Uvanna June Hudson Mathre (Van, as she was known in recent years), was born January 14, 1932 at the home of her parents, U. Virgil and Furn M. (Jones) Hudson, in Serena Township, LaSalle County, Illinois. She passed away at the age of 86 on Thursday morning December 13, 2018. Uvanna attended the Wright one-room school and then Serena Community High School. She graduated in 1949 and attended Northern Illinois Teachers College for 1 year. Deciding not to become a teacher, she left and became a secretary for Country Companies Insurance. Upon meeting her future husband, Lowell Mathre, she left Illinois and headed for El Paso, Texas, where he was in the Air Force. She acquired a secretarial job at Lincoln National Insurance while living there. She and Lowell were married at Biggs Air Force Base on October 16, 1951. They returned to Illinois and have lived in Newark from that time forward, raising two sons and a daughter. In 1962 Van returned to the work force. Becoming a secretary at Columbia Ribbon and Carbon, and on to AllSteel Equipment for several years. She left All-Steel to work at the Farmers State Bank of Millbrook in 1976 until retiring from there in 1990. Van held a part time job at Air Waves Travel for several years after retiring, until her eyesight became a health issue. During this time, she and Lowell enjoyed several cruises & traveling to other countries. Uvanna was baptized and confirmed in the Methodist Church at Harding, Illinois and transferred her membership to the Millington Methodist Church after her marriage. She has held positions of treasurer and secretary and been a member of the church council for many years. Van and Lowell were an instigating force in starting Fern Dell Historic Association in Newark in 1985. She has been treasurer for most of the years as well as being a charter member. She was a member in several other organizations over the years, as well as supporting her family of firefighters. Uvanna and Lowell had three children and is survived by her husband, Lowell, sons Jeffrey (Patsy) Mathre of Newark, Gregory (Gina) Mathre of Newark, daughter Karla (Scott) Maurer of Newark; ten grandchildren, Nels (Kristy) Mathre, Kari (Eric) Friestad, Emma (Eric) Smith, Ryan (Sandy) Mathre, Megan Mathre, Jeremy (Amanda) Mathre, Kendra (Dave) Nichols, Shauna (Bryan) Leitner, Tracie (Brian) Huss, Jason (Amanda) Lawrence; twenty-six great grandchildren, Owen, Henry, Harrison & Penelope Mathre, Kjersten, Clay, Gwen, Brock, Sonja & Bryce Friestad, Eva, Evan & Elsie Smith, Kelly (Chris) Murawski, Corbin, Laikyn Mathre, Miley, Kenzie & Jakob Nichols, Taylor, Bryan & a baby expected in June 2019 Leitner, Mason Huss, Gianna, Olivia & Grayden Lawrence. Van was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Zelma Hudson-Crow; two brothers, Cameron & his wife Ethel Hudson, LaVerne Hudson and a nephew Bill Hudson. A visitation will be held from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. Monday, December 17th at the Newark Lutheran Fellowship Hall, 102 E. Liberty St. Newark, IL, 60541. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at the Millington United Methodist Church, 200 S. Orleans St. Millington, IL, 69537. With Pastor Kirk Scott officiating. Interment will follow at the Helmar Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Nels Mathre, Ryan Mathre, Jason Lawrence, Jeremy Mathre, Dave Nichols, Eric Smith and Eric Friestad. Honorary pallbearers will be Bryan Leitner and Brian Huss. Memorials may be directed to the Fern Dell Historic Assn. PO Box 254, Newark, IL, 60541 or to the Millington United Methodist Church, PO Box 254, Millington, IL, 60537. The service arrangements have been entrusted to the Gabel-Dunn Funeral Home Ltd. in Newark. Phone 815-695-5131 or visit www.dunnfamilyfuneralhome.com for more information.