Area Obituaries
June Ella Gray, age 80, of Sumner, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023 at her residence. She was born on January 31, 1943 in Granite City, Illinois, the daughter of Paul French and Miriam LouVern (Berkshire) Baltzell. June worked for the Lawrence County Highway Department for 40 plus years. Her memberships included the Island Free Methodist Church and Beta Sigma Phi in Lawrenceville. She enjoyed working in her flower beds, cooking, playing cards and words with friends, as well as reading. Preceding her in death were her parents. Survivors include four children, Bobbi Perrott and husband, Bob of Sumner, Illinois, Jami Sorensen and husband, Eric of Dallas, Texas, Michael Gray and fiancée, Melanie Iqbal of St. Louis, Missouri, and Gary Gray and wife, Sonia of Sumner, Illinois; three brothers, Paul ‘Sonny’ Baltzell and wife, Sherry of Avon Park, Florida, John Baltzell and wife, Elaine of Sumner, Illinois, and Jack Baltzell and wife, Yvette of Olney, Illinois; four sisters, Ann Clark and husband, Jack of Alta Loma, California, Jean Barnett and husband, John of Iowa Colony, Texas, Jo Beth Warren of Evansville, Indiana, and Rosemary Roark and husband, Tony of Bridgeport, Illinois; 12 grandchildren, Chris Perrott, Justin Perrott, Cody Perrott, Jayla Rinsch, Kelsi Walls, Jack Sorensen, Sam Sorensen, Sydney Sorensen, Taylor Gray, Kyra Gray, Ashton Young, and Alec Gray; 11 great-grandchildren; and special friend, Larry Waggoner. Funeral services will be on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 2:00 PM CST at the Emmons-Macey ; Steffey Funeral Home in Lawrenceville, Illinois. Visitation will be on Saturday from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM CST at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Petty Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Lawrence County Senior Citizens, Lawrence County Cancer Resource Center ; Wig Shoppe, Lawrence County Humane Society, or Island Free Methodist Church.
