Obituaries
Death of Denver Wayne Kunz
Denver Wayne Kunz, 91, of Carlinville, formerly of Bunker Hill, died at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7, 2014, at Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla, Missouri.Denver was born September 4, 1922 in Bingham, Illinois, the son of Walter D. and Nellie (Greenwood) Kunz. Denver was married on June 30, 1951 to Pauline L. Bennett in Urbana, Illinois and she preceded him in death on March 31, 1985. He later married Dorothy J. Litton on April 21, 1987 and she preceded him in death on August 30, 2005.
Denver graduated Fillmore High School in May 1940, farmed full time until 1942, and then was a brakeman on the Illinois Central Railroad from August, 1942 until he was drafted into World War II in January 1943, where he trained troops in Arkansas and Texas.
He served in the Pacific Theater beginning in April 1945, most notably in the Air Cargo Resupply Squadron, flying a C-47 to drop supplies to troops in the mountains of Luzon, Philippines. After the war, he was transferred to Gen. MacArthur’s headquarters in Kyoto, Japan, promoted to an officer and was tasked with administering railway service in the southern half of Japan. Denver joined the active Air Force Reserve in 1947 and retired from the Reserve in 1982 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Denver attended the University of Illinois and graduated with a B.S. in Education in 1949. He then moved to Carlinville and was Farm Management Field man for the U of I Agriculture Extension from January 1951 to April 1961, teaching cost accounting and farm practices to over 200 farmers in 9 counties in southwestern Illinois. In 1961, Denver moved his family to a farm in Bunker Hill where he farmed full time as well as serving many of his established clients in accounting and management. During the 1970s, he expanded his services to include estate planning and tax preparation. In 1983, Denver and Pauline moved back to Carlinville where he maintained his business until his retirement in 2008 at age 86.
Denver was a charter member and treasurer of the Illinois Veterans WWII Committee to build the WWII Memorial at Oak Ridge Cemetery. He also initiated the Illinois Veterans WWII Scholarship. One of Denver’s proudest achievements was his vision and efforts to start, fund and see to fruition, the Illinois Veterans & Community Classroom Project. He was an active member of the United Methodist churches, both in Carlinville and Bunker Hill, and was an active member of Kiwanis International in Bunker Hill. He also had an active interest in political matters.
Denver is survived by a son, Kenneth Kunz of McKinney, Texas; daughter, Paula McFarland of Rolla, Missouri; daughter-in-law, Marie Kunz; son-in-law, Lynn McFarland; and grandchildren: Allison Kunz of New York, New York, Spencer Kunz of McKinney, Texas, Kelsey McFarland of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Caitlin McFarland of Rolla, Missouri.
Visitation services will be held Saturday July 12, 2014 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. at Carlinville United Methodist Church. Funeral services will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Carlinville United Methodist Church with Reverend Bob Taylor officiating. Burial will be at Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Carlinville, Illinois.
Memorials may be made to the Illinois Veterans & Community Classroom Project (sent in care of the Illinois WWII Veterans Memorial) or the Carlinville United Methodist Church. Davis Anderson Funeral Homes 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.
