Anna M. McCullough, 107, formerly of Newton, passed away during Holy Week at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 5, 2009, at Jonesboro Rehabilitation and Care Center in Jonesboro.

Visitation is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Blake-Buchanan Funeral Home, Newton, with a 6:30 p.m. rosary. A funeral liturgy will be said at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Newton, with the Rev. Al Kemme officiating. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Newton. Family and friends are invited to honor Mrs. McCullough by attending Holy Thursday Mass at 7 p.m. at the church of their choice. Memorials can be made to St. Thomas School, Newton, or Alzheimer's Association.

Mrs. McCullough was born Oct. 12, 1901, in Newton, the daughter of Dr. William Edward and Anna Isabel (Fisher) Franke.

She spent 93 years of her life in Newton. On Feb. 28, 1928, she and Francis Thomas "Duffy" McCullough were married at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Newton, and he preceded her in death Dec. 24, 1992, at age 88. Mrs. McCullough was an active member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and the Altar Society in Newton. She was chairperson of the "new" school, which was built next to St. Thomas Church. She spent many years working at the Mentor Democrat, writing news and personal items. She retired from Newton Press-Mentor on her 80th birthday in 1981. She moved to Lincoln in 1994, to be near her daughter, Kathleen. In 2007, she joined St. Joseph's Church in Cobden while living near Kathleen's third daughter, Molly Davidson.

Survivors include two daughters, Roseanne Judd of Macedon, N.Y., and Kathleen McCullough of Lincoln; eight grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one sister and four brothers.

Published in the Effingham Daily News.