Robert Allen Mashburn, age 67, of Central City, Illinois, passed away from cancer (not COVID) at 4:40 A.M. on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at his home with his loving family by his side. Robert loved mowing lawns, hunting, fishing, watching western and feeding the birds. He also loved sports and was a follower of the student’s sports teams at Central City Grade School. He assisted and followed the student’s bowling team. Robert helped the elderly members of the Central City community by mowing their lawns or plowing out the entrance of their driveways after a snow. He was involved in community fundraisers by assisting with the Hal B. Hempen Foundation for Special Olympics for 15 years and Fireside House’s Golfing for Alzheimer’s Tournament for many years. Robert cherished the time he spent with family. Robert was a member of the Zion United Church of Christ in Central City, Illinois, where he was baptized in March of 2020. He was a member of the Central City School Board for eleven years. He graduated from Central City Grade School and with Centralia High School’s “Class of 1972.” Robert was a supervisor of City Works for the Village of Central City, farmhand for the Bob Vogt Farms in Centralia, Illinois, and he was custodian and bus driver for the Central City Grade School from April of 1998 until December of 2017, when he retired on his 65th Birthday. As a member of Central City’s Department of City Works, he was known to be mowing the cemetery grounds at Mount Evergreen Cemetery at any given time.
Private Family Celebration of Life Services for Mr. Robert Allen Mashburn will be held at the Moran Queen-Boggs Funeral Home in Centralia, Illinois with Reverend Paula Comper officiating. As a result of current national health circumstances, friends are invited to join with Mr. Mashburn’s family via Live Stream at www.moranfuneralhome.net on his obituary page at 1:00 P.M. on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. There will be no public visitation. After his cremation rites, private inurnment will be held at a later date in Mount Evergreen Cemetery in Central City, Illinois. Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Mashburn’s honor to the Residential Hospice of Southern Illinois, American Cancer Society for Lung Cancer Research or the Centralia Shop with a Cop and will be received by the Moran Queen-Boggs Funeral Home at 134 South Elm Street in Centralia, Illinois. Please view the online obituary, send condolences or share memories with Mr. Mashburn’s family at www.moranfuneralhome.net or on the Moran Queen-Boggs Funeral Home’s Facebook page.
Robert first married, Jody Perkins, in 1975 and they were later divorced. Amy (Mashburn) Green was born from this union. Robert and Dorris Ellen Smith met on a blind date, where she met his whole family on July 4th, 1979. They were united in marriage on October 5th, 1979. Jill Mashburn was born from this union. Robert is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Dorris Mashburn of Central City, Illinois; daughter, Amy Green and husband Richard of Chicago, Illinois, and her children, Teone’ Jones, Tremain Mashburn and wife Patricia, Malik and Charles Wilson and 4 great-grandchildren; daughter, Jill Mashburn, and his very special grandson, mowing partner and fishing buddy, Kolbie Smith of Central City, Illinois; brother, Joseph “Carl” Mashburn and wife Linda of Centralia, Illinois; aunt, Bertha Sloat of Muscatine, Iowa; brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, James “Mickey” Smith and wife Patty of Centralia, Illinois, Richard Smith and wife Eileen of Leesburg, Florida, Edward Smith and friend Judy Smith of Springfield, Illinois and Judy Mashburn of Florida. Robert is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends.
Robert Allen Mashburn was born on December 20, 1952, in Centralia, Illinois, the son of Nellie (Turner) and Joseph “Joe” Mashburn, of Central City, Illinois, where he lived most of his life. In addition to his parents, Nellie and Joe Mashburn; Robert was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry Mashburn; father-in-law and mother-in-law, James Smith and Iris Smith; grandparents, Alex Mashburn, Clara Mashburn, James Turner and Grace Turner and former wife, Jody Mashburn.
