Rex Davis Presson was born in East Prairie, Missouri on October 28, 1923 to Leonard Presson and Eva H. Davis. His father appeared to be following work because by the time the 1930 federal census was taken the family had relocated to Sterling, Colorado and were living in a rental home paying $20 per month. Rex’s father, Leonard 35, was working as a commercial hide and fur buyer. The family at the time had four children, Rex D. 6, Elzeth 5, Ned A. 5 and Elizabeth June just born that year. All three of the youngest children were born in Colorado.
By 1935, the family had moved to Wood River, Illinois and by the 1940 census the family had relocated again following work to Bunker Hill, Iowa where Rex’s father worked at the Western Cartridge Company. Leonard claimed to be working a 40 hour week and had worked 52 weeks out of the previous year earning $1,100. Children in the home were Rex 16, Elzetta 15, Ned 15, Betty (Elizabeth) 10 and Verlin aged 1, the last child being born in Illinois.
Rex graduated from Bunker Hill, Iowa high school in 1941 and quickly enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 8, 1941. On April 9, 1946 he was mustered aboard the U.S.S. Raton, a Gato-class submarine. He was discharged from the Navy on March 23, 1947.
The same year Rex was mustered out of the Navy, he was required to register for the WWII draft even though he had served so in 1947 he filled out his draft record as a veteran. Rex was then 23 years old and living at 1938 Walnut Street in Murphysboro, Illinois. No employment was listed at the time but he was physically described as 5’, 186 lbs., blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion.
In the following year of 1948 on October 23rd, he married Lillian Marie Cross, daughter of Fred Cross and Rosey Moore. She was born on Tuesday, April 22, 1924 in Murphysboro, Illinois
When the 1950 federal census was taken, Rex 26 and Lillian M. 25 were living in Murphysboro, Illinois. Rex was Assistant District Plant Engineer for the Illinois Commercial Telephone Company and Lillian was working as a stenographer for the Illinois Electric & Gas Company. The only other person living in the home with them was Rex’s 19 year old single nephew, William F. Vigar who was employed as a digger operator for the same phone company as Rex.
By the early 1950’s Rex and Lillian had moved to Marion and in 1953, Rex was working as an engineer for the General Telephone Company of Illinois. Already by 1954, Rex had started volunteering as a Boy Scoutmaster of Troop 11 in Marion and the couple initially lived at 319 S. Third Street but eventually changed over to their permanent home at 315 S. Third around 1958.
By 1956, Rex had moved from working for the phone company to a job as associate engineer with the Central Illinois Public Service Company (CIPS) and Rex had taken over as head of Scout Explorer Post 25.
By 1958, Rex had become a Lieutenant in the local Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and was over the Marion Cadet Squadron.
In 1959, Rex achieved the Wood Badge in scouting and was the first to accomplish this in the Egyptian Council which covers this area of the state.
In 1960, Rex ran for a position on the Williamson County Board of Trustees and lost. In the same year, Presson won the CIPS Service Award given to employees for outside volunteer work in the community. Presson was given the award for his work in Boy Scouts, the Civil Air Patrol, Young Men’s Christian Association and for working as a volunteer with the Williamson County Court Probationary Office. At the time he was a senior engineer for CIPS in outside plant design and construction.
In 1961, Presson was appointed to the Marion Playground and Recreation Board, while also serving as an official of Marion Youth, Inc., a term that ran for 4 years. This group would be responsible for the construction of Marion’s first dedicated Teen Town building on E. Boulevard around 1963.
By 1964, Presson had reached the rank of Major in the Civil Air Patrol and was acting president of big Brothers of Little Egypt.
By 1965 Presson had reached the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol and as such was one of a small group to go to Spain on an exchange program.
In 1967, Rex resigned as Commander of Group 12 of the Civil Air Patrol and threw his name in the hat for the 1967 Marion city election for city Commissioner. Presson won the election and would go on the serve from 1967 under Mayor Robert L. Butler until his second term expired in 1975.
In 1969, Presson was already serving as head of the Marion City Council of Civil Defense and also became an advisor for the Civil Defense to the Williamson County Board of Commissioners.
While serving as Public Safety commissioner for the City of Marion around 1970, Rex separated from his wife and moved to a separate home at 304 S. 2nd Street leaving his family at their old location at 315 S. 3rd Street.
Rex attempted to run for a third term on city council in 1975, but lost in his bid for a third term.
In December of 1985, Presson, a line clearance supervisor in Marion for CIPS retired after 32 years. He had joined the company in 1953 as an assistant engineer. He served as associate engineer prior to being named senior engineer in 1958. In 1971 he became transmission engineer and was promoted to line clearance supervisor later that year.
Presson passed away on September 29, 2003 and was buried at Pleasant Grove Memorial park, in Murphysboro, Illinois. He was a member of the American Legion, Masonic Lodge, VFW, Civil Air Patrol and Disabled American Veterans, all in Marion.
Presson was the father of four children, Jane of Marion, Patty A. Avery of Marion, Jill L. Crombie of Mason City and Randall of Dallas, Texas.
Lillian Presson passed away on June 27, 2017. She wass survived by her children Jayne Presson of Minooka, IL, Jill Crombie and husband Ed also of Minooka, IL, Patti Avery and husband George of Marion, IL, and Randy Presson and wife Mary Ann of Carrollton, TX; grandchildren Ryan Avery and his wife Camilla of Marion, IL, Eddie Crombie and wife Clarissa of Channahon, IL, Aaron Crombie of Minooka, IL, Amanda Jayne Crombie of Minooka, IL, Nicholas Presson of Carrollton, Texas, and Nathan Presson of Carrollton, TX; great-grandchildren Ty Edward Avery and Carly Jo Avery both of Marion, IL, Ella Christine Crombie and Aubrey Lillian Crombie both of Channahon, IL, Jolena Ann Crombie of Channahon, IL, and Savanna Lynn Crombie of Channahon, IL; and brother Wayne Cross of Brea, CA. She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Iola, Aletha, Helen, Melba Rose, and brothers, Randal, Bill, and Fred. Burial was at the Crain Cemetery in Crain, IL, on IL Route 3.
(Sources: Federal Census records, the Southern Illinoisan and Marion Daily Republican newspapers, WWII Draft records, Marion Street Directories. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 9/13/2024)