Wilmer Strawn Obituary

HUME - Wilmer E. Strawn, 85, of Hume died 12:37 a.m. Thursday (April 22, 2004) in his home. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday in Hume Methodist Church. Visitation was Friday. Joines Funeral Home, Newman, is in charge of the arrangements. Burial will be in Young America Cemetery, Hume. Memorials: Hume Methodist Church. Mr. Strawn was born Jan. 6, 1919, in Loogootee, Ind., the son of John C. and Emma Wildman Strong. He was a graduate of Hume High School in 1937. Mr. Strawn was an active member of the Hume Methodist Church, the Roth-Williams American Legion, a charter member of the Hume Lion's club and a Mason. Mr. Strawn was a World War II Veteran of the 8th Air force and was in the first flight over Germany with 34 missions as a waist gunner in a B-17. Mr. Strawn was employed by Standard Oil for 35 years, retiring in 1984. He loved gardening and was an avid ballroom dancer. He was also active in civic and church affairs. He married Ruth H. St. John on Sept. 16, 1937, in Clinton, Ind. Surviving are his wife; son, John Leigh (Jill) Strawn of Arthur; daughters, Ruth Anne (Ollie) Smith and Reenee (Rich) Craig, both of Hume; grandsons, Michael (Donetta) Smith of Champaign; David (Shar) Smith and Ross Craig, both of Hume; Andy Strawn of St. Louis, Mo.; Taylor Craig of Savoy; granddaughter, Laura (Dave) Sanders of Ann Arbor, Mich.; great-granddaughters, Jordan and Meredith Smith; sister, Emma Jean (Karl) Kibler of Newman; stepsister, Emileen Grafton of Charleston; sister-in-law, Margaret St. John of Hume. He was preceded in death by one sister, one brother and four stepbrothers.