Obituaries: Doran, James

Theodore DoranTheodore Doran

Theodore “Ted” Thomas Doran, 83, Fairbury, passed away March 20 at 10:09 a.m., at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Normal.

There will be a private family viewing at the First United Methodist Church, Fairbury followed by an 11:00 a.m. funeral Friday.  A funeral luncheon will be provided after the funeral service at the church.  Burial will be in Gridley Cemetery, Gridley.  Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury is assisting with arrangements.

Ted was born Aug. 23, 1933 in Piper City the son of James and Mabel King Doran.  He met his wife, Ruth Darlene Cooper, in high school and they were married Oct. 18, 1953.  After 64 years of marriage, she survives him in Fairbury.

Together, Ted and Ruth raised four children: Thomas (Denise) Doran, Randy (Jean) Doran, both of Fairbury; Gary (Dana) Doran of Pontiac; and LuAnn (Mark) Landau of Elmwood.  Also surviving are three sisters; Marsha (Emmett) Williams and Kathy (John) Seggerman, both of Arizona; and Sherry (Loren) Tammen of Flanagan.  Ted and Ruth also have 15 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Bob, Donnie and Dick Doran and three sisters, Delores Emling, Patricia Aberle and Norma Hendrickson.

Ted attended high school in Fairbury.  After marriage, he was employed at Limestone Trucking for 13 years.  He was also employed at Nussbaum Trucking for 27 years.  Ted and Ruth owned and operated one of Fairbury’s favorite drive-in restaurants – RD’s for 17 years.  He was a huge family man and the patriarch of the Doran family.  He loved the Cubs and the Illini, and got to enjoy the recent World Series win!

Our family would like to extend all our gratitude and appreciation to BroMenn and SELCAS for your amazing love and care.  All donations can be directed to either South East Livingston County Ambulance Service or the First United Methodist Church, Fairbury.

An online guest registry is available at www.duffypilsmemorialhome.com.

Phyllis JamesPhyllis James

Phyllis M. James, 78 of Normal, passed away on March 17 at 10:30 a.m. at her home.

Phyllis’s memorial service will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington. Cremation rites will be accorded. Inurnment will be held at a later date.

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

Phyllis is survived by her children: Todd (Cher) Delfosse of Rhode Island, Diana Delfosse Schlott of California and Mike James of California, step children: Mark (Olga) James of Ohio, Tom James of Minnesota, Brian James of Illinois and Dave (Leanne) James of Illinois. Also survived by 11 grandchildren, one great grandchild and her sister: Betty Chaney of California.

Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be made to www.calvertmemorial.com.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…