Obituaries
Obituary of Faye M. (Blair) Dwyer
Faye M. (Blair) Dwyer passed away peacefully at home in Carlinville on June 1, 2025. She was 99 years old.
Faye was a staple of the Macoupin County community. She was the oldest living member of Charity Baptist Church. Together with her husband, Vance Dwyer (deceased), she volunteered for decades with the Macoupin County Fair Board, the Chesterfield Fish Fry, and Charity Church. Together with her longtime friend, Evelyn Woods, Faye owned and operated a local store, Fun Fabrics, on the Carlinville Square and in the Michael-Steven Plaza. She and Evelyn Woods taught quilting classes, and Faye made more than 75 quilts for her friends and family. Faye enjoyed games and played pinochle and bridge with many local friends.
Faye was born August 3, 1925, in Carrollton to Frank C. Blair Sr. and Louise A (Barnard) Blair. She was a graduate of Carrolton High School (1943) and a civil servant in Washington, DC the following year. She returned to Carlinville and married Vance Dwyer in 1946. The couple had three children, Carolyn (Miguel) Carrillo, Patricia (Jeff) Link, and Steven (Phyllis) Dwyer. They also raised a niece, Lois Blair (Tom) Prozorovsky.
Faye was preceded in death by her spouse, Vance; her daughter, Patricia; her son, Steven; her parents, Frank and Louise; her siblings, H. Eloise Featherstone, M. Estalene Beckman, Wilma, Frank Jr, Marvin, and Elon Blair; and two grandchildren, Christina and Daniel Carrillo.
Survivors include Carolyn and Miguel Carrillo, Lois and Tom Prozorovsky, Phyllis Dwyer, and Jeff and Carol Link; ten grandchildren and their seven spouses, Elena Carrillo, Andrea Gruber, Stephanie Olysav, Matthew Link, Christopher Link, Nathan Dwyer, Ashley Dwyer Cram, Lindsey Prozorovsky, Nick Prozorovsky, and Andrew Prozorovsky; and 17 great grandchildren: Brianna Carrillo, Rowyn and Lucas Carrillo, Amanda, Mia, and Emma Gruber; Bradley, Max, and Elyse Olysav, Aaron Link; Theo and Ava Link; Vance Dwyer; Bane Cram; Julian, Marcus, and Tristan French.
Faye’s family will remember her for her love and strength and for her pink icing cookies and homemade applesauce. Visitation will be held at Charity Church on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, from 10 to 11 am. Funeral service will be at Charity Church on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 11 am, with Rev. John Truax presiding.
Burial will follow in Charity Church cemetery. Memorials may be made to Charity Baptist Church. Davis-Anderson Funeral Homes, Carlinville is in charge of arrangements.
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Robert Leeroy Blevins, 77 of Litchfield, passed away the evening of Thursday, November 20, 2025, at HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield. He was born in Litchfield on December 24, 1947, a son of Robert James and Betty Bernadine (Cranford) Blevins.
He graduated from Centralia High School and proudly served in the United States Army during the Vietnam era. He was employed for many years as a cabinet maker with Adenca Manufacturing in Litchfield. Robert enjoyed many outdoor activities including camping, fishing, hunting, mushroom hunting, and looking for buried treasures with his metal detector.
He was a talented musician and played guitar and saxophone. Robert enjoyed watching and listening to all spectator sports and was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan. He married the former Wanda Kay Large and they later divorced.
Robert is survived by sons, Christopher (fiancée Grace) Blevins and Jason (Jamie) Blevins, all of Litchfield; daughters, Jennifer (Gordon) Fenton of Salem, MO and Shannon Large of Litchfield; brothers, Chesley Blevins of Staunton, Joseph Blevins of Litchfield, Floyd Blevins of Highland, and Fred Blevins of Litchfield; sisters, Barbara (Ray) Schuster of Sorento, Sharon (John) Wickerheim of Chicago, and Pamela Poppenhouse of Litchfield; and several grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Robert J. and Betty B. Blevins.
Funeral services for Mr. Blevins will be held at 12 noon on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at Plummer Funeral Home in Litchfield. Pastor Gilbert Dealey will officiate. Burial will be in Crabtree Cemetery. Military honors will be at graveside. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.
Memorials may be directed to the family of Robert Blevins, c/o Christopher Blevins. Plummer Funeral Home in Litchfield is in charge of arrangements.
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Joyce Carleen Simmons, 83 of Litchfield, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, November 23, 2025. She was born in Pana on May 31, 1942, a daughter of Carl Cornelius and Lucille Romelta (Miller) Brakenhoff.
She was a member of the Litchfield High School graduating class of 1960. She married Raymond “Larry” Simmons on June 6, 1965, at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield, and they enjoyed nearly 55 years of marriage until his passing on January 23, 2022.
Joyce was an excellent cook and well known for her beef and noodles, Texas cake, and stew. Joyce’s delicious cooking skills were evident during her 22-year career as manager of Jubelt’s Variety Bakery in Litchfield and as a ten-year cafeteria worker for the Litchfield Community School District #12. She also enjoyed gardening, canning, tending to her fruit trees, and sewing. Joyce enjoyed serving others by teaching Sunday School at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield and volunteering for the local Meals on Wheels.
Joyce is survived by her sons, Raymond (Vicki) Simmons of Evansville, IN and David (Jacqueline) Simmons of Haymarket, VA; daughter, Laura Simmons of Edwardsville; brothers, Leslie (Sue) Brakenhoff of Litchfield, Byron (Terry) Brakenhoff of Chattanooga, TN, and Dale (Nancy) Brakenhoff of Litchfield; sisters, Ramona Warman of Charleston, IL and Marilyn (Don) Loptien of Fort Collins, CO; grandchildren, Zachary Simmons, Makenzie (Jeremy) Frazier, Emma Simmons, and William Simmons; and great-grandchildren, Gunnar, Wyatt, Eli and Calla.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Rev. Larry Brakenhoff and Bernard Brakenhoff; brother-in-law Robert, “Bob” Warman; and niece, Kimberly (Brakenhoff) Bergman.
Funeral services for Joyce will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Burial will follow in Edgewood Cemetery in Litchfield. Visitation will be at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Road, St. Louis, MO, 63141-8557. Plummer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
