2025 Journal-Yearbook

Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook

She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary of Staunton. She also served on the Con- ference Committee for Voices of Children and the Board of the United Methodist Village in Lawrenceville. In 1984, with donations from the American Red Cross, she began the Staunton Food Pantry, which was housed in the United Methodist Church for 15 years. For more than 50 years, she wrote her “To You...With Love” column for local newspapers, writing for the Staunton Star-Times for more 36 years. She is survived by a daughter, Alisa (Bill) Hoffman of Staunton; seven grandchildren: Aimee June (Casey) Baker of Cabot, Ark., Crystal Dawn (Pete) Hoffman of Staunton, Robert Allen (Krista) Hoffman of Staunton, Michelle Diane (Shawn) Way of Taylor, Miss., William Craig (Lou) Pfeifer of Fredrich, Colo., Melissa Ann (Kevin) Piening of Bethalto; and Terri Lynn (Mikey) Hoffman of Gillespie; 14 great grandchildren: Amanda (Chris), Christian, Amber (Adam), Samantha, Holly, Alexis (Blake), Mali (Matt), Layla, Gray- son, Leah, Anna, Orion, Liam, and Maya; eight great-great grandchildren: Michelle, Dakota, Joseph, Oliver, Ariana, Ivy, Blayklee and Carter; and a sister-in-law, Mary (Richardson) Foley. Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Angela; her son, John; her great granddaughter, Bethany; her sister, Melva Foley; her brother, William Foley; three brothers-in-law: Howard Van Buren, Ivan Ping and John Richardson; three sisters-in-law, Marsha (Mason) Richardson, Nancy (Richardson) Ping and Alice Van Buren; two nieces , Nancy Lee Ping and Ruth Van Buren; and a nephew, Jack Richardson. The funeral for the Rev. Avis June Richardson was held April 10, 2025 at Staunton Methodist Church, with the Rev. Nancy Ribes officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery in Staunton.

Donald Ray Riley 1935-2024 The Rev. Donald Ray Riley, 89, of Colchester, an IGRC retired clergy member, died Sept. 18, 2024, in Macomb. He was born July 9, 1935, in Peoria, son of Arthur Charles and Iva Jean (Blackhall) Riley. He married Nancy Ann Osterman July 26,1958 in Loyal. She died April 29, 1969. He later married Trudie Ann Knipe Nov. 26, 1971. She survives.

Rev. Donald Ray Riley was received as a probationary member in 1962 by the former West Wisconsin Conference. He transferred to the former Southern Illinois Conference where he was ordained an elder in 1965. He served the following appointments during his 36 years of ministry: Livingston, Wis.; Grafton, Brighton, Hamilton, and 20 years at Port Byron: First-Fairfield, from where he retired in 1998. He loved gardening, music and was an avid Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs fan. He also owned and rode horses for many years. Throughout his ministry, he touched and shaped many lives and souls. He is survived by his children, Ben Riley of Colchester, Steve Riley of Hamilton, Amy (Joseph) Quaerna of Cottage Grove, Wis. and Donald (Mandy) Riley of Rochester, Minn.; 11 grandchildren, Matthew Riley, Joshua Riley, Caleb Riley, Riley Quaerna, Haley Quae- rna, Thomas Quaerna, Lexie (Jeremiah) Van De Steeg, Grace (Noah) Hoover, Logan Riley, Olivia Riley and Landon Riley; and two great-grandchildren, Easton Van De Steeg and Evelyn Van De Steeg.

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