Obituaries
Athens, IL Obituaries
Local obituaries for the Athens and Menard County, IL area
D. Elaine Bachman
Jul 18, 2026
D. Elaine Bachman, age 85, passed away on July 18, 2026 at 11:26 AM at the Villa East Nursing Care in Sherman, Illinois.
Elaine was born on November 3, 1940, in Eureka, Illinois the daughter of John and Myrtle Wing Bartlow.
Elaine graduated from Eureka High School in 1958.
Elaine married Richard Bachman on April 24, 1960 in Eureka, Illinois.
Mourning her passing are...
Milton A. Crain
Jul 15, 2026
Milton “Milt” Crain, age 85, of Athens, Illinois, passed away on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at Springfield Memorial Hospital in Springfield, IL.
He was born on June 5, 1941in Woodson, IL, the son of William and Virginia (Weller) Crain.
Milt married Linda Malicoat on June 9, 1973 at First Baptist Church in Danville, IN.
Mourning his passing are his wife, Linda; son, Chad...
Norma Mathews Wilhelm
Jul 14, 2026
Norma Mathews Wilhelm died on July 14, 2026 in Dublin, Ohio. She was born on May 15, 1931 in Springfield, Illinois to Esther Fenton Mathews and Harry Herschel Mathews. She grew up in Greenview, Illinois with her sister, Pearl, and brother, John. They all were beloved by her and preceded her in death. In 1951, she married Dale Leroy Wilhelm,...
Jean Oglesby
Jul 4, 2026
Jean Oglesby, age 91, passed away peacefully Saturday, July 4, 2026 at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. Jean Louise O’Neal Oglesby was born December 6, 1934 in Kewanee, Illinois, the daughter of Edmund Lemuel and Bertha Berniece Dexter O’Neal, the third of eight children. She graduated as the class valedictorian from Williamsville High School in 1953.
Jean married...
Charles "Chuck" E. Sandoval
Jul 4, 2026
Charles “Chuck” Sandoval, age 75, of Springfield, passed away on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at his residence.
Chuck was born November 6, 1950 in Springfield, Illinois, the son of Rudolph and Mary (Zink) Sandoval.
Mourning his passing are his daughter, Toni M. Hansel of Springfield; his son, Michael Edward Sandoval of Springfield; two sisters, Elizabeth Carter of Cantrall and Patricia Lynn Krumme...
Zelda F. Coady
Jul 3, 2026
Zelda Coady, age 100, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 3, 2026, at Cedarhurst Senior Living in Springfield, Illinois.
She was born on December 25, 1925, in Wagner, Illinois, the daughter of Robert and Verna (Boston) Woodall.
Zelda married Robert Coady on July 21, 1950, and together they shared many years of marriage and family.
Mourning her passing are her son, Rod (wife...
Barbara J. Hunsley
Jun 1, 2026
ROCHESTER, IL – Barbara J. Hunsley, 77, passed away, June 1, 2026, at Memorial Medical Center surrounded by her sons.
She was born April 5, 1949, in Springfield, Ill., the daughter of Cecil and Audrey Ratliff.
Barb is survived by her husband, Lyle Hunsley, Taylorville; her daughter, Shelly Adams, Parker, Colorado, her sons, David Clemens, Waverly, and Mark (Erin) Clemens, Rochester; her...
Becky Sue Markley
May 29, 2026
Becky Sue Markley, age 72 of Springfield, passed away May 29th She was born on November 3, 1953, twenty-four minutes before her twin sister, in Springfield, Illinois, the daughter of George and Marjorie Boehm.
Mourning her passing are her daughter, Teela Markley; her son, Breck (Amanda) Markley; her former son-in-law, Brandon Paoni, with whom she remained close; and her beloved grandchildren:...
Beverly Billy Williams
May 27, 2026
Beverly (Billy) Evelyn Williams age 84, of Cantrall, passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at Springfield Memorial Hospital in Springfield, IL.
She was born August 21, 1941 in Athens the daughter of Willam Henry and Ruth Evelyn (Powell) Dyer.
She married Merle A. Williams on September 24, 1960 in Springfield. They enjoyed 65 years of marriage.
Mourning her passing are her husband,...
Catherine Harvey
May 27, 2026
Catherine Harvey, age 40, of Springfield, passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois.
She was born on April 2, 1986 in Springfield, Illinois, the daughter of Terry and Vickie (Parks) Harvey.
Mourning her passing are her parents; brother, Christopher Harvey; and three aunts, Donna, Peggy, and Connie.
