Obituaries
Obituary of Rodney Edward Stoddard
Rodney Edward Stoddard, 66, passed away peacefully at his home on December 22, 2025, in the early morning hours at 3:15 a.m. surrounded by the people he loved most. Rodney was born on October 30, 1959, in Alton, Illinois, to DeMona Duncan and Tony Stoddard.
He grew up in Bunker Hill and graduated from Bunker Hill High School. For the past 37 years, he made his home in Gillespie, a place filled with memories, friendships, and good times.
Rodney proudly served his country in the United States Army with Company D, Ninth Battalion, known as the “Delta Wolf Pack.” Following his service, he worked hard throughout his life at Hillsboro Glass Factory, Richardson Manufacturing, and T.B.I. He was a skilled machinist and carpenter, known for his strong work ethic and ability to fix or build just about anything.
In his free time, Rodney loved fishing, hunting, backyard golf, and watching football, especially cheering on his beloved Minnesota Vikings. He had a special bond with his cat, Sativa, whom he absolutely adored. Rodney was always ready for a good time and was truly the life of the party. He had a rare gift for making people laugh, made friends everywhere he went, and never met a stranger.
Rodney is survived by his children, Shane Stoddard and girlfriend Danielle Fisko of Benld, Paige Stoddard and fiancé Matt Rauzi of Gillespie, and Taylor Stoddard and fiancé Jessica Floyd of Gillespie. He was a proud grandfather to Logan Miller and wife Whitney Miller, Bailey Stoddard, Sadie Stoddard, Carter Stoddard, and Kaolin Stoddard, and a cherished great-grandfather to Aubrei, Danni, and Bradlee. He is also survived by his siblings, Steve Stoddard, Sharah Kayser and husband Philip Kayser, Tony Stoddard and wife Christi Stoddard, and Christy Besserman and husband Mark Besserman.
He was preceded in death by his parents, DeMona Duncan and Tony Stoddard.
In accordance with Rodney’s wishes, there will be no funeral or visitation. His family plans to celebrate his life with one last party when the weather is nicer, just the way he would have wanted it. Memorial donations may be made in Rodney’s honor to Shriners Hospitals for Children or the Wounded Warrior Project. Kravanya Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Ann Marie Maguire, 73 of Gillespie, passed away at home, Sunday, April 19, 2026. She was born on January 25, 1953, one of twelve children to Wayne F. and Kathryn M. (Miller) Murray in Pana.
She attended St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Pana and graduated with Hillsboro High School’s Class of 1971. She married Perry W. Maguire on September 29, 2010. She had a passion for horses and during their honeymoon on Mackinac Island she made it her goal to have Perry photograph her with as many horses as possible.
She worked as paraprofessional at both the elementary and high schools in Gillespie. Her first love was always her family; she dearly loved Perry, all their children and grandchildren, equally. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Gillespie where she enjoyed being a part of their women’s prayer group.
Ann is survived by her children, Amee Lee, Michael Burrow, Kathleen Schmidt, Jeremy Burrow, Anne Fullington, Kara Burrow, and Tyler Burrow; her step-children, Natalie Maguire Levite and Shane Maguire; her grandchildren, Damon Lee, Allie Burrow, Sam Burrow, Jack Goby, Henry Schmidt, Jacob Burrow, Jared Burrow, Beau Zachary, Layne Burrow, Luke Anderson, Cali Powell, Daytn Powell, Knox Burrow, Taylor Maguire, Jessie Maguire, Cameron Reid, and Kellan Maguire; her great-grandchildren, Jackie Burrow, Carter Davis, Alabama Finley, Portlyn Finley, Folsum Finley, Seager Finley, and Cabot Harper; and her brothers and sister, Dan Murray, Leo Murray, Raymond Murray, Steve Murray, Pat Murray, John Murray, Gerry Murray, and Veronica Armentrout.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and three brothers, Tom Murray, Greg Murray, and Dale Murray.
A private service for the family is planned; Hough-Dean Funeral Home is assisting.
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Altruistic – an unselfish concern for the welfare of others, often involving actions that benefit others at the cost to the self.
They say that word was coined in the early 1850’s, but we believe the true definition came to be 100 years later. Specifically October 8, 1955.
1955 was a year where history was being made everywhere you turned. The first McDonald’s, polio vaccine deemed safe, Disneyland opened, Vietnam war was starting to escalate, and the civil rights movement started to gain momentum thanks to Rosa Parks arrest.
But somewhere in the quiet, far away from big exciting things, a baby girl was born and we believe her spirit gave life to that word.
Lorie A. Kelsey grew up in an era that promised peace, freedom, and love. And while the world around her sang about those things, her life asked something much harder of her; not just to believe in love, but to be it, over and over again, even when it was not given back.
Lorie was a free spirit who had a deep love for music that never faded, and a soul rooted in peace and kindness. She was, at heart, a lifelong hippie. She married Merle Neunaber in 1974 and together they welcomed two children. Motherhood wasn’t just something Lorie stumbled into, she took it by the horns and redefined the definition of “a mother’s love”.
