Meredith Ann Stokes

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer, Meredith Ann Stokes climbed the stairway to Heaven, and into the arms of her Special Angel, her husband Joe, who preceded her in death on July 16, 2017.

Meredith was born to Dora Brown and James Denzel Hartman on December 19, 1937, in Clinton, Indiana. She spent five years in Indiana schools before moving to Illinois.

She married her high school sweetheart, Joseph D. Stokes on January 1, 1956. They were married for 61 ½ years before his passing.

Meredith graduated from Georgetown High School in the class of 1955 and went to work at Illinois Bell Telephone as a long distance operator. She later graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in Elementary Education. She taught in many Vermilion County Schools but was very fond of her students at Harrison, Vermilion Grove and Wingard Grade Schools.

Her parents and her only brother Gary Denzel Hartman preceded her in death.

Survivors include her son, Gary Joe (Gayle Oberle) Stokes of Olivet; her daughter, Jayne Ann (Danny) Dann; her granddaughter, Kayla Jo Dann; and her great-granddaughter, Lyla Jayne, all of Danville, Indiana. Also surviving, her sister Judith (Jim) Erdmann of Charleston, Illinois; her sister who served as her best friend, Janet Sue (Ray) Landskroner of Surprise, Arizona. She is also survived by two special cousins, Barb (Jim) Morgan of Tilton, Illinois, and Harold K. Hartman of Brownsburg, Indiana; plus several nieces and nephews.

Meredith was an avid bowler, holding offices in Ridge Farm, Robinson, Rantoul, Effingham, and Danville bowling leagues. She won two 600 star jackets from Effingham and a 269 ring from K. Bowl. She enjoyed traveling to both state and national tournaments. Meredith bowled in her last league, the Senior Citizen League, at Lincoln Lanes for over 20 years. She deeply appreciated the friendship of those bowlers. She was also a huge Illini Football and Basketball fan, rarely missing a game, in addition to being a fan of the Chicago Cubs and Bears.

Both Meredith and Joe loved cruising and going to casinos. They traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, China, Germany, Amsterdam and the Panama Canal.

A Celebration of Life for Meredith will be held at 1PM on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center’s Houghton-Leasure Chapel 200 E. West Street Georgetown, Illinois 61846 with Pastor Jim Hollingsworth officiating. Burial will follow at Forrest Park Cemetery in Georgetown, Illinois. Visitation will be from 5PM-7PM on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the funeral home in Georgetown.

Memorials in Meredith’s name may be made to the Vermilion County Animal Shelter. Online donations may be made at https://www.govpaynow.com/gps/user/cyg/plc/a004tv and envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center’s Houghton-Leasure Chapel 200 E. West Street Georgetown, Illinois, 61846 is honored to be caring for the family.

Please join the family in sharing memories, photos or videos on her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.