2025 Journal-Yearbook

Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook

Shelly Sue Rasche 1955-2025 Shelly Sue Rasche, 69, of Camp Point, Ill., the wife of IGRC retired pastor, the Rev. Jeff Rasche, died Feb. 3, 2025. Born Oct. 30, 1955, in Decatur, Shelly was the daughter of Ralph and Dorothy Sherden. She married Jeffrey A. Rasche on Aug. 8, 1981, in Decatur. He survives. Shelly was a prolific freelance commercial artist whose designs have

been published by companies around the world on countless items including children’s books, greeting cards, prints, counted cross stitch kits, plush animals, mugs, puzzles, kitchenware, collectible figurines, music boxes, and more. Shelly graduated from Decatur Eisenhower High School and Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, majoring in pottery. In addition to her freelance artwork, Shelly often taught art, pottery, and stained-glass classes to children and adults. Shelly loved their three sons and savored the chance to do art projects with her six grand- daughters. Shelly also cared for many animals, from donkeys and dogs to cats and ducks, all of which often found their way into her artwork. She was a major fan of John Denver and got to see him in concert several times. Because of her habit of making cakes or pies or cookies almost daily, her father nicknamed her “Bake-a-day Shelly.” Survivors include her husband, Jeff; one sister Pattie (Wes) Pfeifer of Hollister, Mo.; three sons: Ben (Keeli) Rasche of Chatham and their children Anzley and Aliza; Zach (Kristen) Rasche of Quincy and their children Emma Kate and Elsie; Nick (Michelle) Rasche and their children Adeline and Avery. Shelly is also survived by several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. In her immediate family, Shelly was preceded in death by her parents as well as her mater- nal and paternal grandparents. A memorial service celebrating the life of Shelly Sue Rasche was held Feb. 6, 2025, at Camp Point UMC. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery, Camp Point.

Avis June Richardson 1949-2025 The Rev. Avis June Richardson, 93, of Staunton, exchanged her earthly home for an eternal home on April 4, 2025. Born June 20, 1931 in Burlington, Colo., the daughter of Elvis Guy and Sarah Margaret Yale Foley. She married David Walter Richard- son May 19, 1949. Rev. Richardson entered the ministry of The United Methodist

Church in 1968 as a part-time local pastor. She became a full-time local pastor in 1971 and was elected an associate member of the former Southern Illinois Conference in 1977. During her ministry, she served the following pastorates: Beckemeyer; Carlyle-Huey-Becke- meyer-Hopewell-Keyesport (Assoc); Hamburg-Batchtown-Belleview; St. Jacob; Waltonville- Shiloh; Patoka-Vernon; Staunton; Staunton-Dorchester; and Wood River: Evangelical-Wan- da, from where she retired in 1998. After retiring in 1998 (for 18 months), she served as interim pastor of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Staunton for two years; then returned to serve for five years at Staunton: First UMC from Sept. 1, 2006 to June 30, 2011.

266 Memoirs