James "Skip" L Katcher

James L. “Skip” Katcher, 86 of Manville passed away Saturday morning (November 21^st) at Methodist Medical Center, Peoria.

A visitation will be held Tuesday (Nov. 24^th) from 4 – 7 PM with the rosary recited at 3:30 PM at the Winterrowd Funeral Home.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday (Nov. 25^th) at 9:30 AM at the St. Michael the Archangel Church, Streator.  Burial will be in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Streator.

Serving as pallbearers will be Andrew Katcher, Terry Kather, Tom Rients, Dan Poldek, Harry Defenbaugh, Philip Spaniol and honorary will be Jim Durgach and Marion Johnson and Luke Spaniol.

Skip was born on January 26, 1929 in Streator to Lottis and Agnes (McCloskey) Katcher.  He married Juanita Hart on November 14, 1953.  She survives.

Also surviving are children, Mike (Debbie) Katcher of Streator, Margie Benckendorf of Manville, Mark (Vicki Walter) Katcher of Manville and Monica (Rob Poole Jr.) Katcher of Blackstone, 3 grandchildren, Lacey and Casey Benckendorf and Andrew Katcher, sister, Cecil Colgan of Woodbury, NJ,  and several nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Elvita Durgach and Bernice Dietrich.

Skip attended St. Anthony’s Grade School and Streator High School.  He was a mechanic for Collins Motor, Baker Ford and Beckmans Motor and retired as transportation director from Woodland School in 1991.  He served as finical secretary for UAW Local ???, he was a member of the St. Michael the Archangel Church , Streator Eagles Club and Streator Moose Lodge, Worsee Riding Club and Illinois Valley Riding Club and he was an avid horseback rider.  His hobbies were dirt car racing and being a Nascar fan.

Memorials may be made to either the Cornell/Reading Fire Departments, Woodland Education Foundation or to a charity of the donors’ choice.