Katharine “Kay” Oline Aston, 101, of Champaign, died May 16 at Inman Place in Champaign. A professor of English, she began teaching at the university in the program of English as a foreign language. She became the director of the English as a second language program in 1963-64 and worked for the university for 29 years. She was a founding member of the international professional organization Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in the mid-1960s. She instituted the first master’s degree in teaching English as a second language in 1966. She created one of the first minors in teaching English as a second language in the country. The Katharine O. Aston Award for Outstanding Master’s Thesis was established in her honor.
“Carol” Margadene Bateman, 88, of Mahomet, Illinois, formerly of Mansfield, Illinois, died May 16. She was employed by the university. A memorial service is scheduled at Mahomet United Methodist Church, 1302 E. South Mahomet Road, Mahomet, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 25, with Pastor Craig Sweet officiating. Memorials: Mahomet United Methodist Church.
Lucille “Lucy” L. Finn, 91, of Urbana, died May 15. She was a costumer-seamstress for many years with the University of Illinois theater program, supporting the creation and design of costumes and wardrobes unique to each production while helping students learn the skills and secrets of the costuming craft. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. June 1 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Champaign, preceded by a visitation at 10 a.m. Memorials: St. John’s Lutheran Church School Fund.
Joseph A. Garza, 92, died May 16 at his home in Champaign. He was a longtime financial planner administrator at the university, working for 32 years, retiring in 1984 as a securities investments accountant.
Gerald “Jerry” E. Miner Jr., 78, of St. Joseph, Illinois, died May 11 in Rockledge, Florida. He worked at the university, retiring from the operations and maintenance division in 1999. A visitation is scheduled for June 1 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church of Christ, 226 E. Sherman St., St. Joseph, with a celebration of life service at noon. Memorials: St. Joseph Church of Christ or Holiday Christian Church.
Shirley Bash Rittenhouse, 90, of Urbana, died May 17 at Clark Lindsey Village, Urbana. In 1959, she was hired as a research assistant in biochemistry, where she assisted with cancer research. She then moved to administration, serving as a staff associate in the office of the president. She retired after a lengthy tenure in that position. A visitation will be Saturday, May 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. at Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy, Illinois. Memorials: Alzheimer’s Association, 207 S. Prospect Ave., Suite 1, Bloomington, IL 61704.
Louis Allen Walthall, 85, of Urbana, formerly of Vermilion Grove, Illinois, died April 28 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. He worked for the university’s athletic association from 1970-89 in ticket sales as well as ushering for sporting and entertainment events. A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday, June 29, at 2 p.m. at Champaign First Church of the Nazarene, 2403 W. Kirby Ave., Champaign. Donations: American Cancer Society.
