John McGrath Family Named Parade Grand Marshals

The family of the late John McGrath will serve as this year’s parade Grand Marshals. Vietnam War Army Veteran John McGrath passed away on March 7 of this year. He is survived by his wife Jody McGrath, daughters Megan McGrath and Jennifer Greer, sons John Ryan McGrath, Christopher Greer and his wife Kristin, Andrew Greer and his wife Jennifer, and David McGrath and his wife Haley along with 13 grandchildren. He also has two sisters, Marianne McGrath and Paulette Hammer and her husband Wayne.

McGrath graduated from Villa Grove High School in 1965 and attended college for one year before being drafted into the United States Army for two years. He received two bronze stars and a combat infantry badge while in the military. Following the military, he went to work as a Lineman for Illinois Power for 22 years and Ameren CIPS for 21 years and retired in May 2012.

John was a member of the Arthur VFW and American Legion, IBEW Local 51 of Springfield, IL., and Local 702 of West Frankfort, IL. He served on the Arthur Village Board for 12 years and most recently served as a Lowe Township Trustee.

Arthur was lucky to have John McGrath. This community is filled with little pieces of him. Some things that many of us may not even realize that he had a hand in, but are also the very things that made John McGrath so special.

His legacy will live on through the lives he touched, the people he blessed, and a community who will never be the same.