Lowella S. Biddle

Lowella S. Biddle, 97, of Champaign passed away on Friday, April 19, 2024.

Lowella was born to Lowell and Lucile Smith on September 16, 1926 in Indianapolis.  With her parents she moved to Evanston for several years then to Newman, IL when she was in the sixth grade.  During WWII she worked two summers as a clerk at Fort Benjamin Harrison.  After graduating from Newman High School, she married her high school sweetheart, Fred Biddle Jr., on February 14, 1946.  He passed away on June 3, 1992.

Lowella is survived by three children, David (Mary), Richard / Dick (Sue), and Linda Biddle; five grandchildren, Melissa (Blake) Good, Megan (Dave) Wheat, Brian Biddle, Ricky (Natalie) Biddle, and Sophie Biddle; and 12 great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her sister, Roberta (Luke) Cain and nieces and nephews.  Her sister, Helen Luth, preceded her in death.

Lowella and Fred lived in the farming community of Newman for many years.  She gardened, helped with harvest, and volunteered in her children’s scouts, 4-H, and school activities, and worked at the Douglas Co. ASC office.  In the 1960s with three children in school, she returned to the University of Illinois.  She proudly graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.  She really enjoyed her years teaching elementary school, especially math, science, art, PE, and the library from which she retired.  She also had much interest in the family’s lawn care and landscaping business.  Whatever Lowella did, she did with passion and flare.  For many years Lowella and Fred were great golf enthusiasts, square danced, and entertained.  Lowella played and taught tennis and was an avid spectator of the tennis channel after she put down her racquet. 

She was always taking classes and studying to learn about ways to express her creative talents: painting, doing the entire process of creating ceramic projects, programming her knitting machine to create special designs, collecting the perfect fabrics for more quilting projects than she could ever possibly make, pulling together materials for holiday decorations, cooking and baking from down home recipes to extravagant fare.  She was a loyal Fighting Illini fan with season football and basketball tickets for many years.  She studied the game of bridge and played weekly at Ginger Creek as well as in many tournaments.  She liked sitting at the piano playing many of her old favorites by ear and was always ready to demonstrate her yodeling.  Lowella will be missed!

Funeral services will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at the Joines Funeral Home in Newman with Pastor Matt Matthews of Champaign First Presbyterian Church officiating.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service (11-12 p.m.).

The family would like to thank the staff at Carriage Crossing in Champaign for giving Lowella the care and support over the last 6 years so she could enjoy living safely in her own space.  Also, sincere thanks to the Carle Hospital 6th floor staff and the staff at Pleasant Meadows in Chrisman for their compassionate care during her last 2 ½ weeks.

In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorial donations be made to the University of Illinois Veterinary Medicine, Champaign Co. Humane Society, SBL Hospice, or the donor’s favorite organization.

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