Etha Jereen Broom, 97, of St. Joseph, Illinois, died March 12 in Champaign. She worked for Food Services at the university and retired as an executive assistant at Roger Adams Laboratory for Dr. Irwin C. “Gunny” Gunsalus. Visitation will be at Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, Illinois, at noon Friday, March 16, with a funeral service at 1 p.m. Memorials: St. Joseph United Methodist Church.
Constance “Connie” Ellen Brown, 67, of Monticello, Illinois, died March 6 at Kirby Medical Center in Monticello. She was a student teacher adviser at the university. Memorials: Faith in Action of Piatt County, 1115 N. State St., Monticello, IL 61856; Habitat for Humanity Piatt County, 112 E. Washington St., Monticello, IL 61856; or Kirby Medical Center Auxiliary, 1000 Medical Center Drive, Monticello, IL 61856.
Carole Couch, 80, of Champaign, died March 9 at Piatt County Nursing Home in Monticello, Illinois. She had a long career at the university and retired as a supervisor of the duplicating room at the department of architecture. There will be a graveside funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday, March 16, at Pontoppidan Cemetery, Elliott, Illinois. Memorials: Alzheimer’s Research Foundation or Piatt County Nursing Home, 1111 N. State St., Monticello, IL 61856.
Sue Jones, 70, of Homer, Illinois, died March 11. She retired from the university after 22 years. Funeral services will be held at United Methodist Church of Homer at 11 a.m. Friday. Memorials: Salt and Light Ministry.
Maurice “Doc” Mecum, 90, of Champaign, died at his home March 11. He was a firefighter with the university’s Fire Department, attaining the rank of fire chief in 1968 and retiring in 1981. Memorials: Macular Degeneration Research, Alzheimers Research Foundation or Veterans Administration hospitals.
Emily Ann Stipes Watts, 81, of Champaign and Fennville, Michigan, died March 12 in Urbana. A professor of English at the university, she served the campus as chairwoman of the Athletic Board and Board of Control and was a member of Task Force, which brought women athletes into the Big Ten. She was the first woman on the Campus Research Board and, later, chairwoman of the Committee on the Status of Women. She also served as chairwoman of the Faculty Senate Council. Memorials: University of Illinois Library, Robert and Emily Watts Fund, the University of Illinois Foundation, Harker Hall, Urbana, Illinois 61801; First Presbyterian Church, 302 W. Church St., Champaign, IL, 61821; or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
