Remembering

Leo “Lee” Dondanville, P.E., S.E., didn’t expect to spend his career working for one engineering firm. He had scheduled interviews with firms across the country after he finished two years of post-college service in the U.S. Air Force in 1956. When Walter E. Hanson called that year with an invitation to join his new company, […]

“I Shall Lift You Up” Our daughter dedicated her life to helping others overcome difficulties. Teaching was a perfect fit for her. For example, when the parent of one of Laura’s fourth graders became unable to transport her daughter to school during the fourth quarter, Laura transported the student daily so the student would not […]

In her 61 years of life, Selvarine Jones worked everywhere from restaurants and retail to city government, the faith community and in the arts, where she mentored dancers and brought a new rhythm to her church and to the Springfield Area Arts Council. To those she mentored and associated with in Springfield, she was known […]

For Dr. Tracy Evans, life was all about the journey. From her love of travel to her desire, in retirement, to seek a Ph.D., she was always moving forward. Tracy retired as a biologist at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. She was an associate researcher at the Illinois State Museum and she earned her […]

When Robert Emil Ramelow went on to his next big gig joining up with the everlasting band, the guy everyone knew simply as Butch left behind a striking and deep legacy of making music in central Illinois. Born in Springfield to Robert L. and Gertrude P. (Guyett) Ramelow, no one seems to know exactly when […]

I remember a day in elementary school when I spent an afternoon with my dad. After a quick lunch at Cozy Dog, we went to Jewel Osco for groceries. Dad picked up a few items for the house and then grabbed some cat food. We didn’t have a cat. After we checked out, we walked […]

Whenever Peggy saw me, she smiled, her cheeks touching the bottoms of her gold wire rims, and her peace sign earrings dancing a little as she raised her arms to embrace me. Peg’s signature jewelry held more weight than a few ounces tugging at her earlobes, more than some hippie symbol from the 1960s. Peggy […]

Tony Leone was a self-proclaimed ambassador for Springfield with deep roots in the capital city. His parents and grandparents lived their entire lives in Springfield. Tony owned his grandfather’s home, which had been in the family for 100 years. Always the entrepreneur, he was developing it into a coffeehouse featuring Springfield memorabilia prior to his […]

The Illinois GOP of 1998 had room for candidates like Corinne Wood of Lake Forest, who, as a freshman House representative, threw her hat into the ring to serve alongside Republican Governor George Ryan as lieutenant governor. She would be the first woman to ever hold the post in the state’s history. For some of […]

Peggy Ryder was fearless, vibrant and alive in all ways, says her youngest son, Tim. Everyone who knew her was touched by her warmth, beautiful smile, generosity, good humor and positive attitude. She left her mark on Springfield as an extraordinarily dedicated community leader and volunteer. Sadly, she passed away on Sept. 16, after valiantly […]

One of the benefits of growing up on South St. Mary’s Road in rural Libertyville, Illinois, was being a neighbor to Adlai Stevenson II. The elder Stevenson was the grandson of vice-president Adlai Stevenson (the Grover Cleveland administration), former governor of Illinois, twice-nominated candidate for the presidency on the Democratic ticket and the U. S. […]

Before succumbing to COVID-19, the Rev. Tinnie Randall had a final word for her family: Pray. She was a spiritual dynamo packed into a 5-foot-tall body. She died Dec. 17, 2020, at age 63, after a 54-day stay at Springfield Memorial Hospital. Her husband of 35 years, the Rev. Nate Randall, recalled with a laugh […]