LeRoy ( Ed ) E. Newkirk

Leroy “Ed” Newkirk 88 of Eureka, formally of Sandwich passed away Tuesday May 26, 2015 in Morton Illinois. He was born on July 23, 1926 to Joseph and Rena (Ackley) Newkirk in Bristol Illinois. He married Joan A.( Gary) Schoger on February 15, 1975 in Plano Illinois and spent the next 40 years happily married. He was a member of the Odd Fellows “Little Rock Lodge 171” for 65 years. He owned the Plano Theater for 17 years and the Sandwich Theater for 2 years. He developed the Orchard Lawn and Garden Center in Sandwich. For 53 years he was a Real Estate and Brokerage salesman and was licensed in Illinois and Florida. He started Tri City Realty, owned Sunny Ridge Realty and Sun Construction, and he worked for Caywood and Associates. He is survived by his wife Joan of Eureka, his daughters; Joanna (Charles) Sondgeroth of Sandwich, Victoria (John) Hartter of Morton, IL. his sons; Joe (Nina) Newkirk of Carlock Il, and Michael (Diane)Schoger of Winslow Il; 14 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren; 1 sister Margie Jornlin of Plano and 1 brother Gene Newkirk of Plano. He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather Joseph “Poppy” Goddard, and his first wife Sarah Barbara who passed in 1968, sister Sally Anderson and great granddaughter Grace Kuester. Visitation will be Friday May 29, 2015 at the Beverage Family Funeral Home in Sandwich from 4:00-8:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be Saturday May 30, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at St Paul the Apostle Church with Father Eugene Radosevich officiating, with the Interment to follow at the Little Rock Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the family. Arrangements were handled by Beverage Family Funeral Home Sandwich Illinois. www.beveragefamilyfh.com