Luke, John Robert

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: LUKE.J002
• Military Service: Private, United States Army
• _MEMR: 3 Feb 2024, Faith Bible Church of Olney, Olney, Richland County, Illinois

Notes:

JOHN'S OBITUARY
John Robert Luke, 78, of Olney passed away on Friday, January 26th at 6:56 pm at Carle Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney, IL.



John was born May 13th, 1945 in Richland County, IL to John and Grace (McDowell) Luke. He would often reflect fondly of the time he spent growing up with his family in Bunnyville. John attended school in Clay City, a graduate of the Clay City High School Class of 1963. After graduation, John enlisted in the Army. During boot camp, he suffered a heat stroke and spent the next several months at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver. After his recovery and medical discharge, John attended the United Electronics Institute in Louisville, KY. He later continued his Education Southern Illinois University School of Business, graduating with his Bachelor of Science in 1973.



But his most treasured achievement? John married Donna York on June 8th, 1968 at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Calhoun, IL. They enjoyed a beautiful 50 years of marriage before Donna preceded him in death on July 12th, 2018.



John enjoyed the roar of an engine. Before retirement, John clocked nearly 5 million miles behind the wheel as an over-the-road truck driver. But his passion was racing, with many great memories made at the oval. From racing karts at the White Squirrel Speedway, working with his friends in the pits at local dirt tracks like Haubstaud and Mount Vernon, to following Nascar, John loved a good race. John enjoyed sharing his knowledge of automotive engineering, helping many local racers build their cars.



We would be remiss to talk about John without mentioning his love for technology. From his Commodore 64 all the way through to the gaming laptop he just purchased, John enjoyed the challenge of finding the best setup he could while keeping his costs down. He enjoyed playing Solitaire and Mahjong Tiles to relax alone, but reviled in the excitement of the online gaming community. Discord has connected him with many new friends, especially through playing Rust. Having spent 5,452 hours playing together, the Rust community has provided challenge, camaraderie, and enjoyment even as his health made it harder to find these things in his local community.



John will be missed and remembered by his brother Donald Luke; sister-in-law Becky Davis; brother-in-law Gregory Coan; nieces and nephews Tabatha (Zack) Slater, Angela (David) Zuber, Destini (Billy Bell) Coan, Noah Perry, Hunter (Hanna) Perry, Emma Slater, John Slater, Koy Stevens, and Luke Slater; and great-niece Aspen Perry. John is preceded in death by his wife Donna; parents John and Grace; sister-in-law Jo Ann Coan; nephews Micheal “Scott” Cantrell and David Davis.



Please join the family to celebrate John’s life on Saturday, February 3rd, at 2pm at Faith Bible Church of Olney, 6015 N IL130. There will be a visitation for one hour preceding the service beginning at 1pm at the church. After a short service officiated by Pastor Zachary Slater, the family requests you join them for a time of visitation and sharing of memories over dinner at the church.



John’s final act of kindness was to give the gift of life through organ and tissue donation before cremation rites accorded. Wojstrom Funeral Home and Crematory of Granite City assisted with all arrangements. Online guestbook may be found at www.wojstrom.com. A special thank you to the doctors and staff of Carle Richland Memorial Hospital for their care and support of John and family in his final days. If you wish to honor John’s memory with a memorial gift, please consider a donation to the John Luke Estate. The estate will be purchasing improvements to benefit the Carle RMH Long Term Care Unit.

Military Service:
After graduation, John enlisted in the Army. During boot camp, he suffered a heat stroke and spent the next several months at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver. After his recovery and medical discharge, John attended the United Electronics Institute in Louisville, KY.

_MEMR:
MEMORIAL VISITATION
Faith Bible Church of Olney
Saturday, February 3, 2024
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Email Details
6015 N IL 130
Olney, IL 62450

John married York, D.K. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Retired oil field worker
• Reference Number: LUKE.J003
• _FGRAVE: 36880768
• Military Service: World War II, Private, United States Army
• Funeral: 18 Feb 2003, Summers-Kistler Funeral Home, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois

Notes:

Buried:
Plot: Lot 11 - 2 Add - Row 6

John married McDowell, Grace Ilene on 9 Jul 1941 in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri. Grace (daughter of McDowell, Edbert Grover 'Ed' and Sheets, Martha Ellen 'Ella') was born on 17 Jun 1921 in Clay County, Illinois; died on 7 Dec 1983 in Clay County Hospital (Old Location), Flora, Clay County, Illinois; was buried on 10 Dec 1983 in Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: MCDO.G006
• _FGRAVE: 37012115
• Funeral: 10 Dec 1983, Hosselton-Bookout-Engelmeier Funeral Home, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois

Notes:

Grace I. Luke, 62, Clay City, died at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in Clay County Hospital in Flora.