She is preceded in death by her brother,...
Daniel Joseph Thoele
May 16, 2026
Daniel Joseph Thoele, 62, of Athens, IL, passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Dan was born on April 3, 1964, in Springfield, Illinois, as one of four children of John Joseph and Dolores Mae (Buescher) Thoele. He married Regina Gail Schnettgoecke on June 19, 1993, and they shared nearly 33 years of marriage, raising two daughters.
Dan graduated from Pawnee High...
Mary "Thelma" Black
May 16, 2026
Mary “Thelma” Black, age 95, passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at Arcadia Care on the Hill in Springfield.
Thelma was born on October 25, 1930, in her family’s farmhouse in Marion County, Kentucky, outside Lebanon to parents James Gordon “Jocko” Copley and Mary Hattie Celeste Beaven. She is preceded in death by eight siblings and survived by two sisters...
David Lefferts
May 16, 2026
David Lefferts, age 74, of Petersburg, passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at Sunny Acres Nursing Home in Petersburg, Illinois
David was born on March 23, 1952, in Springfield, Illinois the son of Raymond and Eleanor (Hayes) Lefferts.
He was a loving husband who married Elizabeth Schurman on August 12, 1999 in Springfield, Illinois.
Mourning his passing are his wife, Elizabeth; four...
Marilyn Kaye Castles
May 15, 2026
Marilyn Castles, age 87, of Springfield, passed away on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Capitol Retirement Village in Springfield.
Marilyn was born on December 13, 1938 in Springfield, Illinois, the daughter of Everett and Lucille (Rogers) Piggott, both deceased.
She married Terry Castles, Sr. December 22, 1956.
Mourning her passing are her children, Jo Ellen (Robert) Croft II of Athens, Beth Anne...
Allen Betz
May 15, 2026
Allen Betz, age 87, of Williamsville, passed away on Friday, May 15, 2026.
Allen was born on September 8, 1938 in Beardstown, IL the son of Franklin and Gladys (Watkins) Betz.
Mourning his passing are his daughter, Kari Bland; his sons, Terry (Nancy) Betz and Randy (Jackie) Betz; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his wife Violet, wife...
Dorothy Lugibill
May 13, 2026
Dorothy (Burton) Lugibill, age 96, of Williamsville, passed away on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at Springfield Memorial Hospital surrounded by family.
Dorothy is survived by five children; Barb (Larry) Carter of Williamsville, Glenn Lugibill of Des Moines, WA, Linda (Ed Ward) May of Dawson, Paula Riser of Buffalo and Vince (Karen) Lugibill of Williamsville; six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, one great-great grandson,...
Sharon "Pinky" Mester
May 11, 2026
Sharon “Pinky” Mester, age 81, of Athens, Illinois, passed away on Monday, May 11, 2026, at Villa East Nursing Care in Sherman, Illinois.
She was born on April 15, 1945, in Athens, Illinois, the daughter of Marshall and Alta “Topsy” Bushong Pierceall.
Sharon married Charles “Butch” Mester, Jr. on May 22, 1965, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Sherman, Illinois.
Mourning her...
Mary "JoAnn" Abeln
May 5, 2026
Mary (JoAnn) Beard Abeln, born November 6th, 1932 passed away May 5th, 2026 at the age of 93.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Lewis Ray Abeln, son Dale Ray Abeln, two brothers Edward Earl (Butch) Beard, Jr, and Harold Eugene Beard.
She is survived by daughters, Brenda (Ed) Connelly, Sheree Meyer, Diane (Tom) Hester, son Dale (Deceased) Linda Abeln,...
Robert L. Ratliff
Apr 27, 2026
Robert “Bob” L. Ratliff, age 83, of Petersburg, Illinois, passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026 at Rushville Nursing and Rehab in Rushville, Illinois.
Bob was born on September 28, 1942 the son of Cecil and Audrey (Greer) Ratliff.
He married Mary Westerfeld on August 23, 1964 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Petersburg, Illinois.
Mourning his passing are his wife, Mary; three daughters,...
Clara L. Taylor
Apr 27, 2026
Clara L. Taylor, age 91, of Petersburg, passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026, at Sunny Acres Nursing Home in Petersburg, Illinois.
She was born January 8, 1935, in Middletown, Illinois, the daughter of Carl and Ora (Boyer) Wilson.
She married Clarence Taylor in 1953.
Mourning her passing are her children, Terry (wife Michelle) Taylor, Teena (husband Charles) Roberts, Troy (wife Angie) Taylor,...
