Obituaries
Death of Donald E. Dobrino
Donald E. Dobrino was born February 3, 1935, in Mt. Olive to Thomas and Mary Dobrino. He died July 4, 2021, peacefully at home surrounded by his family.
He graduated from Mt. Olive High School in 1953, where he excelled in all major sports and led the Wildcats to four consecutive South Central Conference Championships. Recruited by several division-one universities, he accepted a full-ride scholarship to the University of Iowa to play football and baseball for the Hawkeyes. He excelled in both sports earning the reputation of being a bruising-type running back and became known as one of the outstanding half-backs in the Big Ten.
The Hawks won the Big Ten Championship in 1956 which earned them a trip to Pasadena to play in the Rose Bowl Tournament defeating Oregon State, 35-18. As a pitcher for the baseball team, he became known as the “Strikeout King” of the Big Ten. After graduation, he was drafted by the Washington Redskins but later accepted a better offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates and advanced to Triple-A ball with the Pirates but became frustrated when the organization wanted him to spend more time in Minor ball.
He decided to look for more stable employment in order to support his wife, Jeanette, and a growing family. He accepted a teaching job with the Depue School District where he taught Physical Education and coached several sports. He then initiated a football program there but just as that program was improving and the Little Giants finally enjoyed a winning season, a coaching position opened at Gillespie High School and he transferred to Gillespie.
He coached the Gillespie Miners to many successful seasons but the most fulfilling successes have to include the 1976 and 1990 appearances of the football Miners in the 2A finals of the Illinois State Playoffs. Unfortunately, they came up short both times. He retired in 1996 from teaching but stayed on to coach the Miners for another few years. After he was released from his contract with Gillespie, Mt. Olive wanted their favorite son back so offered him a job coaching the Wildcats. He was able to reignite the winning spirit of the Wildcats who won two Prairie State Conference titles and qualified for the IHSA football playoffs seven times.
His coaching record ranks him at 14 of all-time winning high school coaches in Illinois. He was inducted into the Illinois High School Hall of fame in 1987 and was named West Central Illinois Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008. In 2006, he was inducted into the National High School Athletics Coaches Assn and named Coach of the Week by the Chicago Bears. He coached his son, Robert Dobrino, two step-sons Rick and Ed Herrera, and finally his grandson, Daniel Dobrino, spanning 50 years of coaching. But even at the age of 86 and battling cancer, he still wanted to be out on the field with young coaches and young athletes teaching then what he had learned in a lifetime of coaching.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Thomas and Robert.
He married his second wife, Cyrelda (Cookie) Dobrino in 1978 and she survives. He is also survived by his children, Lori Small, Carla Smith (Jim Freytag), Robert Dobrino (Diane), and Donette Clark (Michael); two stepsons, Rich Herrera (Theresa) and Edward Herrera (Bernie); 10 grandchildren, Jeremy, Sean, Brandon (Ginny), Daniel, Jenna, Mitchell, Courtney, Kyleigh, Osiana and Marquez; and great granddaughters, Makenna and Keira.
He believed strongly in his Catholic faith and prayer and he and his players knelt before every game not to pray for victory but to pray for whomever and whatever the players thought needed God’s guidance. He often took them to mass on Friday mornings and those who did not practice the faith went and prayed anyway. The “Duke” is gone, but his legacy lives on. He will be missed.
A private family mass will be celebrated. Memorials may be made to GHS Football Program or Partnership for Educational Excellence District 7. Kravanya Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 2 at the Benld City Park from 6 p.m until 9 p.m. Come and help the Dobrinos and Herreras pay tribute to him for his 50 years of coaching young athletes. In whatever capacity you knew him, P.E. teacher, drivers ed instructor, coach, or friend, please come and help us pay tribute to his life. Food and beverages will be served, stories will be told, cheers will be said, and fireworks will boom.
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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.
