Obituaries: Howard, Mitchell, Robbins

Walter Howard
Walter Howard

Walter E. Howard, 88 of Normal, Illinois passed away on Friday, January 5, 2018 at 11:55pm at Heartland Health Care, Normal, Illinois.

His service will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 11am at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington. Following the service burial will take place at Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington. Visitation will be held from 10-11am on Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association.

Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home is in charge of arrangements.

Walter was born on July 13, 1929 in Bloomington. He is the son of Earl and Alma (Lovin) Howard. He married Marjorie Massie on December 23, 1951 in Bloomington. She preceded him in death on August 22, 2016.

Walter is survived by his son; James Howard of Bloomington, grandchildren; Matthew (Sandy) Draper and Adam Draper, great grandchildren; Wes and Aiden and a sister; Linda (Dennis) Fasking of Kentucky.

He is preceded in death by his parents, a daughter; Cheryl Draper, grandson; James Draper, 3 brothers and 4 sisters.

Walter was a member of Second Presbyterian Church of Bloomington. He served in the US Air Force and worked as an underwriter for State Farm retiring after 40+ years.

Walter was an avid reader and was a huge Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bulls Fan. He loved working with his hands, doing remodeling projects around the home, and traveling with his wife. Walter and Marjorie would spend a month every year either in Florida or Las Vegas vacationing.

Online condolences may be made to www.calvertmemorial.com<http://www.calvertmemorial.com/>

Robert Mitchell 

Robert Browning Mitchell, 76, passed away peacefully at his rural Bloomington home on January 5, 2018 following a brief illness.

Robert Browning Mitchell was born April 5, 1941 in rural Winchester, KS to Murray B. and Leatha Mae (Connie) Conroy Mitchell. He graduated from Winchester High School in 1959, lettering in football, basketball and track.

Bob’s service will be held on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at 10:30am at the College Park Christian Church, Normal with Rob Shoaff officiating. Following the service burial will take place at East Lawn Memorial Gardens, Bloomington. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 from 3-8pm at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington and also from 9:30-10:30am on Thursday at the church.

Bob worked as a meat cutter in Winchester, Nortonville and Highland, KS before moving to Shirley, IL in 1966 to work as a cattle feeder for Funk Farms with his father.

Bob married Bonnie Jo Davis on June 11, 1967 at Heyworth Christian Church. He began farming in rural Bloomington in March of 1970, retiring in March 2005. He drove a bus for the Tri-Valley school district from 1979 to 2010.

Bob was a member of College Park Christian Church, Normal. He was an avid prayer warrior for family, friends and missionaries across the globe. He was a Kansas Jayhawk fan first, followed by the Kansas City Chiefs. He became a Tri-Valley Viking, Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan. Bob was an enthusiastic and loyal supporter of all of the Tri-Valley arts – theatre, music and art – and sports teams, even after his children were out of school and he retired from his bus driving.

Bob is survived by his wife of 50 years, Bonnie; their children Sandy Jo (Chad) Hill, Edmond, OK; Bob, Bloomington; Cindy (Rob) Shoaff, Port-de-Paix, Haiti; and Debby (Robbie) Burmaster, Oklahoma City, OK; grandchildren Kaitlyn Hill, Mitch Hill and fiancée Jenna Wilbur, Samuel Shoaff, Abigail Shoaff, Andrew Shoaff and Grace Shoaff. Also surviving are siblings Twyla Sweeney, Dave (Ruth) Balf and Paul (Frankie Jo) Balf, as well as brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and scores of former bus students.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Jennifer Elaine and his father- and mother-in-law, Elmer and Marian Davis.

Memorials are suggested to the Mission Team at College Park Christian Church in Normal, IL; the Tri-Valley Fine Arts Boosters or Tri-Valley Athletic Boosters in care of Tri-Valley High School, Downs, IL.

Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be made to www.calvertmemorial.com<http://www.calvertmemorial.com/>.

Jeannette Robbins

Jeannette M. Robbins, 85 of East Bissell Street, Bloomington. She passed away on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at Heartland Health Care, Normal.

Jeannette’s service will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 11am at Beck Memorial Home, Bloomington. Burial will take place at Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington at a later time.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Beck Memorial Home, Bloomington, Illinois is assisting the family with arrangements.

Jeanette was born in rural Danvers on September 13, 1932. She is the daughter of Andrew and Maude (Stutzman) Zoller. She married Woodrow F. Robbins on April 17, 1953, he preceded her in death on May 7, 2007.

She is survived by several nieces and nephews and preceded in death by her parents, one brother; Eldon, two sisters; Marjorie and Gladys and two nieces; Karen and Leslie.

 

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