Obituaries

Wilma Cobb, 86, of McLeansboro, Illinois, passed away Sunday, October 18, 2020 at her daughters home.
She was born April 16, 1934 in Pittsburg, IL to Loren and Bertie (Oliver) Murphy.  A mother and housewife for 28 years, but when her husband became ill she stepped and became breadwinner for the family.  She went to work as one of the first women underground coal miners.  After the death of her husband, remarriage and three bouts with cancer, she was able to retire from the mines with a pension and health insurance for the rest of her life.  She was a proud UMWA member.  Wilma enjoyed the outdoors, camping, flowers, trees and grandkids.

     Jerry Dean Simmons, 77, of Carmi passed away on Sunday October 18, 2020 at Wabash Christian Village.  He was born on August 6, 1943 the son of William and Anna Marie (Westergard) Simmons.  Jerry married Connie Marie King on February 14, 1965 and she survives.  He was drafted into the United States Army in 1968 and served until 1970  and then served in the Reserves until 1974. He retired after 32 years of service at GTE and Verizon. Jerry was an avid outdoorsman where he enjoyed everything from hunting and fishing to playing golf.  

      Alice Evelyn Blazier Merritt was born on February 22, 1930 and passed away on October 16, 2020 at her residence in Norris City, Illinois.  She was born the daughter of  Adrian and Maxine Blazier. She was a smart girl who excelled at school and always lived in southern Illinois. She married the late James Merritt on February 12, 1948 and they had three children: Gary (Rebecca), Vickie (Darryl) Wooten, and Timothy Merritt.. Vickie and Tim preceded her in death and were nursed by their mother in their final days.

James Lewis Karcher, 65, of Edgerton, Ohio and formerly of Dahlgren, IL, passed away Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Glenda Sue Poole, 82, of Carmi passed away at 3:56 p.m., Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at Wabash Christian Village. She was born in New Harmony, IN on February 25, 1938 the daughter of Harold Raymond and Wilma (Goodman) Redman. Glenda married John Alex Poole in 1954 and he preceded her in death on February 12, 1998. Glenda retired from the Egyptian Health Department where she had worked as a receptionist and secretary. One of her favorite hobbies was refinishing furniture and crocheting. Glenda was a member of Tennessee Bend Baptist Church and attended Plainview General Baptist Church.

     Evelyn M. Lumley, 77, of Carmi passed away at 11:30 p.m., on Monday, October 12, 2020 at Wabash Christian Village in Carmi.  She was born in Palatine, IL on March 3, 1943.  Evelyn married Ronald Lumley and he preceded her in death in December of 2017. She had worked in a factory before moving to Carmi and was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carmi.

Phillip A. “Bimbo” Newman 70 of Carmi, passed away Monday morning October 12, 2020 at home. He was born September 19, 1950 the son of Rada Isabell (Nelson) Newman.

Imogene S. Brooks 90 of Carmi passed away Sunday October 11, 2020 at her home. She was born October 2, 1930 in Detroit, MI the daughter of Clarence Ray and Etta Marie (Dill) Argo. She married Carl B. Brooks and he preceded her in death on November 7, 2005.

Dorothy Mae “Tootsie” Cowling, 93, of Grayville, Illinois, died Monday, October 12, 2020, at Meadowood Nursing Home in Grayville.  She was born May 27, 1927, in Union County, Kentucky, the daughter of E.C. “Bud” Cavins and Maude (French) Cavins.  She was married to Donald Ray “Spud” Cowling, and he preceded her in death.

George William Martin, 93, of Seagraves, Texas and formerly of McLeansboro, IL, passed away Monday, October 5, 2020 at Wilshere Place in Lubbock, Texas.