Harvey S. Ifft, 89, of Fairbury passed away peacefully at 5:15 A.M. on Monday, March 7, 2011, at Fairview Haven Nursing Home, Fairbury.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, March 10, at the Apostolic Christian Church, Forrest. The ministers of the church will be officiating. Burial will be at the South Apostolic Christian Cemetery, rural Fairbury.

Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 9, at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury, and from 9:00 to 9:45 A.M. Thursday at the church.

The family suggests memorials to Fairview Haven Nursing Home, Fairbury, or Misgana Ministries, P.O. Box 1331, Bloomington, IL, 61702-1331, for mission projects in Ethiopia.

Harvey was born March 29, 1921, at rural Cropsey, the son of Sam and Rosa Steffen Ifft. He married Velma Jean Huber on June 16, 1946. She survives in Fairbury. Also surviving are their children, Gary (Peggy), Ziway, Ethiopia; Nancy (Marvin) Dotterer, Forrest; Sherri (Mark, dec.) Schlatter, Fairbury; and Keith, Peoria;12 grandchildren, Angie (Walter) Reedy, Becky Ifft, Sam Ifft, Lori (Ben) Leman, Jason (Lynn) Dotterer, Clint (Rebecca) Dotterer, Heidi (Nathan) Bachman, Erika (Emery) Gal, Rachel (Scott) Hartzler, Amy (Grant) Hartman, Alyssa Ifft, and Alex Ifft; 19 great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Elmer, Fairbury, and Raymond (Alberta), Overland Park, KS. He was preceded in death by a son-in-law Mark Schlatter, one sister Alice Lehmann, and one brother Albert.

Harvey gave his heart to the Lord in 1947. He was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church of Forrest, where he served in various capacities, including Sunday School teacher and superintendent, trustee, and usher.

He was a life-long farmer at rural Fairbury. For many years he was a member of the Livingston County FSA Committee where he enjoyed serving his fellow farmers.

Harvey was a kind person and enjoyed helping others. He loved people; his family, friends, and church were very special to him.