Remembering

Dr. Clarice Ford lived a storied life before coming to Springfield where her impact will be felt for generations to come. Ford earned degrees from Antioch University and Fielding Graduate University. She held positions at Berry College, Youngstown State University and Ohio State University. Her first positions at University of Illinois Springfield, in 2008, were […]

From his graduation in 1959 at Northwestern University School of Law until he died Aug. 14, 2020, at age 84, James Robert Thompson made an indelible imprint on Illinois history. Over those six decades, he lived life large, most of it in public view from one end of the state to the other. Thus, his […]

At 19 years of age, Alex McCray stood before a sold-out crowd gathered at a Hilton hotel in Chicago on March 17, 2017. The audience was there to support the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois. McCray was there to receive an award. He gave a speech about his activism in a rural downstate town. […]

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 […]

Holly Ann Lidy was a beautiful young lady inside and out. Her sparkly personality and quick wit would put a smile on your face every time. Holly would give 100% to every task she faced whether it was studying for a test, improving her volleyball spike or maneuvering her 4-H pig around the show ring. […]

My dear son, Tom Lewis, passed away this year after succumbing to a long battle with cancer. He was the third generation of Thomas Lewis’s and his dad died in 2004. Tom was a very kind, sweet person and a talented musician who played blues guitar with several local bands, including The Debbie Ross Band […]