Howard E. “Ed” Halbrook

Howard E. “Ed” Halbrook

(October 14, 1935 – October 28, 2021)

Howard E. “Ed” Halbrook , 86, of Shelbyville, IL, passed away at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, October 28, 2021, with his family by his side.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, October 31, 2021, in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL, with Rev. Mike Tapscott and Rev. Bob Turner officiating.  Visitation will be from 1:30-3:00 p.m. Sunday, in the funeral home.  Burial with military rites by the Shelby County Honor Guard will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Shelbyville, IL.  Memorials may be given to the Cowden Camp Association.

Ed was born on October 14, 1935 in Pana, IL, to Howard M. and Leora M. (Bracy) Halbrook. He graduated from Pana Community High School in the Class of 1953. He worked for the A&P Grocery Store and Rudow’s Supermarket, both in Pana. Then he worked at Mueller Company in Decatur for nearly 42 years, from September 1, 1955 until his retirement on August 1, 1997. He then worked with Brad at Modern Livestock Systems, for 11 years, loving being in the outdoors, giving that up in August 2008 due to health issues. On September 4, 1960, he married Carolyn Smith of Cowden, at the Free Methodist Church in Cowden, and were together for 61 years. They were blessed with two sons, Brad and Brian.

After giving his heart and life to Jesus Christ, he joined and was a member of the Free Methodist Church for 50 years and the last 11 years, was a member of the Shelbyville First Church of the Nazarene. He served his country in the United States Army Reserves from 1955 until his discharge in 1963. He was a volunteer member of the American Red Cross. Ed was a very hard worker and loved to garden.

Ed’s family loved him dearly, and he is survived by his wife, Carolyn; sons, Brad Halbrook and wife Linda, and Brian Halbrook and wife Cindy, both of Shelbyville, IL; four grandchildren, Ashli Crowe of Charleston, IL, Alexis Atchison and husband Shane of Sullivan, IL, Spencer Halbrook and fiancé Kenzie Shaw and her son Kaysen of Shelbyville, IL, and Austin Halbrook and fiancé Kary Langan of Shelbyville, IL; one great grandchild, Leo Crowe of Charleston, IL; two brothers, Thomas Halbrook and wife Geri of Tuscola, IL, and Roger Halbrook of Nokomis, IL; and one sister, Mary Lou Hartman and husband Rodney of Waverly, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Leora Halbrook, and one sister, Jeannie Schmitz and husband Joe.