2025 Journal-Yearbook

Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook

Leroy B. Allison 1948-2024 Rev. Leroy B Allison, 76, a retired IGRC clergy member, died Aug. 21, 2024 at his home in Arthur. Leroy was born July 21, 1948, in Rapid City, S.D., a son of Gene and Elsie Allison. He and wife Marilyn were married in 1967. A graduate of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Leroy worked for Pinkerton as a guard and for GM&O Railroad and the Illinois

Department of Public Aid until 1976. He and Marilyn moved to Ullin, began attending Cache Chapel UMC. While there, they attended a Marriage Encounter weekend where Leroy dedicated his life to God and answered a call to ministry. He became a student pastor to Breckenridge-Grandview and later Breckenridge-Grandview-Mooresville in the former Missouri West Conference while attending St. Paul’s School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo. He returned to Southern Illi- nois where he was ordained a deacon in 1979 and a full elder in 1982. During his 41 years of ministry, Leroy served the following pastorates: Hardin County Parish (Rosiclare-Elizabethtown-Cave-in-Rock), Salem: Grace (Assoc)-Iuka-Bee Branch, West Salem: Zion, Nashville: Grace, Carmi: Emmanuel and Arthur, from where he retired in 2015. He also served an interim appointment at Countryside in 2019. In each place he served, he loved being a part of a ministerial alliance and helping people as much as pos- sible. Leroy served on many boards and agencies in the various places he lived but most notable were: he trained in hospice and chaplaincy in Olney, on the board at the Community Resource Center in Centralia, Head Start Policy council in Hardin and White Counties, WADI in White County, President of the Moultrie County Counseling Center in Sullivan, and The Illinois Great Rivers Conference Communications board where he loved running cameras at various Conference activities. He became a great St. Louis Cardinal fan and loved teasing all the Cub fans in the area. He also enjoyed attending many University of Illinois sporting events. He loved travelling – especially to see family and friends and was privileged to get to go to Scotland, England and the Holy Land. He golfed off and on in various places but really enjoyed his Monday morning golfing outings here in Arthur. He would never miss them unless he absolutely had to. He went home with a big smile on his face if he won the trophy that day! Leroy loved trivia and actually tried out for Jeopardy twice. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Marilyn; two sons, Anthony (Marissa) of Glendale, Ariz., and Andrew of Urbana; three granddaughters, Kelsey of High Hill, Mo., Reilly of Madison, Wis., and Arya of Glendale, Ariz.; a sister, Mary Ann of Prospect, Tenn.; a sister- in-law, Janet, of Great Mills, Md.; a niece, Maria, in Maryland, two nephews in Prospect, Tenn. and many cousins. A granddaughter, Haley Allison preceded him in death. A Celebration of Life Service for Leroy B. Allison was held Aug. 24, 2024, at the Arthur UMC with the Rev. Jill Bunker officiating. Inurnment followed in the Arthur Cemetery.

242 Memoirs