Obituaries
Death of Lee Rule Jr.
Lee Rule Jr., 87, of Girard passed away Wednesday afternoon, February 27, 2013 at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, IL. Lee was born on June 2, 1925 to Levi and Dora Della (May) Rule in Nilwood, IL. He married Juanita Peradotto on August 24, 1957 at the Springfield Southern Baptist Church and she survives.
He graduated from Girard High School with the class of 1943. Lee received his Bachelor’s Degree in speech and business from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1956 and a Master’s Degree in School Administration from Sangamon State University/University of Illinois, Springfield.
He retired as a teacher in the Springfield School District in 1991, having taught at Lincoln Elementary School, Washington Middle School and Grant Middle School. He also worked for Country Companies Insurance and bought and sold property in Springfield, Urbana and Girard for many years. Lee was also a United States Army veteran.
Lee was a Southern Baptist Pastor for more than 50 years. This included 20 years in Springfield, as well as pastorates in Southern Illinois while in college, Gillespie, Modesto and Raymond. He also had interim pastorates in the area.
Lee was an athlete in high school and a life long fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Fighting Illini. He enjoyed golf and was a member of the Oak Leaf Country Club. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge. He spent winters in St. Cloud, FL and had season tickets to the Houston Astros baseball games and numerous other major league teams. His first row seats near the dugout allowed him to talk with Tony LaRussa, Joe Girardi and other managers and players, as well as first base coach Jose Cruz. Those 15 games in March made his winters special.
His wife, Juanita Rule of Girard; son, Damon Rule of Urbana, IL; sister, Ethel Myers of Auburn, IL; a chosen son, George Keck of Urbana, IL and a chosen grandson, Nicolas Sabuco of Bradenton, FL, survive Lee.
His parents, Levi and Dora Rule; sister, Bernice Compton and 3 brothers, Calvin, Kenneth and A.E. “Pete” Rule, precede Lee in death.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2013 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Girard. Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the church with Rev. Darrell Molen officiating. Burial will follow in the Girard Cemetery with military rites.
Memorials are suggested to the Girard Rescue Squad, North Mac School Foundation or the charity of the donor’s choice.
Davis Anderson Funeral Home is in charge of the 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.
