Notable deaths of 2023: Remembering influential Galesburg-area people we lost this year wgil.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wgil.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Longtime Galesburg Alderman Wayne Allen passed last week on Thursday at the age of 84. Allen served 5 terms as 6th Ward City Council member, from 2001 to 2021. Many of the biggest moments of Allen's life played out in the Knox-Warren County area. He was born in rural Warren County, met his wife of 49 years, Millie in Rock Island, graduated from Abingdon High School and also attended Carl Sandburg College and Western Illinois University. His community service was extensive beyond just his long stint on the City Council, winning him the Thomas B. Herring Community Service Award in 2005. Wayne served as a board member for the Knox County Housing Authority Board, was on the Bridgeway Board of Directors, and was an animal supporter for the Knox County Humane Society. Allen served in the Illinois Army National Guard, made his dedication to Veterans issues well known during his council tenure, and was instrumental in the formation of the Galesburg Veteran Memorial in Lincoln Park. Visita