Obituaries
Death of Richard (Russ/Rick) Allen Russell
Richard (Russ/Rick) Allen Russell, age 76, died at home in Monticello, IL on Monday, April 17, 2023. He was born in Greenfield, MA on September 3, 1946, the 7th of 8 children born to Muriel and William Russell.
His father died the year he turned age 3 leaving his mother to raise 8 children alone. He moved to Indian Rocks Beach FL at age 14 with his mother and two siblings and graduated from Largo High School in 1964. He joined the Air Force (1964-1968) and served his country in Vietnam.
He met Angie Raynor of Gillespie in Tampa, FL while attending USF. He and Angie married in 1974, had son Colin in 1975 in FL and moved to Gillespie in 1976. Russ worked as a vocational evaluator/developmental specialist for Illinois Valley Rehabilitation Center and Angie went to nursing school. He researched, designed, drew plans for and built a 2600 sq ft super-insulated, passive solar home.
Hiring only excavation and framing, he did everything else himself with family and friends assistance over a 15-month period while working full-time. In a nod to his New England roots, the home style was of a modified salt-box design. Son Andrew was welcomed into this home in 1984. Russ obtained his MBA in 1988 and taught economics part-time evenings at area community colleges while working as a small business consultant for SIUE.
He was a founding member of Gillespie’s Partnership for Educational Excellence, helped start Gillespie’s first youth soccer league, and was a soccer coach. Russ supported the Special Olympics and was a lifetime advocate for the developmentally disabled. He was named director of UIUC’s Small Business Development Center and the family moved to Monticello IL in 1994.
An avid reader from a young age, he enjoyed sharing book suggestions and reading interests. He obtained a Masters’s in Library Science at UIUC and worked for a time as a reference librarian in Coral Springs, FL. Russ continued home improvement projects until his health declined with his last project (2020) redesigning the kitchen in their Monticello, IL home.
He enjoyed genealogy and a favorite trip was to New England and Nova Scotia CA to do family research. He loved sharing his family history with all who would listen and the grandchildren were generally agreeable albeit captive audiences. It worked – grandson Ben has enthusiastically taken on the Russell family historian role and will carry on the tradition!
As a New Englander, the Boston Red Sox were his favorite baseball team but he also supported the St. Louis Cardinals and enjoyed trips to Busch Stadium. It wasn’t hard for the family diehard Cards fans to accept his Red Sox allegiance…. after all they played in different leagues. That changed during the 2013 World Series when the Red Sox — well if you’re a baseball fan you know the end of that story!
Russ kept up with local, national and international news until he couldn’t and always insisted he had to have a newspaper or more to read every day. He nearly didn’t go on a cruise in 2014 because he couldn’t have a daily newspaper during 7 days at sea. He was persuaded to go upon learning the cruise line offered a lending library….in reality only 1 bookcase of books, alas that was his first and last cruise.
As per his wishes, his body has been donated to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
He leaves behind to mourn his loss, wife, Angie; sons, Colin (Tammy) Cortland, IL, and Andrew (Danielle) Champaign; six grandchildren, Ben (18) David (16), and Abbie (12), of Cortland, and Bob (16), Madison (11) and Ainsley (2) of Champaign; parents-in-law, Leo and Eva Raynor; sister-in-law, Maleah Raynor; brothers, Dave (Terry) of Cumberland Falls, ME and Norman (Sharon) of Ashfield, MA; and sisters Ann (Dave) of Orlando, FL, and Muriel of Colraine, MA. Locally he leaves behind nephews, Christopher, Austin and Blake Raynor; and niece Lacey Raynor.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Jim, Bill, and Tom; and brother-in-law, Bill Raynor.
A memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Gillespie on Friday, April 21, 2023, at 2 pm with visitation at 12:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gillespie Partnership for Educational Excellence CUSD #7 or the Gillespie Public Library. Kravanya Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Sharon Irene Wood, 80, of Litchfield, passed away on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Litchfield Health and Rehab. She was born in St. Louis, MO, on August 17, 1944, a daughter of Gerald Mitchell and Deana Irene (Williams) Hart.
She moved to Litchfield with her family in 1947, when her father returned to his hometown after WWII. Sharon graduated from Litchfield High School with the class of 1962. She married Michael Dean Wood on July 22, 1972, at Union Avenue Christian Church in Litchfield. They were happily married for nearly 53 years. He survives.
Sharon was employed for nearly 40 years with the City of Litchfield as deputy clerk of the water department. She was a member of Wares Grove Lutheran Church in rural Butler where she served on the Ladies Aid committee, on the church council as chairman of the worship committee, WELCA, and Sunday school teacher.
Sharon was a well-known dedicated volunteer in many local activities. She was the Edgewood Cemetery Association secretary, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 436, serving as Rehab and Education Chairman for many years, and a member of the Laborers International Union of North America Local 773.
