FAIRBURY, Ill. — Charles Laverne “Slim” Iler, 85, of Fairbury, passed away at 9:38 a.m., Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at his home with his loved ones present.
Charles was born Oct. 12, 1934, in Cromwell, Kentucky, the son of Cecil and Floren Rafferty Iler.
He married Rosemary Emberton on Aug. 21, 1954, in Robertson County, Tennessee. She passed away on Jan. 27, 2014.
Charles drove for Nussbaum Trucking, retiring in 1997. He loved country music, jam sessions and traveling. He was a member of The Moose Lodge, Elks Lodge and Eagles Lodge of Bloomington, Illinois.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Carroll Iler; one sister, Mary Ann Small; and one son-in-law, Ross Ziegenhorn.
Surviving are three daughters, Linda (Robert) Mack, of Fairbury, Jan Ziegenhorn, of Champaign, Illinois, and Lori (Brad) Maley, of Fairbury; five grandchildren, Jarad (Jody) Mack, of Spring Hill, Tennessee, Jaime (Nick) Myers, of Cortland, Ilinois, Brandon Ziegenhorn, of Winter Park, Florida, Jeff (Kelli) Maley, of Fairbury, and Amanda (Kyle) Todd, of Fairbury.
Charles was known as “Papa Slim” to eight great-grandchildren, Kailee, Hayden, Kendall, Ella, Austin, Tinley, Kayden, and Emma. Also surviving is a special friend, Lori Keller, of Bloomington, Illinois; two brothers, Glen (Pauline) Iler, of Bloomington, Jerry (Karen) Iler, of Woodstock, Georgia; and three sisters-in-law, Wilma Jean (Donald) Beecher, of Bloomington, Kathy Harper, of Stoughton, Wisconsin, and Lois Emberton, of Forrest, Illinois.
Charles never met a stranger and loved to just start up a conversation with anyone.
A private family graveside service will be held at Graceland Cemetery in Fairbury.
The family suggest memorials be made to SELCAS, American Heart Association or American Diabetes Association.