MULKEYTOWN -- Earlene Whittington, 83, passed away Sunday morning, April 27, 2014, in Mount Vernon. She was born Aug. 6, 1930, in Benton, the daughter of Earl and Ella (Carlton) Odom. She married John O. Whittington on July 17, 1954, in Benton, and he survives. Mrs. Whittington was a member of First Church of the Nazarene in Benton. Survivors include her husband, John O. Whittington; children, Doris Cook and husband, Gary, of Benton, Jan Myers and husband, Steve, of Columbus, Ohio, Joy Habeeb and husband, Habeeb, of Champaign, Jeff Whittington and wife, Tana, of Benton, Kevin Whittington and wife, Sharyl, of Momence and Ron Whittington and wife, Denise, of Bourbonnais; daughter-in-law, Judy Whittington of Sesser; 15 grandchildren, Brian Whittington and wife, Alisha, Brandon Whittington and wife, Pixie, Amy Cook, Amber Brayfield and husband, Billy, Craig Cook and wife, Emilee, Paul Habeeb, Hannah Habeeb, Zachary Whittington, John Whittington and wife, Stacy, Jeffrey Whittington and wife, Lacie, David Whittington, Claire Whittington, Emerson Whittington, Parker Whittington and Ainsley Whittington; two great-grandchildren, Eldon and Ella Brayfield; and sister, Aileen West of Omaha. She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Randy Whittington; grandson, Jacob Daniel Whittington; sister, Ruth Smith; and brother, Thomas Marion Odom. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 1, in First Church of the Nazarene in Benton with the Rev. Steve Shotts officiating. Burial will be in Masonic-Odd Fellow Cemetery in Benton. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at Morton and Johnston Funeral Home in Benton and 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the church. For those who wish, memorials may be made in Mrs. Whittington's memory to First Church of the Nazarene, P.O. Box 369, Benton, IL 62812. Published in The Southern Illinoisan on Apr. 29, 2014