Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home

08/27/2026

Elizabeth Ann Klockenga passed away August 24, 2026, in Petersburg, IL., at the age of 81.
Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM Monday, August 31, 2026 at Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 11:00 also at the funeral home with Pastor Tom Krieger officiating and burial will follow in Hartsburg Union Cemetery.

"Liz" was born March 20, 1945, the daughter of John Henry Buss and Ada Elizabeth (Apperman) Buss. She married Roger Klockenga on May 15, 1965. He preceded her in death on October 2, 2006. Liz graduated from Lincoln Community High School in 1964. She was a long-time member of Immanuel Lutheran Church where she served in the Crisis Ministry. She was a bank teller at State Bank for 5 years. She retired from Eisner's after more than 30 years of service. Liz enjoyed bowling and was a member of the Logan Lassies and the Sunday Night Mixed League for many years.

Survivors include her brother-in-law Bruce Brown and nieces and nephews: Darren (Kelly) Frantz, Tanya Adams, Danna Verhines, Donnetta Stewart, Jason Buss, Shane Adams, Jack Frantz, Bob Buss,Robbie Buss, Darren Frantz Jr., and Morgan Verhines.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brother Bob Buss, Sister Carole Robinson, sister Janice Lolling, brother Donald Buss, nephew Gary Buss and sister-in-law Rita Brown.

Memorial donations may be made to Immanuel Lutheran church and will be accepted at the funeral home.

08/25/2026

Jeffrey Bruce Wayne "Jeff” Jones, 55, of Lincoln, passed away August 23, 2026, at Decatur Memorial Hospital.
Cremation rites have been accorded by Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home. There will be a celebration of life September 19, 2026, from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM at the Knights of Colombus, Lincoln.

Jeff was born July 3, 1971, in St. Louis, MO., the son of Larry and Linda (Conover) Jones. He married Samantha Wheeler on December 14, 2014. Jeff was a good-hearted man and loved to make people laugh. He was still giving, even in death as he was an organ donor. He loved old movies and murder mysteries, and he was even in a movie himself, Sand Prairie where he played an undertaker. He liked Nascar, the outdoors, fishing and camping.

Survivors include his mother Linda Jones, his wife Samantha Jones, two sons: Austin Jones and Curtis Jones; 1 granddaughter; and siblings Rebecca Katz, Larry Jones, and Dallas Jones.

He was preceded in death by his father, his brother Brian Jones, and brother-in-law Dave Katz.

Memorial donations may be made to the family in care of Linda Jones.

08/25/2026

Rest in Peace, Dolly

08/17/2026

Benjamin Joseph "Joey" Gaston, 48, of Lincoln. passed away August 16, 2026, at home with his family.
Cremation rites have been accorded by Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home. There will be no services at this time.

Joey was born January 17, 1978, in Springfield, IL., the son of Debra K. Gaston. He was formerly employed at Lincoln College as janitorial staff. He loved to draw, play guitar, and game. He had a good sense of humor that he shared with his mother.

Survivors include his mother Debra Gaston, his maternal grandfather Mannie Gaston, uncle Robert (Carolyn) Gaston, Aunt Terry (Greg) Kavanaugh, Aunt Katie (Brian) Hatten, and several cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother Eva Gaston.

Memorial donations may be made to Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home.

08/17/2026

Kailen James Sanchez, affectionately known as “BIG CHEEZ,” 24, of Lincoln, passed away tragically, in an automobile accident in the early morning hours of August 12, 2026, after celebrating an amazing birthday with his closest friends.

Cremation rites have been accorded by Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home. A memorial visitation will be held Tuesday, August 18, 2026, from 5-7 PM., with a memorial service immediately following at 7pm at the funeral home. Any of Kailen’s friends wanting to share a memory or speak are more than welcome to do so.

There is no dress code. Please, come as you are, in your best football gear or even in something that you could picture Kailen wearing. If you know Kailen, you know he had a style all his own. He loved graphic tees and sneakers of every style, always appreciating a good pair of shoes with a hat to match and how they could pull an outfit together. He made a statement wherever he went! Kailen would simply want you to show up as yourself. Just how he loved you.

Kailen was born August 11, 2002, in Lincoln, IL to David Sanchez and Emily Chase. He was born the day after his great grandmother “Momo Bobbie’s” birthday. They always shared a close bond before and after her passing, as she passed on her birthday, the day before Kailen’s birthday. Kailen was an HVAC/plumbing apprentice working very closely with his Uncle Jason as his "right hand man."

