Remembering

Danyel Pitts never had biological children, but plenty of people called her Mom. From her stepchildren to nieces and nephews to the high school girls she coached in track, many young people relied on Momma Dee for guidance, advice and unconditional love. Danyel grew up in Springfield with her twin sister, Joyel. Danyel was older […]

Once one of Springfield’s most popular artists, Michael Manning created an untold number of paintings. His work is displayed in banks, law offices, living rooms and restaurants throughout the city. He also created less-popular portraits of former Gov. Jim Edgar and former U.S. Sen. John Kerry. “People would stop him on the street constantly and […]

Mike was about the sweetest person you could ever meet. He would do anything for those he loved. His compassion and caring were always noticed by everyone he met. Every morning he would be at our house for breakfast and coffee with Charles. I always asked him how he was doing and he’d reply with […]

Dad was a state representative in the early 1970s. He loved Springfield very much. The city was always on his mind when he traveled as he was always searching other cities for ideas to make his better. One day we were in Denver waiting for a red stoplight to change to green so we could […]

Although I married into his family, Lee Kilbourne felt like a full-blooded grandpa to me. He was always available with a smile, a conversation or a compliment. He gave those generously. I cannot adequately summarize the consequential life of Lee in a few paragraphs. Suffice it to say that on Sept. 5, I lost a […]

Craig Mannschreck passed away in August after bravely battling lymphoma for three months, and he will be dearly missed by his team at Resource One and in the Springfield business community. He enjoyed dual citizenship, splitting his time between Springfield and his hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri. For 18 years, Craig was a weekday fixture […]

Virginia Megredy was the great-granddaughter of early settlers of Sangamon County and the granddaughter of a Civil War soldier. Deeply connected to the land, she lived most of her long life on a sesquicentennial farm near Loami. She had an indomitable spirit, courage in the face of adversity and was tough as nails with a […]

Bill and Jackie Protz were extraordinary and unique on their own, but together, they were unstoppable. Since their marriage in 1965, they enjoyed creating a tight-knit family, NHRA drag racing, traveling to watch their son, Randy, in his football playing and coaching career and then doing the same watching their granddaughters, Jenna and Brandy, in […]

Dr. Barbara Hartman had an insatiable curiosity for people, places and experiences. The 90 pinheads on her world map, indicating countries she had visited, were proof of that inquiring mind. Her small town Midwestern upbringing gave no hint of her passion for travel. After retiring from the University of Illinois Springfield in 1993, her husband, […]

Jenna Protz was excited for basketball season and being a freshman playing varsity for the Vandalia Vandals. She was a force on the court and known for her three-pointers. Jenna also played volleyball and softball and qualified for state in discus in junior high. But Jenna was more than her athletic ability.  Known for her […]

Mom grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. She came of age as a bobbysoxer and married at age 17. The marriage of Patricia Atteberry and Lum Leach lasted more than 50 years, until his passing. It left quite the legacy of five kids, 13 grandchildren, and a crop of great-grandchildren that […]