Robert Eugene Cooperider passed away from this life on December 29, 2025, at HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was born in Fairbury, IL on January 18, 1947, the son of Wendell and Josephine (Brucker) Cooperider. He spent his formative years in Cropsey, IL where he lived with his brother and sisters. During these years he worked on his parents’ farm, other local farms and building grain elevators. After graduating from Fairbury Crop

130 Years Ago January 4, 1896 Mrs. Hester Lough has opened a restaurant in the west end block. A New Year's Eve party to watch the old year out and the new one in, was given by Miss Alice Richardson. About 25 were present and the evening passed very pleasantly with refreshments and games. Perlee Bros. have put up a telephone line between their cold storage to their chicken house in the west end. Their store is also connected on the line. Perlee Bros. run a big thing and are a

Sgt. Chris Edwards (photo courtesy of the City of Fairbury). With the retirement of Fairbury Police Chief Robert McCormick, the Fairbury City Council voted to approve a contract for Sergeant Chris Edwards to become the next Chief of Police.   Sergeant Edwards has served for 10 years on the Fairbury Police force. He will officially start in the role January 12.   Also during Wednesday night’s Fairbury City Council meeting, the group voted to approve the new road known as Westf

Lorene Geyer Boner, 101, Fairbury, passed away at 8:59 pm Saturday, January 3, 2026 at Fairview Haven Retirement Community, Fairbury. Her funeral service will be held at 10:00 am Thursday, January 8, 2026 at the Apostolic Christian Church, Fairbury with the ministers of the church officiating.  Burial will be in the North Apostolic Christian Cemetery, Forrest. Visitation will be 9:00 to 9:45 am Thursday also at the church.  Memorials may be directed to Fairview Haven Retireme

Pamela Sue Cullins, 74, Fairbury, died at 5:15 am Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at Accolade Healthcare of Pontiac. Her graveside service will be held in the spring (date TBA) at Evergreen Cemetery, Chebanse. Cremation rites have been accorded by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury. The family suggests memorials be directed to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or SELCAS. Ms. Cullins was born April 10, 1951 in Kankakee, IL the daughter of John and Mary Louise Bellee Johnson. Survivors i

John Virgin (1838-1900) was one of Fairbury's most prominent citizens. He was a Civil War veteran and married Serepta Jane "Jennie" McDowell, who was a member of the well-known pioneer McDowell family. John imported French Percheron horses and sold them to local farmers. He was active in the Fairbury Fair and the Illinois State Fair, and the Governor appointed him to organize the agricultural exhibit at the 1893 Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair.  

Jack Eugene Mitchell, 90, Fairbury, died at 4:50 am Thursday, January 1, 2026 at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington. Visitation will be 3:00 to 5:00 pm Wednesday, January 7, 2026 followed by a memorial service at 5:00 pm at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury with Pastor Alan Willadsen officiating.   Memorials may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church, Fairbury, or St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Jack was born January 5, 1935 in Terre Haute, IN the son of Virgil a

Dennis Lyle Evelsizer, 85, of Danforth formerly of Forrest passed away at 12:48 pm on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at Prairieview Lutheran Home, Danforth. Cremation rites have been accorded with memorial service at 2 pm, Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Forrest.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Forrest or Prairieview Lutheran Home, Danforth. Visitation will be 12 – 2:00 pm, prior to the servic

130 Years Ago December 28, 1895 The weather the past week has been abnormally warm for this time of year. It has rained considerably, but the sun has shone several days and the high waters have abated. The Salvation Army meetings at the Methodist Church during the past week have been crowded to the full capacity of the building. John Scharlach, who has been employed in Walton Bros. Grocery for several years, has purchased a partnership in a hardware and implement store at Cis

Fairbury was founded in 1857, when the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad laid new tracks from Peoria to Indiana. Unfortunately, we do not have any historical records for the period between 1857 and the early 1880s. The first Sanborn Insurance map of Fairbury was not made until 1885, and we only have Blade newspaper archives back to about 1882.   One of the Livingston County history books recounts that John Marsh built a hotel and depot on the west side of Fairbury. This hotel and dep