She divorced in 1978 and remarried David Wiles in 1980. Lorie spent most of her days serving others. Whether that be serving tables, cleaning houses, working in nursing homes, babysitting children or just being a mom and wife. Never chasing status, just doing what she could to care for those around her.
At age 38, she became a grandmother, or “Nana”, and this might be when the fun really started. Lorie dedicated every available moment into ensuring her grandchildren had a childhood filled with magic, excitement, and structure. It carried on into their adult life and then into her great grandchildren’s lives.
She created memories that would outlive her, traditions that would carry on, and a sense of home that could always be returned to. She opened her doors when she had no space to spare. She provided warmth when there was none, and stability when everything else was uncertain.
In 2025, Lorie suffered a stroke that left her unable to care for herself. And in a full-circle moment, the family she had spent her life caring for, stepped in to care for her. After a year of hardship, Lorie took her last breath in the comfort of her home, surrounded by the love she had spent a lifetime giving away.
She lived a life that history rarely writes about. The kind built not on recognition, but endurance. You likely won’t find chapters in history books about women who hold entire families together but to her family, to us, we might say she’s worth writing an entire book about. Given the chance to rewrite a bit of history, we’d restart by adding her name to the definition of altruistic. To live altruistically; to live like Lorie.
Lorie was preceded in death by her parents, Helmar and Barbara Kelsey, her brother and sister in law, Todd and Jane Kelsey, and her niece Kate Birkenkamp.
Lorie is survived by her husband, David Wiles, her son Chad Neunaber, her daughter, Emily Neunaber, grandchildren; Elly Neunaber, Anita Neunaber, Chad Neunaber Jr, Madyson Lair, Hannah (Sam) Balltzglier, and Lauren Lambert, sister Kristen (Ray) Birkenkamp, six great grandchildren and two on the way, two nieces, one nephew, and one soul sister, Kelly from the deli.
There will be no services per her wishes. In memory of Lorie, we ask that you share some love and spread kindness
Memorials may be made to the family. Davis-Anderson Funeral Homes, Carlinville is in charge of arrangements.
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Lawrence Leroy Baker was born on January 3, 1944, in Bunker Hill to Malchus Brooks Baker Sr. and Ernestine Ruth Allen. He was the second of four children and was raised with the values of hard work, humility, and quiet determination that would define the course of his life.
On September 19, 1964, he married Cheryl Ann Carnahan, beginning a partnership that would span decades. Together, they raised two daughters, Shauna Marie (Taylor) and Stacy Ann (Baker-Fritz), who carry forward both his strength and his steady presence.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1969, answering a calling not just to teach, but to influence. For Larry, education was never confined to a classroom. It lived on sports fields, in locker rooms, and in the quiet moments where character is formed. He began his career at Potomac High School, where he taught physical education and coached baseball, basketball, and track from 1970 to 1977. He then taught at Schlarman Academy in Danville, Illinois from 1977 to 1981, while also coaching baseball, football, and track. There, and throughout his career, he taught far more than the mechanics of the game. He taught discipline, accountability, and how to carry oneself with dignity in both victory and defeat. He later joined St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Illinois, where he served from 1983 to 2018 as Athletic Director, Assistant Principal, Director of Operations, and track coach.
Larry believed deeply in athletics as a proving ground for life. He saw sports as a vehicle for leadership, for perseverance, and for understanding that effort, not outcome, defines a person. That belief shaped generations of young people, many of whom may never fully realize how much of him they carry forward. He was also a devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, following them faithfully through the years. Whether the team was winning or struggling, his loyalty never wavered, a quiet reflection of the kind of man he was.
In his later years, Larry faced Alzheimer’s dementia, a long and difficult journey that gradually took much from him, but never touched the foundation of who he had been. Even as memories faded, the impact of his life remained firmly rooted in the people he loved and the lives he shaped.
He passed away on April 19, 2026, at Oak Hill Senior Living (Accolade Healthcare) in Waterloo, Illinois, at the age of 82.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Cheryl; and his brothers, Malchus Brooks Baker Jr. and Robert Allen Baker.
He is survived by his sister, Beverly Ann Baker of Lake Montezuma, Arizona; his daughters, Stacy (Matthew) Fritz of Shiloh, Illinois, and Shauna (Douglas Ronald) Taylor of Woodridge, Illinois; and his grandchildren, Joseph Robert Baker, Christopher Ryan Taylor, Taylor Lawren (Michael Matarazzo), and Matthew Taylor Fritz II.
Larry’s life was not defined by titles or recognition, but by presence. He showed up, day after day, for his family, his students, his teams, and his community. He did the work. He set the example. He left things better than he found them. That is a legacy that does not fade.
Public visitation will be 10am on May 9, 2026 at Kravanya Funeral Home in Bunker Hill, Illinois with a memorial service at 11am. Interment will be at Bunker Hill Cemetery. Reception will follow at the Bunker Hill Community Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Illinois, or to the Alzheimer’s Association.