Services will be in the Hosselton-Bookhout-Engelmeier Funeral Home in CLay City.
Visitation will be in the funeral home and a Rebekah Service. Burial will be in Clay City
Cemetery.

Mrs. Luke was born June 17, 1921, in Clay County, the daughter of Edbert and Martha Sheets McDowell. She married John Luke July 9, 1941, and he survives.

Other survivors include three sons, Tom, Clay City; John, Olney; and Donald, Flora; a brother, Jackie McDowell, Dundas; two sisters, Lois Wille, Clay City; and Nancy Wiseman, Flat Rock; and a half-sister, Thelma Tomsoh, Claremont.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother; two sisters; and two half-brothers.

Taken from the Olney Daily Mail, Olney, IL, 1983.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Reference Number: LUKE.J001
• _FGRAVE: 24056773

Notes:

Birth certificate #4714 file in Clay County, Illinois.

Note from Carl W. Gray, 23 March 2010:

The 1880 Census for Busseron, Knox County, Indiana shows him living with George and Barbara (Herrington) Wilson as a farm hand, but does NOT indicate any relation to them.

Was my previous information incorrect?

Was Barbara Herrington not his mother?

Hopefully, as I look at the earlier census reports, some of these questions will be answered.

In the 1870 Census for Busseron, Knox County, Indiana, John A. Luke is 9 years old living with George W. and Barbara (Herrington) Wilson. I'm convinced that my previous information was correct. Barbara is the mother of John Albert Luke.

John married Graham, Nella 'Nellie' on 27 Mar 1899 in Louisville, Clay County, Illinois. Nella (daughter of Graham, John Riley and Hornick, Rebecca Isabelle 'Bell') was born on 6 Jul 1880 in Knox County, Indiana; died on 9 Sep 1976 in Burgin Manor Nursing Home, Olney, Richland County, Illinois; was buried on 12 Sep 1976 in Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Homemaker
• Reference Number: GRAH.N001
• _FGRAVE: 24056750
• Funeral: 12 Sep 1976, Cardascio-Easley Funeral Home, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois

Notes:

Mrs. Nella Mason, 96, of Olney, died at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the Burgin Nursing Manor No. 1 in Olney.

She was born in Knox County, IN July 6, 1880, daughter of Riley and Rebecca Hornick Graham.

In 1899 she married John Elbert Luke in Louisville. He died in 1918.

She then married D. S. Mason in 1930 in Olney. He died in 1957.

Surviving are a son, John Luke of Clay City; five daughters, Mrs. Sylvia Ashbrook of Lawrenceville, Mrs. Goldie McDowell of Calhoun, Mrs. Nica Conner and Mrs. Grace McDowell, both of Clay City, and Mrs. Minda Pflaum of Noble; 31 grandchildren; 70 great grandchildren; 20 great great grandchildren.

She was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Olney.

Services will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Clay City Chapel of the Cardascio Funeral Home, with burial in Clay City Cemetery.

Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Timber Laborer
• Reference Number: MCDO.E001
• _FGRAVE: 44794506
• Funeral: 3 Aug 1959, Schaub Funeral Home,

Notes:

In the 1900 census reports, Ed is listed as "Edward G McDowell"
In the 1930 census reports, Ed is listed as "Egbert G McDowell"

Census:
The 1900 census lists him as Edward G. McDowell

Died:
Died at his home, north of Noble, Richland County, Illinois

Edbert married Sheets, Martha Ellen 'Ella'. Martha was born in 1895 in Indiana; died in 1949 in Noble Township, Richland County, Illinois; was buried in Maple Dale Cemetery, Olney, Richland County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: SHEE.M001
• _FGRAVE: 44794529

Notes:

She was previously married to Mr. Morris

Mrs. Martha Ellen McDowell, age 53, the wife of E.G. McDowell of Noble township, passed away on Saturday night at her home north of Noble.

Besides her husband she is survived by four daughters and two sons. They are Mrs. Thelma Thomson and Miss Lois McDowell of Olney, Mrs. Grace Luke of Clay City, and Mrs. Nancy Wiseman of Flatrock, James C. Morris of Olney and Jack McDowell, at home. Also surviving are eight grandchildren: three brothers, Otto Lenny and Chester Sheets, all of Truman, Arkansas; and one sister, Mrs. Mary Kemper of Truman, Ark.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the Schaub Funeral Home with Rev. Jess Kindred in charge. Interment was in Maple Dale cemetery.

Published in the Olney Advocate, Thursday, June 2, 1949.