In addition, she was involved with the Cub Scouts, serving as den leader and pack leader for ten years, committee treasurer of the Litchfield Sesquicentennial History book, a Route 66 Association member, a lifetime member of the Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center, where she also served on the board, as treasurer, and as a greeter. Sharon was a talented country dancer and an avid Chicago Cubs fan. She and Mike enjoyed traveling after retirement, and celebrating their 40th anniversary in Hawaii was a favorite memory.
Sharon’s goal in life was to be there and support her family. She could be found cheering on her son Corey’s drag racing, watching her husband, son-in-law, grandson-in-law, granddaughters, and great-granddaughter pitch horseshoes, and attending her grandson’s baseball and soccer games, and her granddaughter’s tennis and dancing activities.
Sharon is survived by her husband, Michael Wood of Litchfield; sons, Stephen J. (Melissa) Fiscor of Jacksonville, FL and Corey M. Wood of Litchfield; daughter, Jaime D. (Wade) Koonce of Litchfield; grandchildren, Adrienne Michelle Koonce and Kristin Nicole (Justin) Plasters of Litchfield and Kathryn Addison Fiscor and Ryan Sheffield Fiscor of Jacksonville, FL; great grandchildren, Hunter Allen Plasters and Tymberli Rae Plasters of Litchfield, and Elissa Cline-Plasters of Gillespie; sisters-in-law, Nancy Hart of Pensacola, FL, Margaret “Peggy” Helfrich of Springfield, and Pat Coleman of Washington state; and several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald and Deana Hart, brother, Gerald D. Hart, and grandparents, Orville Hart, Edith Bandy and Harold and Flora Williams.
Funeral services celebrating Sharon’s eternal life will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Wares Grove Lutheran Church in rural Butler. Pastor John Jaffry will officiate. Burial will be in Edgewood Cemetery in Litchfield. Visitation will be held at Plummer Funeral Home from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2025.
Memorials may be made to Wares Grove Lutheran Church, Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center, or Litchfield Veterans Memorial Garden. Plummer Funeral Home in Litchfield is assisting the family.
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Karen Lee Allen, 75 of Litchfield, died at her residence on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 11:56 am. She was born on January 1, 1950, in Wood River to Jack Holman and Dorothy Gibbs Holman.
She married Donald E. Allen on November 29, 1971, in Alton. He preceded her in death in 2004. She worked in material management for St. Francis Hospital, Litchfield.
She is survived by her children, Yvette Allen of Litchfield and Dena Allen; grandchildren, Kelsey, Christopher, Aubree, Emily, Cheyenne, and Mallory; 11 great grandchildren; and siblings, Ella (Don) Walker of Wood River and Jack (Cindy) Holman Jr. of Wood River.
Karen was preceded in death by her parents, spouse, and granddaughter, Kelsey Cox.
Visitation will be on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Kravanya Funeral Home in Gillespie from 11:00 am until 12:00 pm with a memorial service to follow at the funeral home at 12:00 pm. Burial will be at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens, Bethalto.
Flowers are welcomed. Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie is in charge of the arrangements.
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Rita Mae Smith NEE Dana, 93, passed away peacefully at 10:35 am on July 6, 2025, with her daughter, son, and daughter-in-law by her side. She was born on October 21, 1931, in Mitchell, IL to Gertrude Bequette Dana and Charles Edward Dana Sr.
She married Charles Newton (Newt) Smith, Jr. on December 29, 1949, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Bethalto. He passed away in December 1995.
First and foremost she loved family and family gatherings, golf, the cardinals, dancing, wine dinners, and high tea. She was known for her fried chicken and her generosity. She always said “there is always room for one more at the table.” She sent care packages to her kids friends through the years and always made sure everyone had a Christmas. She will be greatly missed.
She was preceded in death by her grandson, Steven Ray Whisenand whom she adored; her parents and in laws, Comella and Charles N Smith Sr.; three brothers and their spouses, Charles Edward (Boss) Dana Jr., Stanley Aloysius (Allie) and Ruth Ann Dana, Joseph (Joe) and Marilyn Dana; four sisters and their spouses, Margaret and Delmar Oldenettel, Gertrude (Trudy) and Gene King, Elizabeth (Betty) and George Briskovich and Barbara (Bobbie) and John Katich; three brothers in law, George F Smith, Spencer Q Smith and Birdie Stanfield, Richard C Smith and Sylvia; sister in law, Comella (Cassie) Reynolds; niece; two nephews; two great nieces; and one great nephew.
She is survived by her daughter, Paulette’ Je’An Smith of Bunker Hill; her son and his wife, Steven (Smitty) and Marcia Smith of Littleton, CO; one sister and brother in law, Helen and Steve Zink of Springfield; 37 nieces and nephews; 31 great nieces and nephews; and 33 great great nieces and nephews.
Private family services will be held. Kravanya Funeral Home, Bunker Hill is in charge of the arrangements.
