Thomas W Fleshner
(December 03, 1923 – December 06, 2011)
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 10, 2011 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville with Rev. Greg Breeden officiating. Visitation from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Friday. Burial will be in Robinson Creek Cemetery near Shelbyville, IL. Memorials may be given to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Mr. Fleshner was born on December 3, 1923 in Sullivan, IL, the son of James Walter and Anna Myrtle Crook Fleshner. He served in the Army and was honorably discharged in 1943. He married Beverly Jane Lape of Shelbyville, IL on November 16, 1960, and together they raised four children. Tom was a farmer and owned and operated semi trucks most of his adult life. He served as the Rose Township Road Commissioner from 1981 through 1985. Tom was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene in Shelbyville, IL and Teamsters Local #279 of Decatur, IL. He loved his family, God, and being outdoors. He worked hard his whole life, quitting school at the age of 13 to help support his family, then earning his GED at the age of 75. Tom taught himself to play guitar as a child and loved to sing and play for his family and friends. He wrote countless songs in his lifetime and enjoyed country western and gospel music. His greatest wish was for everyone to be right with the Lord and his greatest joy was seeing his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Beverly; son, Thomas (Jody) Fleshner of Shelbyville, IL; daughters, Jane (Roger) Haycraft and Christine Watton both of Shelbyville, IL and Becky Jones (Curt Myers) of Stillman Valley, IL; grandchildren, Morgan (Robbi Price) and Makenzie Fleshner, Justin Haycraft, Jessica, Paige and Abbie Watton and Lauren Jones, all of Shelbyville, IL and Lindsay Jones of Stillman Valley, IL; great grandchildren, Kenzlee Fleshner and Collin Jones both of Shelbyville, IL, Taylor Butler of Needles, CA and Ryan Butler, Kenedi Haycraft and River Haycraft all of Charleston, IL.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Charlotte Hellman, Velma Swank, Freda Bridges, Marie Hood, Pauline Fleshner and Juanita Fleshner; granddaughter, Amanda Jane Haycraft; and great granddaughter, Madeline Johnson.
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