Olga Handley

Olga Handley, 84, of Springfield, died at 11:22 a.m. on Monday, May 15, 2006 at St. John’s Hospital. She was born on August 6, 1921, in Springfield, the daughter of Giuseppe “Joseph” and Chiara “Clara” Giombetti Rodolfi. She married Alfred “A.H.” Handley on November 30, 1940 in St. Louis, Mo; he preceded her in death in 1995. Olga was a homemaker and a lifelong resident of the Springfield Community. She was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church. She was previously employed at Arena Foods at the State Capitol. She was a member of AARP, and Sangamon County Home Extension. “Olga lived till she died”. In the face of mounting medical problems, Olga still managed to wake every morning with a smile on her face, to admire her beautiful flower gardens, and to start her day with daily phone calls from children, grandchildren, and a multitude of friends concerned about her well being. The coffee pot was always on in Olga’s kitchen and fortunate were the many, who enjoyed lively conversation around that “famous kitchen table”. Everyone was always welcome from old friends of her grown children, new friends of her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren looking for her special “Cookie Jar”. Whether you called her mother, mom, grandma, Grammy, “Googie”, “Auggie”, or Aunt Olga – you knew that when she looked at you with those soft brown eyes and her beautiful smile, you were in the presence of one very warm and special lady. She was also preceded in death by: her parents; one son: Mark Otis Handley; two brothers: Gene Damiani and Joe Rodolfi and three sisters: Mary Damiani, Frieda Silveri and Rita Peterson She is survived by two sons: Ed (wife, Becky) Handley and Clint Handley all of Springfield; six daughters: Marie (husband, Jerry) Bilek of Janesville, WI, Judy (companion, Delmar Donley) Hawks of Sherman, Bonnie (husband, Brian) Altman of Springfield, Barbara (husband, Earl) McMeans of Jacksonville, Linda (husband, Dan) Hawks of Springfield and Kathleen Handley of Jacksonville; fourteen grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; two sisters: Jessie Schneider of Springfield and Eleanor Rudolph of East Peoria and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield. Prayer Service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 19, 2006 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church 2119 N. 20th St., Springfield, with the Rev. Donald J. Meehling celebrant. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to: St. Jude Children Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905. The family of Olga Handley is being served by Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield.