Louis Eugene "Gene" McMahan

November 28, 1929 - October 30, 2015

Louis Eugene (Gene) McMahan, 85, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, passed away at 1:10 a.m. on Friday, October 30, 2015, at Mt. Vernon Healthcare. Louis was born on November 28, 1929, in Broughton, Illinois, the son of Andrew Jackson and Violet Minnie (Campbell) McMahan. In 1970, he married Wilma Tinsley, and she survives in Mt. Vernon. Louis spent his early years in McLeansboro, and served four years in the United States Air Force. After his service ended, he began working in insurance, and organizing Life Insurance companies in the state of Illinois and other states. His pride and joy and greatest accomplishment was the organization of Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company in 1964, and the company is still going strong today, now located in Phoenix, Arizona. He moved to Arizona in 1982 and began organizing several corporations that he would take public. Due to health reasons, he moved back to Mt. Vernon in 2013, to be near family. Louis was a member of Logan Street Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon. In addition to his wife, Wilma McMahan of Mt. Vernon, he is survived by three sons, Douglas McMahan and wife Linda, Richard McMahan and wife Pam, and Michael McMahan, all of Mt. Vernon; one daughter, Cathy Owens and husband David of Champaign; one stepson, Michael Hawkins of Apache Junction, Arizona; one stepdaughter, Debra Hawkins Margraf and husband Michael of Tempe, Arizona; twelve grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; two brothers, Buddy, and Bill McMahan of McLeansboro, Illinois; one sister, Dorothy Pollard of Carmi, Illinois; four sisters-in-law, Connie McMahan of Decatur, Illinois, Ruby Tinsley, Nellie Mellott and Judy Tinsley of Mt. Vernon; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Lucille; two brothers, Osborn and Donald; three brothers-in-law, Donald Pollard, Kenneth and George Tinsley; one sister-in-law, Viola McMahan; and first wife Charlene Graham. Funeral Services for Mr. McMahan will be held 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 2, 2015, at Osborn Funeral Home in Dix, with Reverends Alan Smith and Aaron Trotter officiating. Burial will follow at Ebenezer Cemetery. Graveside Military Rites will be accorded by American Legion Post #141 of Mt. Vernon. Visitation will be held Monday, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of service, at the funeral home. The family would like to thank the Nurses and Helpers at Mt. Vernon Healthcare Center for their special care, as well as Celtic Hospice. Memorials may be made to the New Hope "Webb" Church, Ebenezer Cemetery, or the Alzheimer's Association, and will be received at the funeral home.