Part of the PC Junior High gym roof is shown in the corner of the school's east parking lot Sunday. The Prairie Central Junior High School gym in Forrest was among the structures damaged by heavy storms that moved through the area Sunday. There was visible damage to the gym roof late morning as part of it was blown into a nearby parking lot and an area on top of the gym appeared to be pulled back by the wind with insulation exposed. “The majority of the damage was contained t

Ronald E. Durre, Sr., of Chatsworth, Illinois, formerly of Strawn, peacefully passed from time into Eternity, his Heavenly Home, on the morning of Thursday, December 18, 2025. At Ronald’s request, cremation rights have been accorded. A Celebration through Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 4, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury, IL. A private memorial service and interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial contribut

The colorful history of the TP&W Railroad includes one of the worst wrecks in American history, the only railroad whose President was assassinated, the longest railroad strike in history and one of the worst railroad explosions in America.   Initially, this railroad was chartered in 1849 and named the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad. The goal was to provide a rail connection between the Illinois River  in Peoria and the  Mississippi River . After this goal was accomplished, the r

The First Presbyterian Church of Fairbury invites the public to a “Blue Christmas” service at 4 p.m. this Sunday (Dec. 21). A “Blue Christmas” or “Longest Night” service during Advent is for those who have experienced loss. The holidays can be a particularly painful time for some, stirring up grief in acute ways. The service is often observed on Dec. 21 in the Northern Hemisphere which is the longest night of the year, referred to as the Winter Solstice. Sunday’s service is d

Joan Tredennick 96 of Fairbury, passed away at 2:58 pm, Thursday, December 18, 2025 at Fairview Haven Retirement Community, Fairbury. Funeral services will be 11 am, Monday, December 22, 2025 at First United Methodist Church of Fairbury with Pastor Charles Mendosa and Wayne Kurth officiating.  Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery, Fairbury. Visitation will be 9 to 11 am, on Monday prior to the funeral also at the church in Fairbury. Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury is i

Byron Lane Moffitt, 67, Minonk, died at 11:07 am Friday, December 12, 2025 at OSF St. James-John Albrecht Medical Center, Pontiac. Byron was born March 21, 1958 in Colorado Springs, CO the son of Byron Wilbur and Hazel Marie Hoteling Moffitt.  He married Faith Ann Luck on April 19, 1997 in Springfield, IL.  She died on April 9, 2023. Survivors include two daughters, Samantha (Nathan) Black, Saunemin, Brittany Moffitt, Minonk, one son, Byron Lane Moffitt Jr., Springfield and o

130 Years Ago December 14, 1895 Numbers of skatorial artists disport themselves on the ice of Indian Creek these evenings. Nimmo Bros., west of town, have husked over 13,000 bushels of corn and have 38 acres still out that will make 75 bushels to the acre. The extensive clothing establishment of S. H. Herzberg this week changed hands, Thomas Payne, of Fairbury, and Arthur Amsler, Yates Township, being the purchasers. S. R. Cornish will return to Fairbury with his family soon,

U.S. 24 is shown in Fairbury near the Intersection with Second Street. Engine braking noise from semi-trucks traveling through town on Route 24 was a topic of discussion at Wednesday’s regular meeting of the Fairbury City Council. Alderman Jim Tipton asked about the status of braking noise signs as motorists enter Fairbury since this issue has been observed near places such as Dairy Queen in the middle of town. Tipton has received complaints about it. Street Superintendent Lo

According to Alma Lewis James (1899-1979), a Fairbury historian, the most ornery boys in Fairbury’s history were the McDowell boys. In her Stuffed Clubs & Antimacassars book, Alma Lewis James recounts many of the sometimes humorous antics of the McDowell boys.   The father of these three young hooligans was Isaac P. McDowell. He was an Elder of the Methodist Church. Isaac was a tall, thin man with a bald head and chin whiskers. A person who remembered him described him brief

Thomas "Max" passed away peacefully with his wife, Pam, by his side on November 25th, 2025, in Avon Park, Florida. Even though his cancer was considered in remission, the disease and its treatment had left him too weak to fight an unknown infection during his last week. He was born on November 26, 1947, to Andrea Jean and James Moore in Easton, Maryland. He grew up there on their dairy farm until his sophomore year in high school when the family moved back to Fairbury to be c