Earl L Simon, Jr.

Born March 19, 1930 in Peoria to Earl Lee and Daisy Mildred (Evans) Simon Sr., he married Ramona Lea Black on April 6, 1957 at Schilling Air Force Base in Salina, Kansas. She survives.

Also surviving are one son, Eric Simon of Farmington; eight grandchildren, Andrew Simon and Rebecca Simon, both of Pekin, Justin Simon of North Pekin, Seth Simon, Matthew Trumpy, Tyler Trumpy, and Mikayla Foster, all of Farmington, and Haley Blue of Pekin; two great-grandchildren, Myla Simon and Dallas Simon; and one sister, Sharon Black of Pekin.

His parents preceded him in death.

He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1951 to 1953, during the Korean War. He then served in the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1976, through the Vietnam War. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant.

Earl worked for Caterpillar, Inc. as a machinist from 1978 to 1982. He then worked as a supervisor for the Tazewell County Resource Center for 2 years and was later as the assistant manager at JH Carwash in Morton for 2 years.

He was a member of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Pekin.

Earl enjoyed fishing and doing cross-word puzzles. He thought the world of his grandchildren.

His funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday, June 8, 2009at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Pekin. Father Gary Blake and Father Patrick Fixsen will officiate. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Preston-Hanley Funeral Home, Pekin Chapel. Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin, where military rites will be accorded by the United States Air Force.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Tazewell Animal Protective Society, 100 TAPS Lane, Pekin, IL 61554.