Kailen loved anything involving cars, especially fast and foreign ones, and he took great pride in the cars he invested time and money into, (even if they weren't the best investments). His Acura TL held a particularly special place in his heart. Kailen loved gaming and spent countless hours playing a variety of online games on his Xbox, where he made friends with people from all over the country.

Kailen truly loved a good meal and was never afraid to break bread with the people he loved. Some of his favorites were his momma's cooking, his aunt April’s tater tot casserole and Taco Bell. For Kailen, good food was even better when it was shared with family and friends around the table.

More than anything, Kailen loved his people. He would've done anything for anyone he cared about and was never afraid to tell the people in his life that he loved them. He was the true definition of a gentle giant. Protective by nature, if Kailen was around, you knew he was going to make sure everyone he loved was okay, and he certainly wasn't afraid to remind you of that.

Kailen had a wonderfully offbeat sense of humor and loved a good cringeworthy joke. He and his mother shared the same twisted sense of humor, which led to more laughs than could ever be counted. They also shared the same love of sneakers. So, personal jabs asking “what are those?!” were a common occurrence between the two. Kailen had jokes for days and the kind of contagious laugh that made everyone around him laugh right along with him.

As a big brother, Kailen never let his sisters get too comfortable. He loved to give them a hard time about their clothes or music or whatever gave him material for a joke that day. It was simply one of the many ways he showed his love.

Kailen was also an avid New England Patriots and Tom Brady fan and took great pleasure in heckling friends who rooted for opposing teams. Sports gave him yet another opportunity to joke, argue, and give his friends a hard time, something he was exceptionally good at.

One of Kailen’s most loyal companions was his dog “Gus” or “Gus Gus,” whom he lovingly referred to as his “emotional support animal.” Gus was much more than that to him. Kailen could often be heard proudly saying “that's my son!” Their bond was undeniable.

Those who knew Kailen will remember his loyalty, his humor, his big protective heart, his love of cars, his jokes, and that unforgettable laugh. But of all the things his mother will carry with her, his smile is something she will miss the most.

Kailen is survived by his father David Sanchez of Albuquerque, NM, his mother Emily Chase of Lincoln,IL; grandparents: “Grandma Cathy” and Jesse Walston of Decatur, IL, “Grandpa Barry” Chase Sr. of Argenta, IL, “MawMaw Mia” and “PawPaw Frank” Carter of Amarillo, TX., “Grandpa Eddie” West of Amarillo,TX, and bonus grandparents “Grandma Sara” and “PawPaw Judd” Short of Havana, IL, sisters: Alexzia “Lexia” Martin, Tryniti “Tryn Tryn” Martin, and Adriana “Boog” Menzel all of Lincoln,IL, brothers: Manuel, Maverick, Brady and Lucas Sanchez of Albuquerque, NM, aunts and uncles: “Aunt Melissa” Gaherty and “Uncle Joey” Haws of Taylorville,IL, “Uncle Kevin” and “Aunt Hannah” Chase of Decatur, “Aunt April” West and “Uncle Jason (Pops) Danley” of Lincoln, IL, “Aunt Amy” Jordan of Lincoln, IL, and “Uncle James” West of Houston, TX. Kailen leaves behind many cousins, several close loving friends, and his loyal dog & “son,” Gus.

He was preceded in death by his great grandparents on both sides, specifically, “Momo Bobbie,” Grandma & Grandpa Jordan, and his great uncle Jimmy Jordan.

Kailen's life was far too short, but the love he gave, the laughter he created, the friendships he formed, and the memories he left behind cannot be measured by the number of years he was here. His voice will live on in the jokes his family still hears in their heads, in every fast car that makes them look twice, in every Patriots game that starts an argument, around the table when family gathers for a meal, and in the stories that will be told about for years to come.

He was deeply loved, and will be forever missed.

Memorial donations may be made to Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home or directly to assist the family with funeral expenses.

08/11/2026

Robert "Bob" Mielke, 83, formerly of Lincoln, passed away July 1, 2026, surrounded by family. Cremation rites have been accorded by Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home. A private graveside service will be held to honor his life.

Bob was born in Chicago on January 18, 1943 to Carlton and Margo Mielke. In spite of living just two blocks from Wrigley Field, Bob remained a loyal White Sox fan and proud owner of several lucky White Sox hats. He married Carol Ann "Cookie" Snyder on November 17, 1972 and they spent many happy years together until her death in 2009.

After graduating from Illinois State University, Bob spent most of his working life at Head Start, first at CIEDC in Lincoln and then as a fiscal analyst at Pinellas County Head Start where he retired. He loved to work with data and had a spreadsheet for everything, including Train Station and FarmVille which he enjoyed playing with friends on Facebook.

