John E. Tonner

John E. “Papa John” Tonner Pittsburg- John E. “Papa John” Tonner, 80 of Pittsburg passed away at 8:13 PM, Saturday, September 11, 2010 at Heartland Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at the Blue Funeral Home in Marion with Pastor Don Schluter officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Wednesday at the Blue Funeral Home in Marion. Burial will be at Maplewood Cemetery in Marion. Military Rites will be held at the funeral home with VFW Post 1301, American Legion Post 147, and the National Guard conducting the services. Memorials may be made to the Marine Corps League Shawnee Detachment 812; envelopes are available at the funeral home or may be sent c/o Blue Funeral Home, PO Box 411, Marion, IL 62959. Papa John was born on November 4th, 1929 in Herrin to John L. and Mary Ester (Whittaker) Tonner. He married Delores Norris on May 7th, 1966 in Marion, Illinois; together they shared almost 40 years of marriage until her death on June 26th, 2006. Survivors include step-daughter Patricia Byrn of Marion, step-son Terry Mockerman of Kentucky; aunt Ethel Fallow of Marion; cousins Deann Wisemen, Jim White and Jackie Horn all of Marion. He was preceded by his parents, wife, step-sons Kenny Norris and Thomas Mockerman, step-mother Bertha Tonner, grandfather and grandmother James and Agnes Mae Whiting, Grandpa and Grandma Whittaker, four uncles Walter, Roland, Jack and Bill Whiting and two aunts Mary Louise Fergus and Helen White. John was a life long member of Veterans of Foreign Wars post 1301, Marion, IL; American Legion post 168, Hammond, IN; Marine Corps League Shawnee Detachment 812. He was a volunteer camera operator at WTCT TV and also volunteered at the Marion VA hospital.