E obits

CAIRO, IL--MRS. NELLIE DECKER EGAN, 88, died Thursday evening at St. Mary's Hospital in Cairo after an illness of two months.
Mrs. Egan had resided at 231-28th St. for many years. She attended Cairo Public Schools. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and a retired cashier for the Roger's Theatres.
Mrs. Egan was preceded in death by her husband, William P. Egan Sr. in 1967, a sister, Mrs. Ben Hill and a brother, Henry Decker.
Mrs. Egan is survived by a son, William P. Egan, Jr. of Cairo, a daughter, Miss Alice Egan of Irvington, New Jersey, three sisters, Miss Cora Decker, Miss Alice Decker and Miss Ora Decker, all of Cairo, and a niece, Mrs. Margaret Shipman of Illmo, MO.
Funeral services for Mrs. Egan will be held at the Chapel of Johnson and Lambert Funeral Home of Cairo on Saturday at 1:30 pm with the Rev. Victor Herman officiating. Interment will be made in the Calvary Cemetery at Villa Ridge. Friends may call at the Johnson and Lambert Funeral Home after 4 pm today. --Cairo Evening Citizen, Feb 19, 1971; transcribed by Suzan Stern.

Cairo, IL.--GUY P. EICHENBERGER, age 77, died at St. Mary's Hospital today at 5:30 a.m. after an extended illness. Mr. Eichenberger was born in DuQuoin, Ill., June 11, 1872, the son of Samuel and Nancy E. Eichenberger. He came to Cairo when he was 15 years old and with his mother opened a restaurant at 213 Ohio Street. Later he acquired a building next door which was known from coast to coast as the Blue Front Restaurant. Mr. Eichenberger operated the Blue Front for over 35 years without ever once closing it's doors. Because of ill health, he sold the restaurant in 1926. After regaining his health, he entered the furniture business in 1934 which is now known as Guy's Furniture Store and located at Seventh and Commercial. In his younger days, Guy, as he was affectionately known, was very interested in baseball in Cairo and built both of the old ball parks. He was one of the most widely known men in Cairo. Mr. Eichenberger was interested in movies in the early days and backed a moving picture theatre in Paducah, said to have shown the first movies ever seen there. The show was managed by the late Maurice Farnbaker, while Mr. Eichenberger continued to operate his other business. He is survived by one son, Phil Eichenberger, and other relatives. The body is at Karcher Brothers Funeral Home where friends may call after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home Tuesday at 8 p.m. with Rev. B. H. Cleaver of Cape Girardeau, Mo., officiating. The funeral cortege will leave the funeral home Wednesday at 8 a.m. for DuQuoin, Ill., where interment will be made in the Odd Fellows Cemetery. Services at the graveside will be private. Karcher Bros. are in charge. --From The Cairo Evening Citizen, Monday, Aug. 15, 1949, contributed by Anna Shelton.

Cairo, IL.--DEATH CLAIMS OLD RESIDENT OF THIS CITY--MRS. N. J. EICHENBERGER Passes Away After Brief Illness--Mrs. N. J.(Nancy) Eichenberger, age 85 years, well known resident of Cairo, died at her home, 3605 Highland Avenue, Thursday evening at 5 o'clock, following an illness of two weeks. She had been in failing health for a number of years but was able to be out every day until two weeks ago. Mrs. Eichenberger was born in Sarasota Springs, Ill., Dec. 11, 1844. She had resided in Cairo for the past 44 years, having come to Cairo in 1886. Her husband died in 1890. Two sons survive, Guy P. Eichenberger and Edward Eichenberger, both of Cairo. A grandson, Phil Eichenberger, son of Guy Eichenberger, also survives. A son, Harry died a few years ago. Mrs. Joe Collins of DuQuoin, Ill., and Mrs. Jerome Sivia of Springfield, nieces of Mrs. Eichenberger, and Sam Mifflin of St. Louis, a nephew, survive, with other relatives. Mrs. Eichenberger was a member of the First Christian Church. Funeral Services will be held tonight at 8 o'clock at the residence, conducted by the Rev. W. M. Baker, pastor of the First Christian Church. The cortege will leave the residence Saturday morning at 8 o'clock by automobiles for DuQuoin where interment will be made in the Odd Fellows cemetery. Karcher Brothers will direct the funeral. --From The Cairo Evening Citizen and Bulletin, Friday, Sept. 12, 1930, contributed by Anna Shelton.

