Dee L. Honn

Dee Lester Honn, 71 of Arthur, IL passed away peacefully at 2:39 AM on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, IL surrounded by her family.

Dee was born on September 28, 1954, in Canton, IL. She was the daughter of Robert and Philomena (Leonard) Lester. She married Steven Edward Honn on February 24, 1995, in Las Vegas, NV.

She is survived by her husband, Steve Honn of Arthur, IL and her five children, Kristyn (Chuck) McReaken of Champaign, IL, Kelsey (James) Aikman of Arcola, IL, Kali (Pete) Norcross of Champaign, IL, Karissa (Mike) Conlin of Seattle, WA, and Clayton Honn (Emily Entwistle) of Tuscola, IL. She is also survived by her ten grandchildren: Owen, Harrison and Ellie McReaken; Asa, Lucia, Benaiah, Andrea and Sofia Aikman; James and Julia Norcross; and a Conlin baby on the way. She is also mourned by her six siblings: Ellie Toomer of Lewistown, IL, Kay McDaniel of St. Pete Beach, FL, Linda Smith (Bill Campbell) of Lonoke, AR, Bobbie Parsons of Bloomington, IL, Becki Lester (Bill Wicevich) of Cave Creek, AZ, and Gary Lester of Canton, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Larry Lester.

Dee graduated from Lewistown High School in 1972. She pursued higher education at the University of Illinois, earning her bachelor’s degree in engineering. Dee excelled as an engineer before choosing to devote herself to raising her children. She later obtained her teaching certificate from Eastern Illinois University and taught Math for ten years in the Arthur Public School system. After retiring from her teaching career, Dee continued to nurture those around her, first as a nanny for her grandchildren and most recently as the office manager for Honn Farms and Trucking.

Dee loved boating on Lake Shelbyville with her husband and all of the guests they would host. She loved cooking, walking, reading, and taking photos. She was always signed up for a dance class at the Regent. She completed her first triathlon on July 19 at the YMCA with her daughter Kali! She loved to travel and enjoyed trips to visit her sisters, sightseeing in Europe, and a trip just last month to Holiday World with her husband, children and grandchildren. But more than any of her hobbies, Dee was a helper. She was always finding ways to be in service to others. From visiting a sister, stopping by to babysit grandkids, helping a daughter with a home project, taking care of her son’s pets, stopping in to see a friend, the list never ended. This lady was busy! She was a constant source of support and guidance not only to her own family but to many others who considered her their second mom. It seemed that her goals in life were almost completely tied to how much she was helping others.

Dee had many roles in life: daughter, sister, wife, mom, grandma, cat lady, dancer, best friend, teacher–the list goes on. She did all of these with so much love. To her children, she was a sounding board, teacher, handywoman, the first person they would call, and their biggest cheerleader. But of all the roles she held in this lifetime, “Neemama” (aka grandma) was her most cherished. She adored each of her grandchildren and loved creating memories with them. She was so proud of them and if you knew her, you most certainly have seen the pictures and heard the updates. She could not wait to meet her newest grandson, who is due to arrive in December.

Dee’s unexpected and untimely departure from this life has left a gaping hole in the lives of everyone close to her. We all truly believed we would have her for 30 more years. Her legacy lives on in her children and grandchildren, with the advice and love she poured into their lives every day.

Visitation will be held from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Penn Station, 122 East Progress St., Arthur, IL. Casual dress is welcome and a short prayer will be said at 6:00 PM. A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date. The Edwards Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the Arthur Fire Department and/or S.A.B.L.E. (the 501c3 organization of Aikman Wildlife).