Eileen Place went to be with Jesus, her savior, on November 27, 2024. Eileen was born in White County, Illinois on March 2, 1924, to Veda Harper Black and Gerald Black, and lived in the Urbana-Champaign area most of her life. She graduated from Urbana High School in 1941. Eileen married Larry Place in 1958. She was a loving mother to 3 daughters (Marcia Humes, Deceased; Janet Espeseth of Wisconsin; Tanya Robinson of Colorado.) She had 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

Eileen had a true servant’s heart. She spent her life loving and caring for others in the areas of hospitality, and in her faith. She was a charter and lifelong member of the Urbana Foursquare Church where she served faithfully as church secretary, choir member and the president of the United Foursquare Women groups for many years.

Eileen worked for the University of Illinois in the Psychology Department for 24 years as an administrative assistant. She was an avid fan of Illinois basketball and football teams and tuned in for the games. Even after moving to Colorado, she re-branded Denver orange and blue into Fighting Illini orange and blue.

Her caring spirit extended to the Carle Hospital Auxiliary where she volunteered almost 15,000 hours in many areas, including working in the hospital gift shop and acting as auxiliary representative at Windsor of Savoy.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Larry Place; her oldest daughter Marcia Humes; and a granddaughter Trudy Moseley.