- Date Of Birth: July 13, 1932
- Date Of Death: December 31, 2020
- State: Illinois
Allan Duane Brantley, age 88, of Centralia, left his earthly home on Thursday, December 31, 2020, at Fireside House in Centralia, after a lengthy illness. He was born July 13, 1932, in Centralia, the son of Charles Elmo Brantley and Virginia (Owens) Brantley. He married Frances Gaultney on March 17, 1951, and she survives in Centralia.
In addition to his wife of 69 years, also left to mourn his passing are his three loving daughters: Cheryl Tabor and husband Gary, Kimberly Robinett and husband Rusty, Trina Schneider and husband Alan, and his only sibling, Patty J. Carlson all of Centralia. He is also survived by his six grandchildren: Melissa Glasgow, Lindsay Eigenrauch, Blake Robinett, Jered Schneider, Scott Schneider and C.J. Schneider. Also eleven great-grandchildren: Sage, Aidan, Brantley, Hanley, Maisy, Renley, Luna, Ada, Jude, Ruby, Henry and the 12th one is due in January.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law: Dickie Carlson. He was a life-long resident of Centralia; a graduate of Centralia Township High School Class of 1950, where he excelled in track and field. He would never miss an Orphan Basketball game or Holiday Tournament for a number of years.
He attended the University of Illinois at Champaign earning his Aeronautical electronics engineering certificate in 1952. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, where he was a part of the 301st bombardment unit during the height of the Korean Conflict. His unit, using the B-29 Super fortress, was one of the 1st units to conduct aerial refueling operations with the KB-20 tanker version of the Super fortress. These aerial refuelings became the main mission of the 301st unit, which deployed to England and French Morocco in 1953. He was well known in the area as being the flagman at the Marion County Speedway on Friday nights in the 1960’s. He was a foreman at Wheaton Plastics in the 1970s.
He retired as a Correctional Officer at the Centralia Correctional Center in 1994, where he was fondly referred to as “Dad Brantley” by his fellow officers. After retirement, he and his wife enjoyed traveling in their Motorhome, camping, boating on Kentucky Lake, and spending time with all of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Some of his hobbies included: building and flying remote control airplanes, landscaping, and shopping local thrift stores. He was a member of The Rock Church and attended regularly until recently.
