GLASGOW — Robert D. Alexander

WASHINGTON, Ill. — Robert D. Alexander, Sr., 91, formerly of Washington, Ill., passed away at 5:17 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at OSF Medical Center in Peoria.

Robert was born on Sept. 20, 1920, in Marrowbone, Ky., to Edgar and Annie Carden Alexander. He married Juanita Grissom in Glasgow, Ky., on Jan. 26, 1946. Juanita passed away Aug. 19, 2001, in Peoria.

Among those surviving are three sons, Robert (Cheryl) Alexander of Alpharetta, Ga., Dan (Donna) Alexander of Smithfield, Ill. and Tim (Jon’l) Alexander of Mossville, Ill. and four grandchildren, Jenifer, Ryan, Johnathan and Joseph. He was preceded in death by four brothers, David, Phillip, Beck and Joseph.

Robert was a veteran of WWII, serving in the Army Air Corps in the India/Burma theatre. He was a member of Danforth Walker VFW Post 9016 in Washington.

He had lived at Fondulac Woods Rehabilitation Center in East Peoria since 1990 and the family appreciates the care given to Robert. He was also a member of Crossroads United Methodist Church in Washington.

A memorial service for Robert were 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 at Mason-White Funeral Home in Washington with Pastor Bob DeBolt officiating. Cremation rites have been accorded and burial of ashes will be at Glendale Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials for Bob may be made to the American Red Cross or become a blood donor.

www.masonfuneralhomes.com



James Elliot

LUCAS — James Blakeman Elliott, 57, of Lucas, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, at T. J. Samson Community Hospital. Mr. Elliott was a lifelong resident of Barren County, born Oct. 7, 1954, to the late Rob and Faye Blakeman Elliott. He grew up in Temple Hill and spent most of his adult life in the Austin-Tracy community. Mr. Elliott was a pipeliner and an innovator in the fiber optic field having owned his own company. He was a hard worker and was loved and respected by all that knew him. He loved to read, especially westerns and loved to collect, swap and trade antiques and artifacts. Mr. Elliott was a Methodist by faith.

Survivors include his wife Patti Wanta Elliott; one son Jason Elliott of Lucas; one brother Joe Elliott and wife Janet of Haywood; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law Steve and Kelly Wanta of Scottsville, KY; two aunts Virginia Curd of Glasgow, Lavern Vanarsdale and husband Oathe of Greensburg; three nephews Adam Wanta of Bowling Green, Dusty Walker and Cody Walker both of Haywood; one niece Amy Wanta of Scottsville; one great-niece Aria Jay Wanta of Scottsville.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded by a brother Billy Elliott and a niece Judy Walker.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, at A. F. Crow & Son Funeral Home with burial in the Caney Fork Cemetery. Visitation will be after 5 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

www.crowfuneralhome.com



James ‘Pete’ England

ROCKY HILL — James Ray “Pete” England, 76, of Rocky Hill, died Sunday at The Medical Center in Bowling Green. The Knob Lick native was born March 5, 1935, a son of the late William McKinley England and Ruth Ballard England. Mr. England was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, William Henry England; five sisters, Vinnie Arms, Kathleen Ballard, Clematine Poynter, Lenore Arms and Elnora McKinney.

Mr. England was a retired truck driver and was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene.

Mr. England is survived by his wife, Juanita Faye England of Rocky Hill; two sons, Tim (Stacey) Compton and James Ray England, Jr. of Rocky Hill;  three daughters, Teresa (Gary) Sagraves of Flat Gap, Tonya (Jason) Garcia, Rocky Hill, Jamie (Ralf) Fernandez, Rocky Hill; three sisters, Elizabeth “Woodie” Money, Columbus, Miss., Flossie Houchens, Indianapolis, Ind., Zoraedna Biggers, Beech Grove, Ind.; 15 grandchildren, Jessica Ross, David Sagraves, Bryan Compton, Matt Compton, Heather Compton, Dylan Compton, Chase Compton, Amanda Smith, Maggie Jones, Angel Brewer, Glenn Guntle III, Steven Guntle, Kenny Guntle, Cody Frederick, Helena “Cupcake” Fernandez, and 16 great grandchildren.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at Johnson-Vaughn-Phelps Funeral Home with burial in Fairview Cemetery. Visitation is scheduled for 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the day of the funeral home.



Earl A. Luster

IDAHO — Earl A. Luster (Maj. U.S.A.F. ret.), 90, passed away Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, on a sunny January afternoon at his home in North Idaho.

He was born July 2, 1921 in Glasgow, Ky. As a member of “The Greatest Generation” his life was defined by the hard times and experiences of his era. During the depression Earl and his three younger brothers grew up on the family tobacco farm where the boys helped with the chores, while keeping their folks, Willy and Maude busy with their antics. He loved to tell stories of having a home with an outhouse and driving the Model “A” flatbed around the farm.

Earl earned his degree in Civil Engineering at New York University. He joined the Army during World War II and was an infantry soldier with the 1st Infantry Division serving in Europe where he participated in the Battle of the Bulge and the Rhineland Campaign; earning his commission as a Second Lieutenant. After the war he remained with the occupation forces in Germany. His duties included being assigned Commandant of a P.O.W. camp in Hammelburg converted after the war to hold German soldiers. During the occupation Earl cultivated a mutual respect with the German people resulting in many lifelong friends. More importantly he met the love of his life, Betty Mae Keegan, who was a W.A.C. also serving in Germany. They married on April 27, 1948.