Cairo, IL.--DEATH'S HARVEST--WILLIAM EICHHOFF DEAD--We are pained to chronicle the sudden death of Mr. William Eichhoff. He was engaged last Friday afternoon at his place of business in handling some moulding. He stood upon the top of a step-ladder ten feet high and was reaching up to put the moulding in place. In some way he lost his balance and fell to the floor. There was no one present except his little three year old boy who ran to the house crying and said that his papa had fallen and almost fell on him. Mr. Eichhoff's oldest son was in the building and heard the noise made by the fall. He hurried to the spot and found his father lying upon the floor unconscious. He was removed to the house a few steps away and medical aid summoned. A few small bruises were found upon or near the head, but there was no external evidence of severe injury. But he never fully regained consciousness and it seemed that nothing could be done for him. He lingered until late Sunday evening when he died. The funeral was observed Tuesday afternoon, and was participated in by Cairo Lodge, A. F. and A. M. of which body Mr. Eichhoff was a member. The remains were buried at Villa Ridge.
William Eichhoff was born in Westphalia, Prussia, June 19, 1835, and was consequently 58 years of age at the time of his death. He came to the United States with his brother Charles in 1854 and located in Cairo, and worked at his trade of carpenter and cabinet maker. He went to Dongola in 1856, and made that place his home until 1865, when he returned to Cairo. He established a planing mill on Eighteenth street, which he operated for a time but afterwards removed the machinery to a large building which he erected for a furniture factory at the corner of Seventeenth Street and Washington Avenue. Here he carried on business until his death. He abandoned the manufacture of furniture however, and devoted himself to the business of a furniture dealer at which he was quite successful. Mr. Eichhoff married three times. He first married Miss Lavina Casper in Union County. She died April 3rd, 1863, in Dongola. On the 3rd of February, 1870 he married Miss Rachael Fleshman, by whom he had two children, a son and a daughter. His second wife died April 12, 1873 and his daughter June 20th of the same year at the age of only four months. On the sixth of December, 1885, he married Mrs. Mary Barnes, who is now left a widow with one little boy three years old, these with his son Walter Ellsworth Eichhoff now 22 years of age, constitute the family which is now left to mourn the loss of husband and father.
William Eichhoff was an enterprising, hard working man. He has fully his share of life's hardships and trials, but he yielded to no adversity and succumbed to no trial. By his energy and sagacity he surmounted all difficulties. He acquired a fair competence which he leaves to his wife and children. --William Eichhoff is buried in the Cairo City Cem. at Villa Ridge, IL. --From The Cairo Citizen, Thursday, Sept 14, 1893, contributed by Anna Shelton.

Cairo, IL.--ANNA W. "BILLIE" ELIAS, 89, of Cairo died Monday, Sept 3, 2007 at Daystar Care Center. She was born Mar 25, 1918 in Cairo, daughter of William Thomas and Estella Waterman Clanton. She married George S. Elias, who preceded her in death. Elias was a teller 36 years at First Bank and Trust Co. in Cairo. She was a member of Mighty Rivers Regional Worship Center and former president of Cairo Business and Professional Women's Club. Survivors include two sons, James Elias of Sherman Oaks, CA, Thomas Elias of Arlington, VA; four grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by four sisters and two granddaughters. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo, and from 9 a.m. until time of service Saturday at Mighty Rivers Center. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday (Sep 15, 2007) at the center with Dr. Larry Potts officiating. Burial will be in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge, IL.

Cairo, IL.--HARRY ELIAS Laid to Rest This Afternoon--Funeral services for Harry Elias, age 62 years, whose death occurred Sunday night at his home, 1313 Ohio Street, were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Church of the Redeemer, the Ven. Charles K. Weller, the rector, officiating. The services were largely attended by sorrowing friends of the family. Immediately after the services the cortege left by automobiles for Villa Ridge where interment was made. E. A. Burke directed the funeral. The pall bearers were Charles McNulty, John Tippitt, Edward Burkett, Edward Abell, Louis Walder, Urey East, John Ehlman and C. W. Edmonds. --From The Cairo Evening Citizen, Tuesday, July 19, 1927, contributed by Anna Shelton. (Harry Elias is buried in the Cairo City Cemetery at Villa Ridge, Ill.)