Celene Cross, 61, of Macomb, passed away on August 5, 2026, after a courageous battle with illness.
She was the daughter of Ron and Jeanne Cross, the loving mother of Sky Cross, and the longtime partner of Troy Ausbury. She is also survived by her sister, Kelly Lanz; one aunt; one uncle; three cousins; and many other loved ones.
Celene was a graduate of Macomb High School and Western Illinois University. Bright, curious and passionate from an early age, she participated enthusiastically in 4-H, the Macomb High School Band and Junior Achievement. She worked at McDonald’s during high school and at Wendy’s throughout college.
After college, Celene worked for the Illinois Department of Alcohol and Substance Abuse in Springfield before returning to Macomb. She became involved in political campaigns and supported candidates including Lane Evans, Bill Edley and Bernie Sanders. She also greatly enjoyed working for attorney John Bisbee.