Bob was an avid card player who loved playing pinochle, bridge, and any type of rummy. He almost always won at Monopoly, and his family is pretty sure he had most of the Trivial Pursuit answers memorized.

Before cancer took some of his mobility in 1991, Bob could usually be found at the bowling alley and sometimes on the golf course. His favorite weather was Illinois in August or Florida anytime and he loved being outside with a cold drink and a porch swing.

Bob was fond of saying that, in a more perfect world, he would have been able to celebrate more than 36 anniversaries with his beloved Cookie. Although he will be deeply missed, his surviving family is comforted by the hope that Bob and Cookie are now together again.

08/08/2026

Esther Gill, 86, of Lincoln passed away August 7, 2026 at home surrounded by her loving family.
Visitation will be from 10AM until 11 AM Thursday, August 13, 2026 at Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 11 AM and burial will follow in Mt. Pulaski cemetery.

Esther was born September 18, 1939 in Mt. Pulaski, IL., the daughter of Carl and Olive ( Pope) Goodman. She married Robert C. Gill on August 11, 1957. He preceded her in death on February 8, 2015. Esther worked at Lincoln Developmental Center for 35 years. She was a member of Atlanta United Methodist Church. She enjoyed fishing, gardening, and sewing.

Survivors include her children: Sharon
( Roger) Mote, William Robert “Bill” Gill, Harold W. “Louie” Gill, and Kenneth D. “Ken” ( Martha) Gill; 9 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; and sisters Violet Beck and Susan Roberts. Several nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members and friends also survive.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and siblings: Dennis Goodman, Alice Gereits, Carl Goodman, Gerald Goodman, Donald Goodman, Linda Goodman, Marjorie Polk, and Robert Goodman.

Memorial donations may be made to Atlanta United Methodist Church and will be accepted at the funeral home.

08/03/2026

08/02/2026

Nancy A. Amos, PhD, ASCW, LCSW passed away July 26, 2026.

Nancy was born May 14, 1960 in Goshen, Indiana.
She was an Assistant Professor at Bradley University. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and Spanish from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, a master's of social work degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and a PhD in social welfare from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
She practiced as a social worker for more than 30 years in child welfare, gerontology, health care, and social work administration. She taught full time in the social work program at Bradley University and maintained her own private practice.
Nancy is part president of the NASW-Illinois Chapter and served multiple community agencies and on boards of directors. She was a past winner of the Social Worker of the Year Award for the Peoria District.
Nancy was very active in her church and enjoyed teaching Bible School in the summer. She was an avid reader, a dog enthusiast, a lover of Shakespeare and pandas.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy “Dottie” Amos, father, Jack Amos, and brother, Kirt Amos.

Private burial will be handled by Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home in Lincoln.

There will be a Celebration of Life at the First Federated Church on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 11AM.
Memorial donations may be made to First Federated Church in Peoria.

07/28/2026

Marilyn Joy Armbrust, 84, of Lincoln, passed away July 24, 2026 at Springfield Memorial Hospital.
Visitation will be from 4-7 PM, Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home with funeral services following at 7 PM. Pastor Kline of St. John United Church of Christ will officiate. Cremation rites will then be accorded, and burial will be at a later date.

Marilyn was born December 14, 1941, in Benson, Minnesota, the daughter of Shelby and Pauline (Skold) Grant. She married David R. Armbrust on July 30, 1966, in Lincoln, IL.
Marilyn worked for more than 50 years in the banking industry. She started her career at Marine Bank in Springfield and then worked at First National Bank, Magna, Union Planters, and Regions. Marilyn retired in 2011. She was a member of St John United Church of Christ where she served on the church council. She was an active member of Zonta International and Lincoln Women's Club and the Oasis. She baked pies and cookies for the Oasis for many years. Marilyn received the award of Courier Citizen of the Year in 1991. Marilyn worked in the ticket office at the Logan County Fair for 40 years. Volunteerism was her love language. Marilyn gave of her time and talents to the community of Lincoln for many years and her dedication and giving spirit will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Survivors include her husband, Dave Armbrust; her daughter Sara Ann (Jeff) Mooneyhan, beloved granddaughter Hayden RaeAnn Mooneyhan, sister-in-law Melinda Grant, countless nieces and nephews, and special friends Kim (Steve) Spaulding and their daughter Cara.

She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Duane (Loretta) Grant, Lyle (Julia) Grant, Reed Grant, Audre (Harold) Neuhaus and Donna (Gary) Nies.

Memorial donations may be made to St John United Church of Christ, the Oasis, or Zonta and will be accepted at the funeral home.