Obituaries
Obituary of Viola Brackman
Viola Brackman, 97 of Staunton, passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, August 29, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.
Viola Davison was born on May 16, 1928, in Piedmont, MO to John and Edna (Price) Davison. John passed away at the age of forty one in 1940, after being hit by a car while crossing Broadway in St. Louis, MO. Edna moved to Staunton with Viola and her siblings in 1944 sharing a house with Carrie Brackman who had a son, Cecil, serving in WWII. On February 14, 1948, Cecil and Viola were married by Rev. A.L. Matejka at his mother’s home on Union Street in Staunton.
Vi, as friends and family called her, attended and joined the Assembly of God Church shortly after they moved to Staunton. She remained a faithful member until her health prevented her from attending. She loved the Lord and taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and was actively involved in many other church events.
Her greatest joys were her love for Jesus and her family. Viola loved spending time singing hymns and gospel music while Cecil, Dennis, and Dwight played their instruments. Her knowledge of lyrics and melodies from decades ago was vast. She always welcomed visits from family and friends. She also loved cooking and baking. Many times Mom could be heard in the kitchen with sounds of chicken frying in the skillet and she would always be preparing the fixin’s to go with it.
After Cecil retired, he and Viola would spend time RVing in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, during the winter months in Illinois. Several of the people they met there became life-long friends.
Viola never forgot the area in Missouri where her life began. She enjoyed returning there and loved camping by the Highway K Bridge, near Annapolis, a place that her children and grandchildren have also come to enjoy.
Cecil and Viola are survived by a daughter, Sue Goodson, of Staunton; two sons, Dennis (Barb) Brackman of Staunton and Dwight (Kathy) Brackman of Staunton; eight grandchildren, Amy (Carl) Zuhl of Schererville, IN, Eric Goodson, Abby Brackman of Glen Carbon, Emily (Harry) Paul of Staunton, Adam (Emily) Brackman of Webster Groves, MO, Carrie (Ian) Fenton of Mount Olive, Bethany (Nathan) Kokorudz of East Alton, and Aaron (LeAmber) Brackman of Commerce, GA; nineteen great grandchildren, Jesica Feldman, Jacob (Shayla) Goodson, Caleb, Gavin, Owen, and Baylor Brackman, Everly, Everett, Emery, and Everson Kokorudz, Cole, Cruz, Carter, and Cash Fenton, Henry, Atticus, and Silas Paul, Murphy Brackman and her soon to be little sister. Cecil & Viola were also blessed with two great great grandchildren, Patrick and Presley Feldman.
Viola was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Cecil; a brother, Joseph Davison and his wife Yvonne; and two sisters, Marie Luttman and Bertie Rhodes and her husband Allen. She was also preceded in death by three infant sisters, Mary, Pearl, and Lottie Jane Davison.
Visitation will be from 10 AM to 12 noon on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at The Assembly Church in Staunton. Funeral services will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at The Assembly Church in Staunton with Pastor Art Braden officiating. Burial will follow at Tine Sawyer Cemetery near Staunton.
Memorials are suggested to either The Assembly Church of Staunton or to Tine Sawyer Cemetery. Williamson Funeral Home 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.
