Leslie Meredith Jr.

MARION - Leslie Meredith, Jr. 92, of Marion, Illinois, passed away at 8:55 a.m., Friday, April 15, 2016, at the River to River Community Assisted Living in Marion, Illinois.



A celebration of his life will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, April 23, 2016, at the Zion United Church of Christ, 930 W. Cherry, Marion, with Pastor John Holst officiating. Friends may call from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, April 22, 2016, at the church with a Masonic Rites Service at 7:00 p.m. Interment will be at New Rose Hill Cemetery, Marion.



Memorials to Zion UCC Memorial Fund or Hospice of Southern Illinois are the preferred form of remembrances and will be accepted at the church by the funeral home.



He was born on March 5, 1924, to Leslie Thomas and Winnafred Mae (Reid) Meredith in Elburn, Illinois. He married Sharleen Louise Sharp on August 17, 1945, in Elburn, Illinois. Sharleen passed away on May 31, 2014, in Marion, Illinois.



He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Greg (Linda) Meredith of Carbondale; three daughters and sons-in-law, Linda (Dan) Long of Maple Park, Gail (Randy) Jones of Marion, and Lori (Lynn) Martin of Evansville, IN; eleven grandchildren, and eighteen great-grandchildren.



Les graduated from Elburn High School and devoted his life to his love of farming and raising cattle. He had a passion for flying and at one time owned his own plane and flew around the country with Sharleen and some of his children. Sharleen and Les enjoyed driving get-a way weekends.



In June of 1972, his family moved to Marion, to continue his farming and cattle operation. While in Marion, he raised Simmental Cattle and was a member and director of the Illinois State Simmental Association. He started a new business at one point, Collect Sun Solar Collectors, of which he was the President. He obtained a Real Estate license, selling some real estate in his spare time, and was one of the founders and directors of Peoples Bank in Marion, Illinois and First American Bank in Aurora. He was a member of Zion UCC, a fifty year plus member of Blackberry Masonic Lodge in Elburn, Valley of Southern Illinois Scottish Rite, and the Shrine. He served on the Marion Cultural and Civic Center Foundation board and was active on the Marion AFS Foreign Exchange Program. In his later years, he always enjoyed the news, both in the paper and on television, and watching the farm channel.



Les will be greatly missed by his family and all that knew him as a very gentle and non-complaining man.



The family would like to thank the residents, personnel, and administration of River to River Assisted Living Community of Marion for their loving, caring and compassion given to our father while he live there.