January 2009

Maurice Furlow, 65, of Jonesboro, died at 12:10 a.m., Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at the Jonesboro Rehab & Health Care Center. He was born August 10, 1943, in Mulkeytown, the son of Donald and Viola Silkwood Furlow.

    Maurice is survived by one daughter; Sheila Patterson of Spencerville ,Ohio, two sons; Vince Furlow of Virginia Beach, Va., and Adam Furlow of Creal Springs, nine grand-children and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers; Evan and Roger Furlow.

Don Boyd Jr., 83, of Mt. Morris, Miss., died on May 26, 2009, at his home in Mt. Morris.

He was born on Dec. 25, 1925, in Union County, the son of Donald and Della Zwahlen Boyd of Dongola.

He graduated from Dongola High School in 1943.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1945.

After the war, he attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

He taught psychology and sociology at the General Motors Institute in Flint, Mich., from 1956 until his retirement in 1986.

Thomas Wesley Cramner, 77, of Olmsted, died at 8:48 a.m. Thursday, May 21, 2009, at his home.

Mr. Cramner was born on May 21, 1932, in Delaplaine, Ark., the son of Francis D. Cramner and Elsie G. Watson Cramner.

Mr. Cramner was an Army veteran. He was a retired truck driver. He was a member of Boaz Pentecostal Church.

Mr. Cramner was preceded in death by his first wife, Ella Bernice Cramner on July 17, 1984.

State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, is running a full-page ad in area newspapers to warn Southern Illinois residents of the impact the “slash and burn” budget will have on the region if new state funding is not created.

“Senior citizens and the low income will be hit the hardest,” Forby said.