Obituaries
Death of Dale L. Rhodes
Dale L. Rhodes, 84, of Gillespie, died, Friday, October 4, 2013 at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. He was born on October 10, 1928 to Charles and Genevieve Rhodes of Carlinville. He married Marilyn Ostermann on December 5, 1954. She survives.
Dale was a lifelong farmer and remained active on the family owned and operated the farm almost up until the time of his death. He obtained his CDL and later his ICC trucking permit. He purchased the Dorchester Elevator in 1992 which stored grain solely for the family farm. He enjoyed the raising, training and breeding of their Arabian show horses.
He showed their stallion Saladin which was Land of Lincoln Arabian Western Pleasure Champion at the Illinois State Fair. His experience with horses began with rounding up the cattle with his mare Apache. He served in the US Army from 1952-1954 during the Korean Conflict.
He was a member of the American Legion of Carlinville, Elks Lodge of Carlinville for 58 years, and Croatian Lodge 217 of Benld. He was a past member of the Alton VFW. He was a member of the International Arabian Horse Association and Delegate for both Illini and Missouri Arabian Horse Association. He was also a member of the Arabian Riders and Breeders.
He was awarded farm family of the year in 1965. He leisurely traveled extensively throughout the US as well as Europe, Canada, Mexico and Africa.
In addition to his wife, Marilyn, he is survived by his two daughters, Debra Baldwin and husband James “Randy” Baldwin (deceased) of Springfield and Denise Rhodes Matway and husband Kenneth Matway of Gillespie. Also surviving are brothers, Emmett Rhodes and wife Pat of Bullhead City, AZ, Wayne Rhodes of Decatur, Loren Rhodes and wife Rosemarie of Carlinville and sister Audrey Kates and husband Robert Kates of Carlinville.
Dale was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Kathleen Harms and husband Wayne Harms formerly of Girard.
Visitation will be Monday, October 7, 2013 at Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie from 4 to 8 pm. Funeral services will be Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 10 am at Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie, with Rev. Christine Erdmann officiating. Burial will be at Union Miners Cemetery, Mt Olive, IL.
Kravanya Funeral Home in Gillespie 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.
