Shelby J. Strickland (83) of Decatur

Shelby J. Strickland, 83, of Decatur, IL passed away at 9:23 p.m. on Monday, January 25, 2021 at the Lutheran Care Center in Altamont, IL.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 29, 2021 at Lockart-Green Funeral Home in Beecher City with Pastor Tim Revis officiating. Burial will take place in Beecher City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made in Shelby’s name to the Beecher City Cemetery or the First Christian Church in Decatur and mailed to Lockart-Green Funeral Home, %Shelby Strickland, 302 W. Main St., Shelbyville, IL 62565.

Shelby was born on April 9, 1937, in Herrick, the daughter of Larry and Luella (Bolt) Beck. She graduated from Beecher City High School in the Class of 1954. Shelby and Carl Strickland were united in holy matrimony on May 28, 1955, in Beecher City, and celebrated 56 years of marriage before his passing on December 2, 2011. Shelby was a secretary at Caterpillar Tractor Co in Decatur before retiring in 1988. She was a member of the First Christian Church in Decatur. Shelby was a positive inspiration to many people throughout her life. Friends and family were everything to her and she showed it through her kindness, her sense of humor and her ability to make everyone she was around feel special. She was so loved and will be missed by the many lives she touched.

She is survived by siblings: Richard (Jan) Beck of Bella Vista, AR, Ronald Beck of Effingham, Leila (Mike) Wills of Beecher City and Roger (Rachel) Beck of Effingham; sister-in-law, Jan (Wayne) Werner of Effingham and the many friends and family, especially her nieces and nephews, whom she dearly loved.

Shelby was preceded in death by her parents, Larry and Luella Beck; stepmother, Lydia Beck; husband, Carl Strickland; sister, Bonnie Doty; brothers: Michael L. Beck and Dennis Beck; sisters-in-law: Wanda Beck and Pat Worley; brother-in-law, Robert Doty and great niece, Sara Kirkpatrick.

Family and friends are invited to light a candle or share a story in Shelby’s honor by clicking here.