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Gillespie teacher, coach, and friend loses battle with cancer
Lana Odorizzi, second from right, pictured with (L-R) her son Josh, daughter Hilary, and husband Larry.
The life of a well-known Gillespie teacher and coach will be celebrated next Monday in Staunton. Lana Odorizzi of Staunton passed Thursday morning after her battle with cancer, which started in November of 2012. Lana, 52-years-old, was a physical education teacher at the elementary level in the Gillespie Community School District and had the enthusiasm to inspire everyone around her.
She was hired in Gillespie in August of 2000 as a P.E. teacher and later appointed as head coach of both the middle school volleyball team and the high school volleyball team in the 2008-2009 school year – both positions she held up until her passing. Lana had the most team spirit on the team and never gave up her players, no matter what the deficit was. Her emotions never changed and she never stopped chanting. She was well-known for her “Ooo sah sah sah, ooo sah sah sah, hit em in the head with a tachikara, ooo sah sah sah, ooo sah sah sah, kill!” chant.
Before coming to Gillespie, Lana taught in both Pawnee and Staunton. She graduated high school from Staunton High School before studying Physical Education K-12 at Illinois State University. Her birthday is in two weeks on February 8.
“Mrs. O”, as her students and players called her, coached more than just volleyball. She coached soccer, softball, and track in Pawnee, Staunton and Gillespie. Her coaching tenure included two second place Illinois state titles. In the community of Staunton, she also coached little league softball and taught swimming lessons, gymnastics, and other fitness classes.
She was a role model to many of her students and players. She taught them more than just the fundamentals. She gave them life lessons like always stay positive, always keep fighting, and always be optimistic. Until her passing, Lana did everything she preached to everyone she touched. Even when she felt her worst, her daughter Hilary said Lana would say, “It’s going to get better tomorrow.”
Former student and player, Chelsea Gill (right), gives Lana a hug at the “Volley for Lana” event.
By In-Focus Photos
Superintendent Joe Tieman said the entire district #7 family mourns the loss of such a vibrant, enthusiastic, and positive member of their family. “She impacted the lives of hundreds of students, athletes, colleagues, and friends throughout her life,” he told us. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.”
Nearly all of Lana’s former students and players took their thoughts, emotions, and prayers to Facebook and Twitter. Jordan Rosentreter, who played volleyball for Lana in both middle school and high school, thanked her for introducing her to the sport. “I can never thank you enough for it,” Jordan wrote, “You were such an amazing woman and I will miss you terribly. I love you, coach.”
Others were still in shock, saying it’s very surreal. “She was always such an exuberant woman,” Abbie Cline wrote on Facebook, “My prayers go out to her friends, family, and all the other lives she touched during her time here.” Many others kept their messages short by saying “You will be missed dearly” and “My heart is heavy after hearing the sad news”.
Lana leaves behind her husband, Larry “Tuck”, and two children: Hilary and Josh. Dorothy Sies, her mother, and two sisters also survive: Stephanie (George) Dietiker and Dimitria (Jerry) Sies Davis.
Visitation services will be on Monday, January 27 from 4 to 8:00 pm at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Staunton where she was a member. Prayer service will be recited at 4 pm on Monday afternoon. Funeral services will take place on the following day, Tuesday, at 10:00 am at St. Michael’s Catholic Church.
Memorials are suggested to the Gillespie volleyball program, Gillespie elementary P.E. program, or to St. Michael’s Catholic Church of Staunton.
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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.
The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.
“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”
The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.
Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds.
“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”
Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.
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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.
Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.
The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.
The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”
The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.
The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.
“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.
The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.
The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.
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