Earl transferred to the newly created Air Force and spent twenty two years of Military Service. His assignments included Base Engineer at George Air Force Base in Victorville California with the 479th and 31st Tactical Fighter Wings. He was transferred to Ramstein Air Base in Germany in 1960 where he was responsible for monitoring the Air Defense System of radar sites during the “Cold War.”  After he retired from the military in 1964 he worked briefly for an engineering firm in San Francisco designing the B.A.R.T. system. He returned to the public sector as a civil engineer at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California where he retired after a twenty year civil service career. Not one to be idle Earl obtained his California real estate license and developed a successful business investing in trust deeds.

He loved to build things and could repair virtually any broken machine. He was fascinated by his great grandfather Francis Marion Luster who served with Wright’s Brigade at the battle of Gettysburg.  This led to an interest in genealogy and in his later years he wrote a number of books about the Luster family tree. He enjoyed the outdoors, taking advantage of every opportunity to hunt, fish, ski or backpack. While he enjoyed his sunny California home he discovered a second love for Idaho during his annual October trips to hunt elk and pheasant and fish for steelhead.  Most of all he loved his wife and five sons who know him as “Pop.”

He is predeceased by his son Steve, and his brothers Wilmer and Paul. He is survived by his wife Betty of Coeur d’ Alene; brother Bob (Helen) of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; sons Bill (Linda) of Louisville, Ky., John (Maidy) of Coeur d’ Alene, Kim (Sharon) of Kailua Kona, Hawaii and Kevin (Gail) of Dallas, Texas; granddaughters, Sarah Luster Dowdell (Chris), of Virginia Beach, Va., Marleigh Perez (Travis) of Albany, Oregon, Megan Mckernan (Brandon) of Coeur d’ Alene; grandson Joseph of Hoboken, N.J., as well as great-granddaughter June and numerous extended family members, loved ones and friends.

A military funeral was held at the Washington State Veterans’ Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Fairwinds of Coeur d’ Alene, and Wellspring Meadows in Hayden, as well as the kind folks from Hospice for their compassion, care and dignity provided to our husband, father and friend during his final days on this planet.

Norma Perkins

GLASGOW — Norma M. Perkins, 86, of Glasgow, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, at her residence. Born in Barren County, she was the daughter of the late Gilbert Clyde and Lillian Clark Pedigo and the wife of the late Charlie Jewell Perkins. Mrs. Perkins was a member of the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, and a retired cook for Eastern Elementery School.  

Survivors include one son, David Perkins of Glasgow; two grandchildren, Dustin Perkins of Louisville, KY and Summer Childress and husband Chris of Glasgow; one great-grandchild, Emersyn Childress of Glasgow; one brother, J. T. Pedigo of Glasgow; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Howard and Evelyn Perkins of Glasgow. Several nieces and nephews along with a host of friends and neighbors also survive.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one grandson, Bradley Ray Perkins and one brother, Elton Lee Pedigo and wife Grace, who survives.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at A. F. Crow & Son Funeral Home with burial in Happy Valley Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, at the funeral home.

Alternate expressions of sympathy can be made in the form of memorial contribution to the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church Building Fund c/o Cole Wilson 5657 Edmonton Rd. Glasgow, KY 42141.

www.crowfuneralhome.com



Wilmer Smith

GLASGOW — Wilmer Taylor Smith, 87, of Glasgow, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, at Barren County Health Care Facility. He was born in Barren County the son of the late James Ader Smith and Ida Mae Thomas Smith. Mr. Smith was a farmer and was a member of Caney Fork Baptist Church. More recently he had attended the Coral Hill Baptist Church.  

He is survived by his wife Lois; a daughter Shirley Wells (Bruce) of Glasgow; a son Sam Smith (Mildred) of Glasgow; a step-daughter Junice Blair of Glasgow; four grandchildren Chris Smith (Donna), Greg Wells (Dina), David Wells and Beth Rogers (Dereck); two step-grandchildren Aaron Robertson and Frankie Rutherford; five great-grandchildren Autumn, Dru, Amanda, Cody and Collin; one sister Jessie Houchens of Glasgow; three brothers Cecil, Eagle and Randall Smith of Indiana; two sisters-in-law Gertrude Smith and Ann Dean of Glasgow and several nieces and nephews.

Four sisters and three brothers preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at A. F. Crow & Son Funeral Home. Visitation will begin at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in the Poplar Log Cemetery Thursday at 9 a.m.

www.crowfuneralhome.com



Russell Young

TOMPKINSVILLE — Russell O. Young, 83, of Tompkinsville, died Sunday, Jan. 22, at Monroe County Medical Center. He was born in Burkesville on Oct. 4, 1928, a son of the late Ella (Baker) and Claude B. Young. He served in the U.S. Army and in October 1949 he married Sue Cole, who preceded him in death on June 17, 2010.

Russell worked as a funeral director, was a former grocery store owner, was Monroe County Sheriff from 1965 to 1969, Tompkinsville Police Chief, Monroe County Judge from 1996 to 2002, faithful member of Tompkinsville First United Methodist Church and member of Tompkinsville Lodge #753.

He is survived by one daughter, Liz (Tommy) Willett, of Tompkinsville; two sons, David (Karen) Young, of Scottsville and Bill (Karen) Young, of Owensboro, and one sister, Annie Newby of Burkesville; seven grandchildren, James Willett, Scott Willett, Sarah Williams, Lindsay Young, Susan Simmons, Ryan Young and Kaitlyn Young, and five great-grandchildren, Hayden Russell Willett, Kate Elise Willett, Conner David Williams, Clay Thomas Willett and Cole Spanyer Williams.

Russell was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 60 years and two brothers, Wendell Young and Carl Young.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Tompkinsville Methodist Church with Gary Hardin officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation at Yokley-Trible Funeral Home will be noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday and after 6 a.m. Wednesday.