The Sidell Reporter
Thursday, june 30, 2016
11
Inside: Jamaica Class of ’56; Sidell High reunion - Page 3 • • • Sidell Water Report - Page 6
REPORTER
The Sidell
Since 1888
Only locally-owned newspaper in Vermilion County Covering news for Southwest Vermilion County, Illinois
Thursday
June 30, 2016
128th Year, No. 26
75¢
www.thesidellreporter.com
Photo by Editor Rinda Maddox
Carroll Twp.
relieved
they don’t
own any
cemeteries
By Linda Rosnett
For the Reporter
The Carroll Township Board heard results
of the title search
performed by Vermilion
County Title regarding
four cemeteries located
in Carroll Township. The
board wanted to see if it
owned and was liable for
any of them.
Linda Rosnett reported
that Vermilion County
owns Michael Cemetery
which is east of Indianola
and the only one still in
use for burials. There is
no association in charge
of it. In recent years
the township had been
paying to keep it mowed,
but was advised by their
insurance not to unless
they owned it.
Weaver Cemetery on
the Catlin-Indianola
Road was originally
owned by the township in 1852. They later
deeded it to the Weaver
Cemetery Association
which was incorporated
in 1943. All trustees have
passed away and the
corporation has lapsed.
Lebanon Cemetery
southwest of town is
owned by the Methodist Church District.
Lebanon Cemetery Association was incorporated
in 1976 for the care of
it. The three current
trustees are Deane
Winkler, Wade Williams,
and Harold Craig. The
Association receives an
annual donation, about
$500, from the Earl
Baum Trust.
Stunkard Cemetery
east of Sidell was deeded
to James Fretwell and
Charles Jackson in 1884.
Over the years various
individuals and groups
have maintained it, but
there is no current association in charge.
Jim Willis of Indianola
mows Michael, Weaver
and Stunkard cemeteries
with help from Ray High.
See Carroll,
Continued on Page 8
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Chance Strong
to the end
By Rinda Maddox
Editor
The community is in mourning
as the young man that has touched
the lives of thousands of people –
hundreds he had never met – is
laid to rest this afternoon. Chance
Kistler, 18, of Indianola lost his
courageous battle with leukemia
June 25, 2016.
“Chance Strong” was the motto
immediately given to the teen by a
rapid growing group of supporters
in late 2014 when he was first
diagnosed with Acute Myeloid
Leukemia. Fund raisers, benefits
and other creative ways to raise
money to help the family with
expenses, and raise moral support
for the teen, were tremendous.
Thanks to Facebook and social
media Chance became a celebrity
of sorts. He had support through
prayers and good wishes from
people across the country.
In the spring of 2015 Chance got
to ring the bell, signaling the end
to his cancer treatments. But just
a short time later he collapsed and
stopped breathing. He finally was
released from the hospital in late
April, declared cancer free in May,
and by fall was playing high school
football. Even though he was doing
well, the Chance Strong motto
continued and even his home town
of Indianola hung signs at bearing
the logo this spring..
But in April 2016, after suffering
with a severe headache, he was
told his leukemia was back. On
June 7 he underwent a bone
marrow transplant but complications set in. He died June 25.
Chance was elected late last fall
to be one of three captains of this
year’s football team. Coach Brian
Chance Kistler
Plotner talked with the Reporter
this week about Chance.
“When Chance returned last
year from treatments he was in
poor physical condition,” Plotner
said. “Sprints, weight lifting, workouts – they were all very hard for
him, but he would push and push
and not give up to get back in
shape to play football. His desire to
make it back on the football field
was a driving force in his recovery.”
Plotner’s team is required to do
50 push ups.
“We told Chance, who had just
completed chemo treatments, he
did not have to do 50 push ups,
but he would do a couple, and rest,
then do a couple more and rest
until he did all 50 push ups.
“Chance wasn’t a starting
quarter back. He was on special
teams and did some back up work
for us. But the other kids recognized that drive and determination
he had to be a part of the team and
to do the very best he could. That
is why he was picked to be captain
this year,” Plotner said.
Plotner said Chance continued
to work out and gain muscle mass
throughout last season and the
coaching staff knew he would
contribute a lot to this team come
this fall.
Upon Sherri Kistler’s request,
Plotner and about 25 current and
past players had gathered at the
school last Saturday and were just
ready to head to St. Louis to be
with Chance in the hospital. Before
they could leave they got the call
that he had passed away.
“We have talked a lot this week
and the boys will honor Chance by
doing their best for him this fall,”
Plotner said.
The players were all attending
the funeral services this week in
their football jerseys.
