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Obituary for Ella Catherine Magruder
OAKLAND, IL --- Ella Catherine Magruder, age 93 of Shreveport, Louisiana, formerly of Oakland, passed away at 3:10 PM, Monday, December 7, 2009, at the home of her daughter, Jeanne and Coach Richard Barr in Shreveport. In accordance with her wishes she will be returned to Oakland, Illinois for burial beside her husband. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, December 15 at Standard Funeral Home in Oakland with Catherine’s grandson, Todd Magruder officiating, assisted by Pastor Duane Piercy. Burial will be at VanVoorhis Cemetery, near Hindsboro. Friends may call after noon on Monday at Standard Funeral Home in Oakland, where the family will be present for visitation from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Monday evening. Catherine was born on December 12, 1915 near Bedford, Indiana, the second child and first daughter of William Henry and Laura Nora Sheeks Sallee. She was united in marriage to Glenn Eugene Magruder on August 15, 1937 at Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and they shared 53 years of marriage prior to his death on October 10, 1990. Survivors include four sons, Tom Magruder and wife Paula of Danville, Jack Magruder and wife Deb of Ft. Myers, Florida, Jim Magruder and wife Carol of Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Dan Magruder and wife Mary of Champaign; two daughters, Jeanne Barr and husband Richard of Shreveport, Louisiana, and Anne Dreistadt and husband Nick of Oakland; twenty grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; one brother Jim Sallee of Murphysboro; one sister-in-law Jan Sallee of Mt. Vernon; and many nieces, nephews, and their families. In addition to her parents and husband, Catherine was preceded in death by three brothers, three sisters, one grandson, and one great-granddaughter. Catherine met the love of her life when she saw Glenn walking home from school. He was in bib-overalls, barefoot and twelve years old. This was the depression time and Catherine was forced to quit school to go to work to help their family. The way her eyes glistened when she told this story, she must have known then that she wasn’t going to let him get away. Years later, they married on Glenn’s 20th birthday and in the early 1940’s they moved to a farm in the Jack Oak neighborhood. Along with being a farm wife and raising six children, she loved taking care of her flowers. That loved continued as long as she was physically able. She also loved to study the Bible and had strong political opinions. She enjoyed writing and often sent letters “to the editor” voicing her opinions and concerns. Many local people will remember “The Square Side” as first a Christian bookstore and then a restaurant, off the square in Oakland. She was a wonderful cook and some of her specialties were the best frozen corn, strawberries, and homemade pies. Catherine, at the age of 91, moved to Shreveport, Louisiana to live with her daughter, Jeanne and her husband “Coach” Dick Barr. Jeanne tells how mother worried that her brother, Jim, was still mad at her because they had always planned to ride horses to the west, and then Glenn came along and they married. Jeanne called and spoke with our Uncle Jim and he agreed it was true, but he had forgiven her, and he and Glenn became best friends. Catherine will be greatly missed by her family and friends. A memorial fund is being established for the Victory Church, Camargo, Illinois, or the Alzheimer Foundation.
