The illness of its caretaker has forced the temporary closing of the shelter operated by the Ironton City Welfare Mission, the Rev. Jeff Cremeans, mission director, said Friday.

Cremeans said Paul Horner, is battling cancer and is unable to oversee the shelter.

“We’ve not yet had a board meeting to decide what to do,” Cremeans said.

He said, however, the entire mission is not closed. Daily lunches are being offered on schedule, the church is having regular services and there will be a Thanksgiving dinner just as the mission has offered for more than two decades.