Willa Lou (Perryman) Easter of Benton
Willa Lou (Perryman) Easter of Benton went to be with our Lord Feb. 9, 2018, at her son's home.
A public Catholic graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Masonic and Odd Fellows Cemetery with a memorial until 3 p.m. at the St. Joseph Catholic Church Parish Center on West Main Street in Benton, immediately following.
Willa was born Aug. 26, 1938, in Mattoon to William E. Perryman and Marjorie E. (Harris) Perryman, who preceded her. She was raised by her grandparents, James L. "Lew" and Marguerite (Youts) Harris, who also preceded her. She attended Mattoon High School, where she lettered on the boys rifle team.
Willa was a retired case worker with the Illinois Department of Human Services and was very active in her community. She was a member of the Red Hatters, the American Legion Auxiliary and the H.E.A. She loved to read, watch NASCAR, knit, basket weave and do other assorted crafts. She was a strong advocate of our U.S. military and did what she could to show her support.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Easter; her son, Paul E. Horn; her sister, Leslie (Biddle) Pedigo; and her parents and grandparents.
She is survived by three sisters, Guyla (Biddle) Roberts of Charleston, Patricia (Perryman) Shirar and husband Dennis, and Karen Perryman, both of Indianapolis, Ind.; three sons, Eugene Horn and wife Kathy of O'Fallon, Mo., Lee Horn and wife Debra of Friendsville, Tenn., and Perry Rice and Angela of Silex, Mo.; daughter-in-law Pamela Horn of Brookhaven, Miss.; nine grandchildren, Jay Horn and wife Michelle of Florissant, Mo., Jillean (Horn) and husband Anthony Ball of Lake St. Louis, Mo., Jeremy Horn and wife April, Justin Horn and wife Brianna, Jake Horn and wife Susannah, and Jason Horn, all of Brookhaven, Miss., Kaylynn (Rice) and husband Alex Hilderbrand of Fayette, Mo., Alexa (Rice) and husband Patrick Slivkov of Higginsville, Mo., and Dalton Rice of Columbia, Mo.; three nieces, Lori (Pedigo) Cannaro, Julia (Roberts) Williams andAmanda (Shirar) Sierp; one nephew, Mark Pedigo; and 10 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, a donation made in her name to any American veterans charity would be greatly appreciated, since Willa was such a proud advocate of our U.S. military.