Obituaries
Obituary of Doris Elizabeth Gahr
Doris Elizabeth Gahr passed away peacefully at Lakeside Health and Rehab on Thursday, October 9, 2025. Doris was born on October 20, 1935, to Clinton and Bertha (Lampe) Caudle.
She attended Carlinville High School and graduated with the class of 1953. Doris worked at the Carlinville Area Hospital in the Medical Records Department retiring in 1997 after 42 years of service.
Doris married the love of her life, Gene Gahr, on March 29, 1958, in St. Louis, MO. They were married for 65 years and you rarely saw one without the other. They truly enjoyed spending time together. Doris was truly committed to raising her children, Matt and Leanne, and was always their biggest supporter.
Doris had a great faith in the Lord. Doris also had a great love and passion for her church, St. Paul United Church of Christ. Doris spent many hours there faithfully attending church, singing in the choir, preparing funeral dinners, cleaning and organizing, and many behind the scene jobs that are too numerous to list. The outside of the church did not escape her attention. She made sure the yard was tidy and the weeds pulled.
Doris had a great love of music and singing. She sang in St. Paul UCC choir for over 50 years. She also sang in the Carlinville Community Choir for many years.
Doris is survived by her children, Matt Gahr (Coleen) of Carlinville and Leanne Gahr of Carlinville; grandchildren, Alex Moore of Carlinville and Caitlin Moore of Carlinville; two great grandchildren; sister-in-Law, Anna Jane Hornaday, New Caney, TX; niece, Sherrie Clements (Steve) of Macomb; and many great nieces and nephews.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gene Gahr; brother, Ray Caudle; sister, Wanda Stevens; sister-in-law, Evelyn Caudle; brother-in-law, Alvin Gahr; niece, Raylene Morris; niece, Vicki Foiles; and nephew, Ronnie Joe Reiher.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 9:30 to 11:00 am at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Carlinville. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Carlinville.
Burial will follow in Moore Cemetery, Carlinville. Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s United Church of Christ or Carlinville Food Pantry. Davis-Anderson Funeral Home, Carlinville 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.
