Van Lingle

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Van Hugh Lingle, 94, of Dongola died Monday, Aug. 11, 2008, at Union County Hospital Nursing Home in Anna, Ill.

He was born Jan. 26, 1914, in Dongola, son of Ezzie Rufus and Ina Dillow Lingle. He and Irene Eddleman were married Aug. 16, 1936. She died Jan. 18, 2000.

Lingle was a member of Mount Zion Cumberland Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder 73 years, church secretary-treasurer, Sunday school teacher and superintendent for many years. In the 1950s he served as stated clerk of Illinois Presbytery. For more than 60 years, Lingle served on the Meisenheimer Cemetery Board, most of those years as secretary-treasurer. He was a member of Farm Bureau.

He attended Southern Illinois University in the early 1930s, receiving a lifetime teaching certificate. He taught in two-room schools in Wetaug and Perks, Ill., and also taught at Dongola, Jonesboro and Ullin (Century), Ill. He was an elementary teacher and coached grade school baseball, basketball and track.

For many summers, he was associated with Dongola Khoury League baseball. He farmed for many years and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District in 1994.

Survivors include a daughter, Sharon Resch of Dongola; a son, Larry Lingle of Dongola; two sisters, Jewel Featherly of Salem, Ill., Lucille Smith of Lake Okeechobee, Fla.; three grandchildren; five great-granddaughters; and a great-stepgranddaughter.

He was preceded in death by a brother.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Crain Funeral Home in Dongola.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Dare Aden officiating. Burial will be in Meisenheimer Cemetery.