Irma Mae Langham, 93, of Tamalco, died on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at Hickory Estates Memory Care in Greenville.
Visitation will be held Saturday, Feb. 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Assalley-Young Funeral Home in Greenville, 118 E. College Ave. An additional visitation will be held Sunday, Feb. 12, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services will follow, beginning at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Glenn Kreider officiating. Interment will be held at McKendree Chapel Cemetery in Keyesport.
Mrs. Langham was born Oct. 20, 1929, in rural Keyesport, to Wesley and Lela Mae (Barth) Matheny. She married the love of her life, Alvin “A.J.” Langham on July 23, 1949, at a ceremony held in their pastor’s home in Greenville. He preceded her in death on Jan. 18, 2010.
She attended a one-room schoolhouse until moving on to Greenville High School, where she graduated with the class of 1947. After high school, she started her career as the secretary for the Bond County Superintendent of Schools. In the busy seasons on the farm, it was not unusual to see her joining her husband in the fields, driving tractors and grain trucks, as well as tending their vegetable garden. She also served for many years as the Tamalco and Mills Township Assessor.
Known for her great sense of humor, Mrs. Langham never missed an opportunity to share a new joke. She loved receiving jokes and funny stories from friends and family so she could share them with the next person she encountered.
She and her husband loved traveling together, making it to every state in the lower 48 except Louisiana. She was also an excellent cook and baker, and looked forward to family coming to visit, preparing for weeks ahead to have favorite meals and treats ready. She also loved raising chickens, and was known for naming them and treating them as pets. Many decorative chickens found their way into her home, some from craft fairs, gifted by friends and family members, or made by her own hands.
For many years, Mrs. Langham was a member of the Tamalco Home Extension and served as 4-H leader, as well as an election judge. For nearly all her adult life, she was an involved member of Tamalco Christian Church, deeply connected to people who became like an extended family.
She is survived by her children, Wesley Sam (Angela) Langham of Beecher, Jon Alvin (Nancy) Langham of Wheaton, Rex William (Linda) Langham of Springfield, Sue Ann (Rick) Hahn of Cicero, IN, and Joe Pike (Colette) Langham of Keyesport; grandchildren, Ernest H. Langham, Anne E. (Peter) Warman, Sara Catherine (Max Yoshikawa) Langham, Andrew Jon Langham, Daniel J. Langham, Leah E. Hahn, Nathan A. (Megan) Hahn, Mitchell Pike Langham, Olivia Marie (fiance Logan Childress) Langham and Rayce Joseph Langham; and great-grandchildren, William Daniel Warman, Abigail Elisabeth Warman and Alvin Jay Yoshikawa.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Langham was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Ernest Matheny.
Memorials may be directed to Tamalco Christian Church, 1798 Tamalco Avenue, Keyesport, IL 62253 or the American Farm Heritage Museum, 1395 Museum Avenue, Greenville, IL 62246. Online condolences to the family may be left at www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com.
