Lydia (Cox) Carlen

Lydia Jeanette (Cox) Carlen, age 90, of Greenup, IL, passed away Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at 9:16 p.m. at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at the Barkley Funeral Home in Greenup, IL. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Friday evening at the funeral chapel. Burial will be in the Jack Oak Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Jack Oak Church. Online condolences can be expressed at www.barkleyfuneralchapels.com.

She was born September 5, 1926 in rural Coles County, the daughter of Willie Bedford and Hazel Marie (Etnire) Cox. On June 20, 1947, she married Floyd “Podger” Raymond Carlen at the home of her parents; he preceded her in death on March 6, 1992 after 46 years of marriage. She is survived by her children: Sally (Julian) Huffman of Toledo; Carol (Paul) Vaughan of Greenup; Cheryl (Ken) Nation of Oblong; Joyce (Bill) Leftault of Kempner, TX; Rev. Floyd (Angie) Carlen, Jr. of Shiremanstown, PA; and Joseph Paul Carlen of Greenup, 9 grandchildren – Lisa (Dan) Huffman Cole of Toledo, IL; Daniel Huffman of Toledo, IL; Michelle (Colby) Vaughan Peters of Greenup, IL; Kimberly Nation of Santa Rosa, CA; Bart Nation of Oblong, IL; Matthew (Daniel) Ervin of Austin, TX; Steve Ervin of Copperas Cove TX; Christopher (Krista) Carlen of Harrisburg, PA & Diana (Frank) Gallucci of Levittown, PA; 9 great-grandchildren – Colin and Andrew Cole of Toledo, IL; Natalie and Stella Peters of Greenup, IL; Caitlyn Ervin of Copperas Cove, TX; Liam and Aria Carlen of Harrisburg, PA and Sophia and Dominic Gallucci of Levittown, PA; a step grandchild -Joshua (Jessica) Leftault of Spring, TX; and 3 step great-grandchildren – Sarah and Allison Leftault of Spring, TX & Ryan Blunk of Belton, TX.

She was a homemaker. She enjoyed family get-togethers, and watching her grandchildren and great grandchildren growing up. Lydia worked at the Ettelbrick Shoe Factory in Greenup prior to her marriage. She was a member of the Jack Oak Church of God where she taught Sunday School class to little children for many years and was the church treasurer and janitor. She loved reading, gardening, cooking for her family and crocheting. She was very proud of the fact that she had read through the Bible 32 1/2 times following the yearly Bible guide.

She was preceded in death by her husband - Floyd, parents- Willie and Hazel Cox, 4 brothers – Bedford, Wayne, Willard, and Franklin Cox, a son-in-law – Paul Vaughan, and a granddaughter – Katrina Nation.

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