Barbara Rasner, age 97, of Centralia, passed away in Centralia on Thursday, September 12, 2024. She was born Barbara Ann Bee in Farina, Illinois in 1927, to Charles Orten Bee and Agnes Page “Billie” Crooker Bee.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Charles Michael “Mike” Bee of Effingham, IL; and her sister, Margaret Bee McGrady of Gillespie, IL.
She married Francis Elwood Siegmund in 1946 in Champaign, IL. In 1950, they moved from Champaign, IL to Mahomet, IL. They had 3 children, Stephen Francis Siegmund (Deanna) of Mahomet, Frederick Lee Siegmund (Nancy) of Centralia, IL, and Rebecca Ann Pittman of Savoy, IL.
She has 6 grandchildren, Jennifer Gaffney (Brian), Delbert Siegmund (Melissa), Melissa Sutton, Andrew Siegmund (Sara), Kenneth Pittman, and Emily Heinzmann (Kevin); and 8 great-grandchildren, Grant Siegmund, Jillian Heinzmann, Paige Siegmund, Casey Pittman, Quentin Heinzmann, Sadie Siegmund, Riley Gaffney, and Stella Siegmund; and a stepson, Morris “Scott” Rasner of Rock Hills, SC.
During her school years, she was active in high school activities such as glee club, pep club, and class president. She graduated high school a year early at 16 to become an Illinois Central Railroad Morse Code telegraph operator in a traveling position that was started to help with the war effort during WW II.
After raising her family, she went back to work for the railroad and would retire from the Champaign Amtrak ticket office. She married Donald Scott Rasner in 1972 and built a home along the Sangamon River, where she had a gift for gardening, hosting large family get-togethers and simple, but elegant holidays. She also became an accomplished rug maker and her beautiful art filled her home. She made personalized rugs for friends and family that will always be cherished. After retirement, she moved from Piatt County to Centralia. She was active in the First United Methodist Church of Centralia, the Women’s VFW Auxiliary, and social activities. She loved living on Raccoon Lake, enjoyed bird watching, and country living.
A celebration of life service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at the Irvin Macz Funeral Home in Centralia, IL. A visitation time will be held to allow time to offer words of comfort to Barbara’s family from 2:00 p.m. until the time of the service on Sunday at the funeral home in Centralia. The burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, October 7, 2024, at the Grandview Memorial Gardens in Champaign, IL. Memorials may be made in Barbara’s honor to the First United Methodist Church of Centralia, or donor’s choice. Online condolences and memories of Barbara may be shared with the family by visiting maczfuneralhomes.com and/or on the funeral home’s Facebook page.
