "Night Moves" echoing through...

Mar 3, 2025

Linda Louise "Lulu" DeBruhl Stewart of Robinson, IL, 77, passed away surrounded by the love of her family on Monday, March 3, 2025.

She was born on July 23, 1947, in El Paso, TX, the daughter of Alfred & Frances (Cloud) DeBruhl. She grew up in El Paso, where she helped care for her five...

Mar 2, 2025

Gene Finney, 90, of Robinson, IL, passed away on March 2, 2025, at Crawford Memorial Hospital surrounded by his family.

He was born July 12, 1934, in Casey, IL, to Arthur and Clorean (Brandenburg) Finney. He spent his early years raising award-winning pigs, playing sports, the trumpet, and farming with his family. He graduated from...

Mar 1, 2025

Loretta Helen Mikeworth, 81, of Oblong, IL, passed away on March 1, 2025, at The Gibson Family Center for Hospice Care in Terre Haute, IN. She was born on May 21, 1943, in Palestine, IL, to Norris Norman Bailey and Caroline Underwood Crum Bailey, the oldest of six children. Loretta worked at Patterson's Grocery Store in Palestine and later...

Feb 27, 2025

Martha Zellers, aged 81, of Lawrenceville, IL, died on Thursday, February 27, 2025, in the comfort of her daughter's home. She was born May 16, 1943, in Linton, IN, to Samuel and Margaret LeForge Lynn. She was raised in Indiana until moving to Illinois at the age of 9, where she graduated from Hutsonville High School with the Class...

Feb 23, 2025

Cynthia Kincaid, 69, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2025, at Aperion in Vincennes, IN, after a long health decline with dementia. Born on October 4, 1955, in Robinson, IL, Cynthia was the cherished third child of Ivo Gene "Sterling" and Virginia (Starwalt) Hayden, and a proud 1973 graduate of Robinson High School. On December 30, 1984, Cynthia married...

Feb 22, 2025

Robert “Bob” Powers, 66, of Annapolis, IL, passed away on February 22, 2025, at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. Born on May 15, 1958, in Chicago, IL, Bob’s early years were marked by the rhythm of change as his family moved from place to place before settling in Martinsville, IL. It was there that he laid the...

Feb 22, 2025

Anna Murbarger, 69, of Robinson, IL, passed away on February 22, 2025, in the comfort of her home, surrounded by the love of her family.

Now, if Anna were reading this, she’d already have something to say about it—probably something like, “Don’t you dare write me one of those boring obituaries.” So, in her honor,...