Lonnie English

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[For nearly two decades, Lonnie English was a fixture at county fairs and festivals through Southern Illinois and southeast Missouri as he and his wife, Wendy, operated a food concession business.

When not traveling to events, the couple sold Greek gyros and funnel cakes from their home just a few hundred yards south of the entrance to the Garden of the Gods.

Mr. English died Sunday, July 27, 2008, in his sleep after the couple had completed a week at the Edwards County Fair. He was 63.

Born in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, his family moved to the Harrisburg area while he was a teenager. Mr. English served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968, mostly in Europe. After he was honorably discharged he resettled in Chicago where he met and married Wendy Lu Kline.

In 1976, the couple moved to Saline County. Mr. English was an accomplished craftsman and often worked as a carpenter, electrician, mechanic or plumber. He was also a skilled woodcarver.

After he and his wife began operating the food concession business, Family Fun Foods, they purchased property on the Garden of the Gods Road where they built their home on the crest of a hill and turned the surrounding land into a mini-arboretum with a wide variety of trees, plants and flowers.

In the spring and fall they often opened the food trailer for business in their front yard.

Recently, Mr. English had experienced some medical difficulties and was scheduled for an MRI in August at the Marion V.A. Hospital. On Monday, his daughter said she was told by the White County coroner that he had died after "a massive coronary event."

In addition to his wife, Mr. English is survived by a daughter, Rochelle Jones of Metropolis; a son, Lonnie Charles English of Harrisburg; a grandson, Lucas Charles English; his mother, Jean Emrich; two brothers; a sister; a son-in-law, Derek Jones; and a daughter-in-law, Jamie English.

A memorial gathering in celebration of his life will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008, at the family home in Hardin County.