Chance’s high school principal,
Darin Chambliss, was happy to get
to know Chance this past year– the
first of the consolidation and the
first for Chambliss to have Chance
as a student.
“I new of him, but this past
year I got to put a personality and
spirit with him,” Chambliss said.
“He was very mature and very
thoughtful for his age. He was a kid
that you would have enjoyed being
around if cancer hadn’t become his
focal point. But through all of that,
Chance handled it all very well.”
Chambliss said Chance fit in
with the whole student body.
“While he was dealing with
cancer, he worried about others as
much as they worried about him.
That is a rare quality in a young
person,” Chambliss said.
One of the good things Chambliss could see come out of this for
Chance is that he had the opportunity to really know how people felt
about him.
“Not a lot of people get that
opportunity,” Chambliss said.
500 turn out for vigil to remember Chance
By Suzanne Lukehart Woodard
For the Sidell Reporter
With a slide show of pictures
playing over head, about 500
family and friends turned out to a
candlelight vigil for Chance Kistler
Sunday evening at the Catlin
Church of Christ. They lined up
for three hours to light a candle in
memory of the 18 year old and to
speak to his family.
Associate Pastor, Mike Strunga,
who works with the youth at the
church, prayed and encouraged
everyone to come and go as they
pleased through out the time.
“This is a time for mourning, for
encouragement, to pray or talk to
one another,” Strunga said.
Later in the evening family and
friends spoke about Chance and
the life he lived.
Kistler’s girlfriend Karley
Weaver, spoke how she was so
thankful to have been his girlfriend
the past nine months and that she
was a better person to have had
him in her life, and she not just
lost a boyfriend but her best friend.
Chris Kistler, Chance’s grandma,
tearfully thanked everyone for
coming and supporting their family
and how much it meant to Chance
that so many people supported him
through this time. She also mentioned
that on the way to the vigil she made
her husband Louie pull over as the sky
had turned an orange color, she said,
“We now know Chance got his wings.”
Many people were looking at the sky
right before the vigil and remarked
how it was a Chance orange, and it
gave people a sort of comfort and they
smiled through their tears because of
it.
Chance’s mom, Sherri Kistler, told
the crowd it was overwhelming to see
so many people showing their support
and that she was very grateful to
everyone.
Chad Kistler also talked about his
son.
“Chance never was one to complain
through any of this, but the last two
days he said he was tired.”
Chance’s grandfather talked with
some.
“We won’t get over this, but we will
get through it,” said Louie Kistler.
Funeral Director Mike Robinson
asked that when everyone went home
to bed that night to thank God for
living in the small communities that
they live in.
Worship leader Cheryl Liggett said
the vigil was organized by students
that attended school with Kistler.
Originally planned to be held on the
football field, it had to be moved to the
church after thunderstorms moved
through earlier in the evening.
Chance M.
Kistler
Chance M. Kistler,
18, well-known Indianola area resident
and athlete, passed
away at 10:44 a.m.
Sat., June 25. 2016 at
Children’s Hospital
in St. Louis, Mo.
after a brave and
valiant struggle with
leukemia.
Chance was born
May 7. 1998 in
Danville to Chad M.
and Sherri K. Schrum
Kistler. Survivors
include his parents;
one sister, Destiny;
his paternal grandparents, Louie and Chris
Kistler; and maternal
grandparents, Doug
Schrum and Donna
Clark. Also surviving
is his girlfriend Karley
Weaver, his dog
“Shasta” and several
aunts, uncles and
cousins.
Chance was captain
of the Salt Fork
Storm football team,
had served as class
president and was a
member of National
Honor Society. He
enjoyed football and
hanging with his
friends. He also liked
working with the
tractor and excavators
in the family business.
He also liked camping,
shooting, and dirt
bikes. He especially
loved his truck and
being at the lake.
Funeral services
honoring his life were
held today (Thursday)
at 12 noon in the
gymnasium of Salt
Fork High School in
Catlin. Pastor Brian
Carpenter officiating.
Burial will follow in
Woodlawn Cemetery, Indianola, with
Chance’s posse acting
as pallbearers.
Visitation was held
Wednesday in the
gymnasium of Salt
Fork High School.
The family asked that
everyone wear their
Chance Strong T-shirt.
The Robison Chapel
in Catlin is serving
Chance’s family and
handling service
details. Memorials
may be made to the
Salt Fork Football
Program or St. Louis
Children’s “Barnes”
Hospital in care of
Robison Chapel, P.O.
Box 79 Catlin, IL
61817.
On-line condolences
can be left at www.
robisonchapel.com.