Dr. Jaime H. Cercone

Dr. Jaime H. Cercone, 84 of Lewistown, Illinois died on May 2, 2026 in Graham Hospital. He lived in Lewistown since July 1980.

Born November 2, 1941 in San Jose, Costa Rica to Maggi and Odilie (Segura) Cercone. He migrated to the USA in 1961 to attend Wheaton College in Illinois where he obtained a B.S. in Biology. Subsequently he obtained a Medical Degree from the Chicago Medical School and then finished a five year General Surgery Residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago. He also obtained a Masters Degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Saint Francis in Joliet.

He married Betty J. Fawcett on January 12, 1991 in Lewistown. She survives.

Also surviving, from a previous marriage, is his son Justin of Florida; his sister Rebecca Keleshian from Chicago; his brother Maggi from Costa Rica;his granddaughter Natalia from Miami, his grandson Nicolas from Miami, his nephew Zaven from Chicago; his nephews Maggio and Stefano and niece Raquel, all from Costa Rica. He was preceded in death by his parents Maggi Cercone and Odilie Segura Cercone and by his son James.

He served in the Air National Guard as a Flight Surgeon and, for the last 9years before retirement, as Commander of the Medical Squadron of the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria. He retired as a Colonel from the Air Force, in 2003. He went in multiple deployments to Europe, Oman, Central America and South America. He was an active member of the Bishop Post 1, American Legion in Lewistown.

He was a Physician and Surgeon with a General Surgery specialty, practicing General Surgery and General Medicine at his offices in Havana and Lewistown. He was an Attending Physician at both Mason District Hospital and Graham Memorial Hospital where he last worked as a full time Emergency Department Staff Physician for six years before his retirement. He worked at multiple other Emergency Rooms throughout Illinois and even in Texas since completion of his Residency.

He also served as Medical Director and Staff Physician at Beu Health Center of Western Illinois University from 1988 to 1993. He also served, during 1998 and 1999, as the Medical Director of the Manteno Veterans Home in Manteno, Illinois.

Throughout the years he was involved in various humanitarian medical missions either with the Air National Guard or with religious organizations to Kosovo, the Philippines, Ecuador and at least four times to Cyvadier, Haiti with the Peoria organization Friends of the Children of Haiti or FOTCOH.

While practicing in Havana he occupied the positions of Secretary and President of the Medical Staff as well as Chief of Surgery at Mason District Hospital. He was a member of the American Medical Association, the Illinois State Medical Society-ISMS, and the Fulton County Medical Society; he served as Secretary and as President of the latter as well as its delegate to the ISMS. He had been a member of various other medical organizations.

A graveside service will be held at 11 am Thursday May 7, 2026 at Oak Hill Cemetery with Pastor Kevin Kessler officiating. Military rites will be accorded by Lewistown VFW Post 5001 and American Legion Post 1. Visitation will be held Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 pm at Henry-Lange Memorial Home in Lewistown. Memorial contributions may be made to Lewistown American Legion Post or Habitat For Humanity at habitat.org/support/honor-memorial-gifts.