Thelma Eileen Puckett was born January 16, 1921 to Clyde and Marie Puckett near Christopher, Illinois. They moved in a few years to St. Joseph, Illinois and then to Urbana, Illinois, where she grew up. She passed away on December 24, 2010.

Eileen graduated from Urbana High School and the Barry-Castle Business School in Champaign.

Eileen worked for the U.S. government in Washington, D.C. and then Chicago, Illinois from 1941 until she returned to Urbana in 1945. She then worked as secretary to the head of the Physical Plant of the University of Illinois until her retirement after about 35 years. She was a member of the Philo Road Church of Christ.

In 1956 Eileen married Fred Wilske. He passed away in 1994. She then married a man she had dated 50 years earlier, Earl Day, in 1996. He passed away in 2002.

Eileen had no children. She was predeceased by her mother, F. Marie Puckett, two sisters, Fannie (J.R.) Ashberry of North Little Rock, Arkansas, and E. June (Gordie) Harris of Urbana, and an older brother who died at age 3 from burns, Charles Puckett, as well as a nephew, Billy Puckett, who died at age 32. Eileen is survived by two sisters, Marjorie (Kenneth) Moss of Danville, Illinois, and Georgia (Ralph) Nelson of Abilene, Texas, and a brother, James Puckett of Midland, Michigan. She is also survived by 14 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 30, 2010 at Renner-Wikoff Chapel and Crematory, Urbana; the Rev., Richard Mill will officiate. Burial will be in Grandview Memorial Gardens, Champaign. Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shults-Lewis Child-Family Services, Valparaiso, Indiana.

Condolences may be offered at www.renner-wikoffchapel.com.