Shelly Davis Knuppel

Shelly Davis Knuppel, age 63, of Petersburg, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, January 11, 2024 after a brief but courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Shelly was born on November 11, 1960 to Leslie Owen Davis and Darlene Rose Tobias. She married John Arthur Clark Knuppel May 25, 1984 aboard the paddle-wheeler Julia Bella Swain in Peoria.  They were married nearly 40 years and had two children, and a granddaughter who she loved more than anything.

Shelly earned both her Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  She was a lifelong Illini fan.

She spent the majority of her career at the Department of Children and Family Services where she supervised legal services personnel in 52 counties and served as chief of policy.  Her career was spent helping Illinois’ most vulnerable children.  She began her career with the agency as the first Springfield Regional Counsel in 1989.  Prior to serving DCFS, she served 3 years as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Fulton County.  She retired in 2017 as Deputy General Counsel of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  After retirement she traveled extensively with her husband, Jack, and served on a wide array of community organizations.

Shelly served as the President of the Illinois Audubon Society, she was a board member of the Menard County Housing Authority, PORTA Foundation, Edgar Lee Masters Museum, Petersburg United Methodist Church Board of Trustees.  While her children were growing up she served as both a Boy Scout and Girl Scout Leader, and would be found at every one of their softball, baseball, scholastic bowl and basketball games.  She never missed an activity and loved to be involved in their lives and the community.

Shelly was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Janice Davis Pasqual.  She is survived by her husband, Jack, son Ken (wife Savanna) Knuppel, daughter Ashley (husband Jason) Fleck and one granddaughter who was the light of her life-Riley Rose Fleck.

Cremation rites will be accorded.

A visitation for Shelly will be held at the United Methodist Church in Petersburg on Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM.

A celebration of life will be held at Broadgauge in Petersburg on Sunday, February 4, 2024 from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM.

Private family graveside services will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Petersburg.

In lieu of food, flowers or gifts, Shelly would like donations to be made to the Studio on the Square for their scholarship program.  The Studio combines her passion of enriching the lives of children and the community, which her family hopes will be the legacy Shelly leaves behind.

Mott & Henning Funeral Home is assisting the family. On-line condolences can be shared at www.mottandhenning.com.