Obituaries
Obituary of Edwin Dean Wernsing
Edwin Dean Wernsing, 79 of Litchfield, died on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield. “Big Ed” was born on October 24, 1945, in Litchfield to Burrell and Melvina (Steinmann) Wernsing.
He attended Zion Lutheran School and graduated from LHS in 1963. He attended the University of Illinois in Champaign and later worked at Fiat-Allis. He joined his father in business at the Wernsing Appliance store, which has been in “Beautiful Downtown Litchfield” for 66 years.
He was involved in the Litchfield community, serving in Jaycees & Rotary Clubs, played Santa, announced the Old Settlers Parade & Veiled Non-Profit Ceremony. He had been a member of Litchfield Planning Commission since 1984, Litchfield’s Citizen of the Year in 2008, and the Veiled Non-Profit in 2022. He was also a member of Brand Source Buying Group since 1992. He served on many professional boards and was named Dealer of the Year in 2005. As a lifetime member of Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield, he served on various boards and as an usher.
Above all else, Ed was a St. Louis Blues Hockey fan and he had attended games since 1968. He enjoyed seeing the Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019, and bring it down Market Street.
On May 25, 1974, he married the former Patricia A. Beeler in Litchfield; she survives. In addition to his wife, Ed is survived by one son, Douglas (Michelle, nee Leefers) Wernsing of Litchfield; two grandsons, Landon Paul & Carter Dean Wernsing of Litchfield; brother, Darrel (Karen) Wernsing of Mt. Pulaski; several nieces, nephews and cousins, including Judy Wernsing, Jennifer Wernsing, Elizabeth Wernsing, Katherine Yaple, Jonathon Wernsing, Nelson Wernsing, Dale Garard, Roy Steinmann, Jim Walch and Don Walch; several great and great-great nephews; brothers-in-law, Jim (Carol) Beeler, Bill (Sue) Beeler, Paul (Marsha) Beeler, and Dan (Cindy) Beeler; and sisters-in-law, Marilyn (Larry) Boston, Linda (Russ) Poggenpohl, and Sara (Grant Hoffman) Pennock.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws, Ralph and Lucille Beeler, and his beloved daughter, Alexis, who passed in 2015.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 19, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Rev. Fred Kraemer will officiate. Visitation will from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Sunday, May 18, at the church. Donations may be made to Zion Lutheran Church, or to the Alexis Wernsing Innovation Memorial at the U of I. Plummer Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
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Ross Beckman, 90, joined his Lord in Heaven on April 29, 2026, at 2:27 AM. He was born on April 1, 1936, in Highland. His parents were Vernon Otto Bartels and Arlene Beckman, both of New Douglas. He was raised by his maternal grandparents, Emma (Sievers) and George Beckman of New Douglas.
Ross attended New Douglas Elementary School in New Douglas and Highland High School in Highland. His first job was at Kline’s Grocery Store in New Douglas. He also was employed at McDonnell Douglas as a sheet metal worker. He worked for Artophone Corporation and also distributed Armstrong Flooring, worked in sales, and traveled Illinois.
He purchased Sherman’s Department Store on East Main Street in Staunton and renamed it Beckman’s Department Store. He operated the store for 30 years before retiring. He then bought property for a new business in Equine Ranch.
Ross was married to Lela Conroy of Staunton. They had one daughter, Wendy Arlene. Lela passed away after a long illness with Huntington’s Corea. Ross was married to Frances Lee Simpson of Staunton for 27 years. She passed away from illness in 2016. He then married Sheila Fay Foster of Carlinville on May 27, 2017, at Zion Lutheran Church in Staunton.
Ross was a member of the Staunton Jaycees for six years and was also the Chaplain for the State Jaycees. The local chapter gave him a lifelong membership. Ross served one term on the Staunton City Council as a ward #4 alderman and also was on the Dorchester Township Board. He was a long-time elder for the Zion Lutheran Church in Staunton.
He was an avid horseman. His horse, “Atomico” was not only his show horse but his loving pet. Ross became a member of The Assembly Church in Staunton and was a very active and a devoted servant. He loved his “church family”.
He is survived by his wife, Sheila (Foster) Beckman; son-in-law, John Walker; three brothers-in-laws, James E. Foster Jr., Gary Foster, and Mike Foster; two sisters-in-law, Deborah (Foster) Wilson and Amy Foster, all originally from Carlinville.
Besides his wives and parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Wendy Arlene.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at The Assembly Church, 1335 S. Hackman Street, in Staunton with Pastor Arthur Braden officiating.
Ross will be greatly missed, but is in the arms of his Lord Jesus. Williamson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Dr. Carla B. Engelke, 47, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2026, at her residence in Tucson, AZ. Carla was born December 7, 1978, in Alton.
She was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Prairietown. She was the beloved daughter of Steve and Jeanette Engelke and an awesome sister to Mark Engelke, all of Prairietown. She leaves behind two special aunts, Sharon Schaefer and Christina Urban.
She was preceded in death by her Uncle John “Red” Urban and Uncle Arlin Schaefer and numerous cousins.
Growing up on a family farm, Carla learned relentless work ethic, faith, responsibility, and respect for humanity. Since she was a toddler, she loved animals: turtles, bunnies, bucket calves, pigs, kittens, and especially dogs (jack, Jenny, and Clifford).
She was an avid reader. She was passionate about science, research, the arts, Shakespeare, Jeopardy, Snoopy, music, and college basketball and football. She was also a devoted Cardinal fan. Two of her favorite holidays were Halloween and Christmas. We will miss her smile, her laugh, sense of humor, and spontaneous wit.
Following graduation from Edwardsville High School, Carla expanded her Illinois roots graduating from Saint Louis University Summa Cum Laude with a BS in biology. She completed her optometric education at the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee in 2005 and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
During optometry school, Carla participated in SVOSH (Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity) traveling to developing countries, performing eye exams, and prescribing donated Lions’ Club eyeglasses to help people see the world better. She then furthered her education by completing a one-year residency in ocular disease and specializing in low vision rehabilitation at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System in Tucson, Arizona which focused on improving the quality of life of legally blind Veterans. Upon completion of her residency, she was immediately hired as a staff optometrist where she spent her entire career serving Veterans while teaching residents and optometry students.
Carla’s career was marked not only by clinical excellence but by visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the optometric profession. She served as President of the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (also known as AFOS) where she helped shape and advance the field of optometry. She was also recognized as the 2019 AFOS VA Optometrist of the Year, which is an honor that reflects the profound respect she earned from her peers and the exceptional care she provided to her patients.
Those who had the privilege of working alongside Carla witnessed firsthand her compassion, integrity, and commitment to mentorship. She set a standard of excellence that elevated the profession and enriched the lives of countless patients and colleagues. Her impact extends far beyond titles and awards as it lives on in the optometry residents and students she inspired and the many patients she cared for especially those with traumatic brain injury and impaired vision.
In dedication to Carla, AFOS has renamed their annual award the Dr. Carla Engelke Resident of the Year award and has started a travel grant to provide funding to residents to travel to educational meetings to honor and memorialize Carla’s legacy. If you would like to contribute to the AFOS optometry resident travel grant, a memorial fund has been set up in her name and honor: https://www.gofundme.com/f/dr-carla-engelke-legacy-fund
Checks can also be sent to:
AFOS
C/o Dr. Lindsay Wright
11705 Airport Way, Suite 306
Broomfield, CO 88201
A private burial to honor Carla will be held at a later date. She is loved and will be sadly missed by her family, friends, and colleagues. Williamson Funeral Home, in Staunton, is in charge of arrangements.
