Obituaries
Death of John Thomas Watson
John Thomas Watson, 73, of Gillespie, passed away peacefully with his loving family around him at Taylorville Memorial Hospital at 7:25 pm on June 6, 2012. He was born November 30, 1938 at home. He was the son of Robert S. Watson and Sarah Hastings (Trainer) Watson.
He married Dee Ann McMillan on December 12, 1959 at the United Methodist Church in Gillespie. They celebrated a wonderful 50th anniversary party in 2009. He was a lifelong resident of Gillespie. He retired from Monterey Coal Company in 1997 and was a member of the UMWA. He was a Gillespie Volunteer Fireman, retiring after 21 years of service.
A member of the United Methodist Church and served on many committees in the past as well as receiving his Lay speaker certificate. He was a little league coach, enjoyed horseshoes, bowling, mountain man rendezvous, NASCAR, baseball, golfing, reading, dancing and vegetable gardening.
John’s talents included stained glass, woodworking and was an all around handyman. John was a kind, loving, and very generous son, brother, uncle, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He will definitely be missed by his family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by 4 brothers, Robert, Jim, Sam and Donald (who died in infancy).
John is survived by his wife Dee Ann, son John and daughter in law Rebecca, granddaughter Aubrey, grandson Taylor, great grandson Gage all of Gillespie; brothers and sister in laws, Alan and Carol St. Cin of Gillespie, Robert and Marilyn McMillan of Edwardsville, Bea Watson of Carlinville and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012 at Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie, IL.
Funeral services will be on Sunday, June 10, 2012 at Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie, IL at 1:30 pm with Rev. Dennis Hill officiating. Burial will be at Gillespie Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Gillespie Fire Department or American Diabetes Association.
Anyone wishing to send an online condolence may do so at www.kravanyafuneral.com.
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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.