Birth:
The 1920 census says she was born in Illinois.
The 1930 census says she was born ABT 1897 in Indiana.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: LUKE.W001
• Military Service: American Civil War, Company B, 143d Indiana Infantry

Notes:

NOTES FROM STEVE LUKE:
Moved to Indiana , Knox Co. form Ohio prior to 1860


NOTES FROM CARL WAYNE GRAY:

The first confirmed mention of William David Luke is in the 1850 Federal Census for Busseron, Knox County, Indiana. William is living on a farm owned by John B. Moore.


In the 1860 census, he is shown as Luke, W., as being born in Ohio and is age 29. William and Barbara are living on a farm owned by J. B. Moore.

This would place his birth date at about 1831. There is a William D. Luke listed in the 1850 census in District #61 (later named Busseron), Knox County, Indiana, but he is listed as 22 years old (born about 1828) and born in Ohio. Ages were not always accurately given to census takers, although the ages do not match during the 10 year period of the two census reports, I suspect that this may be the same William David Luke. To further complicate the situation, I checked the Ohio census for 1850 and found a William Luke in the town of Aurelius, Washington County, Ohio.

Birth:
The 1850 census says he was born about 1828 in Ohio.

Census:
In the 1850 census, William is living with the John B. and Eliza Moore family

William married Harrington, Barbara on 26 Jan 1856 in Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana. Barbara (daughter of Harrington, T. and Phillips) was born on 28 Mar 1832 in Indiana; died on 3 Mar 1917 in Clay City, Clay County, Illinois; was buried on 28 May 1917. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Reference Number: HARR.B001

Notes:

The 1870 census shows her in Busseron, Knox County, Indiana.

Census:
The 1860 census finds W. (age 29) and Barbara Luke (age 26) working and living on the farm of J.B. Moore from England. There is also a W. B. Sprinkel (age 6) living with William and Barbara. Who is W. B. Sprinkel?

Buried:
possibly buried in Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: GRAH.J008
• _FGRAVE: 24199206
• Census: 8 Jul 1870, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana; 1870 Census, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana, Page 07B
• Census: 8 Jul 1870, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana; 1870 Census, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana, Page 07B

Notes:

Birth:
Stephen Gregory "Seve" LUKE's research indicates he was born in Ohio.

John married Hornick, Rebecca Isabelle 'Bell' on 19 Feb 1879 in Louisville, Clay County, Illinois. Rebecca (daughter of Hornick, Christopher Columbus and Baity, Rachel) was born on 8 Nov 1842 in Clay City, Clay County, Illinois; died on 23 Oct 1930 in Olney, Richland County, Illinois; was buried on 25 Oct 1930 in Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Housewife
• Reference Number: HORN.R001
• _FGRAVE: 24199202

Notes:

The 1920 Census indicates that she could not read or write.

The marriage document for Riley Graham & Bell Hornick shows that she died on October 23, 1930. Other sources show October 24, 1930.

Census:
In the 1890 Census, she is listed as Arabelle.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Reference Number: MCDO.J008
• _FGRAVE: 149427570
• Census: 19 Jul 1870, Noble Township, Richland County, Illinois; 1870 Census, Noble Township, Richland County, Illinois, Page 07

Notes:

According to the census reports, his father was from Tennessee, and his mother was from Illinois.

The 1900 census for Noble, Illinois lists him as J.W. & his wife as S.M.

John was Illiterate, but spoke English.

Birth:
1900 Census says he was born Oct 1854

Census:
The 1900 census lists him as J.W. McDowell

Buried:
According to Edna (McDowell) Wilson, he is buried in Haven Hill Cemetery, Olney, Richland County, Illinois. NOTE by Carl Wayne Gray: As of Nov 16, 2009, I have found no record of his burial.

On January 18, 2010, Jim Michels researched the Olney burial records and discovered the following: "John William McDowell is buried about 75 or 100 feet away from Sarah. There is no tombstone. He is in lot 1747, the south half of the north half. The owner of his plot is listed as Blanche Pickle. He is buried next to Joseph Von Almen who is just to his south and does have a tombstone.
According to the city records, there never was a tombstone for John McDowell.They only list a "stabber"; that is the little metal name tag that the funeral home marks the grave with. It is long gone."

Jim

John married Maglone, Margaret 'Maggie' on 19 Feb 1877 in Richland County, Illinois. Margaret (daughter of Maglone, James and Henson, Mary 'Polly') was born in 1857 in Illinois; died on 27 Aug 1890 in Hoosier Township, Clay County, Illinois; was buried on 28 Aug 1890 in Hanna Cemetery, Noble, Richland County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: MAGL.M001

Notes:

Birth:
Was she born in Noble, Illinois?

Buried:
Her death certificate says she was buried in Hanna Cemetery. There is no visible grave marker for her at the Cemetery. There is no record of her burial at the Richland County Courthouse.