Evelyn Marie Colwell (83) of rural Wheeler

Evelyn Marie Colwell, age 83 of rural Wheeler, Illinois passed away at 7:15 AM on Monday, September 12, 2022 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon Illinois, surrounded by her family.

Funeral services celebrating Evelyn’s life will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, September 16 2022, at Latona Church of Christ in Latona, Illinois, with Eric Bridges officiating.  Entombment will be in the Bailey Cemetery west of Latona, Illinois. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM on Thursday, September 15, 2022, at the church. Arrangements are under the care of the Meyer Funeral Home in Newton, Illinois. The obituary can be viewed and condolences left by clicking here. In loving memory of Evelyn memorials may be made to the Latona Church of Christ or Saved by Grace Animal Rescue.

Evelyn was born at home on August 11, 1939 in rural Jasper County Illinois, the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Foster and Dean Oral (Wetherholt) Foster. She graduated from Newton Community High School with the Class of 1957. Evelyn married Lawrence Leo Colwell on July 19, 1958 in Morganfield KY and he survives. To this union were born 3 children, a son Bradley Lane Colwell (Wife Dawn) of rural Wheeler, Illinois; daughter Myra Dawn Ely (husband John) of rural Wheeler, Illinois; and daughter Teresa Lynn Dodson (husband Ray) of California. They have been blessed with 11 Grandchildren: Benjamin (Jody) Colwell, Nathaniel Colwell, Brianne (Ben) Rudolphi, Natalee Colwell, James Curtis Smith (fiancé Sarah Holmes), Andrew Logan Smith (special friend Jayda Anderson), Lawrence Evan (Georgia) Smith, Isabella Ely, Brooklyn Ely, Amanda Staley and Michael Todd Walker. She has 2 great-granddaughters Aria and Chloe Colwell as well as several others. She is also survived by her sisters Joyce Fern (Foster) Sparks and Pamela Sue Foster. One sister-in-law Merilyn Foster also survives.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Alvin Gene Foster, Lloyd Gale Foster, brother-in-law Richard Sparks, sister-in-law Maxine Foster.

Evelyn worked at Gussies’s Café in Newton, her senior year of high school which is where she met Lawrence Colwell. After graduation she went to Springfield Illinois, and worked at the state library. After she married Lawrence, they settled in Chicago to raise their family. She was a homemaker and worked at Montgomery Ward and Johnson & Johnson before moving back home to rural Wheeler in 1980.

Evelyn was a member of Latona Church of Christ. She loved sewing, cooking, gardening, canning, and was a dutiful worker. Her pies and noodles were the best around. She loved to play cards and played to win. One of her favorite roles was that of grandmother aka “Granny”. She always said she had fine handsome grandsons and she loved her granddaughters (her girls) to the fullest. 

Evelyn had several cats show up over the years and she took care of them like they were her kids. She loved spending time with her family. She was a fighter and a survivor coming back from several heart attacks to live a full life.