Edna Faye Breeze, 91, of Mount Vernon IL, died at home on Saturday, December 7, 2024. She was born May 16, 1933, to Almon and Dessie (Jones) Good in Wayne County. Edna grew up and attended school in Wayne City IL. On March 24, 1949, at the age of 15, she married Donald Breeze of Bluford IL. Their first child was born in 1950, while the last of their four children was born in 1954.
Never knew for sure whether Edna was bragging or complaining when she recounted the fact that she had four children and the oldest was only 4-years old at the time.
When Edna’s youngest was in high school she went to work at Schumm’s Nursing Home in Bluford IL. Other jobs she held were working at the Mars Candy factory in Ashley, at the Florsheim Shoe factory in Mount Vernon, and 20+ years at 3-D (Danner’s Discount Department store) in Mount Vernon before finally getting her Broker’s License while working for Realty Masters in Mount Vernon.
Donald was a General Baptist minister at several churches in the area, pastoring the First and the Second General Baptist churches in Mount Vernon, the New Home General Baptist Church at Papertown, the Starr General Baptist Church north of Wayne City, the Aden General Baptist Church south of Wayne City, and the Mt Olive General Baptist Church near Bluford. Edna was by his side teaching Sunday School classes and working in the Vacation Bible School programs when she wasn’t raising kids or going to one of her jobs.
Edna was also very involved in genealogy and was able to trace her ancestry back to the Revolutionary War and thus was able to become a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). After celebrating 56 years of marriage Donald preceded her in death in 2005. Edna then moved from their home in Bluford into Mount Vernon and made many new friends while living at Heritage Landing and also at Garden Glen before moving into her home next door to her son. Edna enjoyed collecting and telling jokes to everyone, whether at church, to her doctors, her friends, family or neighbors, and particularly when attending Karaoke night at the Bluford Ruritan Club. She also belonged to the Red Hats and to the Senior Circle group and enjoyed attending their dinners and playing bingo.
But Edna’s greatest love was for her large family. And her greatest desire was that each of her descendants would come to Believe in Jesus Christ. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Edna was preceded in death by her parents, Almon & Dessie Good; her husband, Donald Breeze; two sons, George Louis Breeze and Almon Darrell Breeze; her brothers, George Good, Almon Dean Good, Leland Good at Pearl Harbor, Warren Good, Russell Good, and Kenneth Good; her sisters, Rose Marie Peyton, Mary DeJournett, Minnie Millenbine, and Adda Mae Miller.
Edna is survived by one sister, Marilyn Breeze; one sister-in-law, Betty Albright; two children; and 55 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, & great-great-grandchildren: daughter Betty (Donald) Cluck and 3 children: Stephanie McKinney and children: 1) Bryan McKinney & daughter, Allison; 2) Lindsay Johnson & children, Stellaluna and Xander, Neil (Lori) McKinney and children: 1) Brittany (Stewart) Phyfiher & children, Jeremiah, Kenyen, Nehemiah, Aaliyah, and Asia; Ashton McKinney and significant other Dexter Harbin and their children Emmalynn and Vivian; Jacob (Allison) McKinney.
Cheryl (Jim) Lake and children: April (Zachary) Sprague & children: Gabriella, Carleigh-Gail, River, & Zoey; Christopher Buchanan & son Keegan; Morgan (Tyler) Kuehn-Larson & son, Gunthrie; David Lake.
Son George’s widow, Linda Breeze, and their 3 children: Eric (Wendy) Breeze & children: Autumn, Riley, Benjamin, & Carson; Heather (Christopher) Redman & children: 1) Will Smith & son, Wristyn; 2) Abigail Smith; Nathan (Ashley) Breeze & son, Colin.
Son Don Breeze and 2 children: Tara (Jack) Wilkey & children: Johnathan (Arianna) Wilkey & daughter, Anna; Raechell Wilkey and sons, twins, Bentley & Bradien Wilkey & Blaine Reed; Allisynn Wilkey & son, Leo Norris; Elissa Wilkey & daughter, Elizabeth; Tyson Wilkey and Jeremy (JD) Breeze.
Son Darrell’s widow, Kay Breeze, & their 3 children: Jennifer (Brian) Wills & children: Isabelle and Jackson; Amanda Breeze and son, Reed (Brittany) Breeze & daughter, Raelyn; Matthew Breeze
Services will be held Sunday, December 15, 2024, at the Archie Sanders Memorial Chapel in the Thomason Cemetery at Wayne City. Visitation will begin at noon and a funeral service at 1:00pm. Interment will be in Thomason Cemetery. Following the services, a meal will be served at the Bluford Ruritan Club. Call Newell Funeral Home at 618-246-0100 or visit newellfuneralhome.com for further information.