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LINCOLN -- Harold William Gockel, 83, of Lincoln died Thursday, March 16, 2006, at 7:15 a.m. at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield after a two-year battle with multiple myeloma.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. John United Church of Christ, with the Rev. Richard Reinwald officiating.

Burial will be in Old Union Cemetery.

Mr. Gockel farmed in the Elkhart-Mount Pulaski area he retired in 1987 and moved to Lincoln.

He was born March 31, 1922, in Lincoln to William and Anna Gimbel Gockel. He married Gene Seaton on Dec. 8, 1945, in Pontiac, and they had 60 years together.

He is survived by his wife, of Lincoln; two daughters, Twila (and William) Muhlach of Murphysboro and Terri (and Glenn) Shanle of Lincoln; two sons, George (and Barbara) Emmons of Athens, Ala., and Galen (and Teresa) Emmons of Harlingen, Texas; 14 grandchildren, Rebecca, Harold, David, Bradley and Shirley, all of Alabama, Regina, Achelle, Athena and Michelle, all of Missouri, Andrew and Isabel of Texas, Brandon and Jacob of Illinois, and Josh of Tennessee; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Two infant grandsons and a granddaughter preceded him in death.

He was a baptized and confirmed member of St. John United Church of Christ and had served on the church board.

He volunteered for CROP for many years while farming near Elkhart. After he retired he delivered Meals on Wheels for over 17 years until he was unable to do it.

Memorials may be made to St. John United Church of Christ.

Raymond Hitchcock

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LINCOLN -- Raymond Hitchcock, 91, of Lincoln died Wednesday, March 15, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.

His funeral was Saturday morning at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln, with Marion Henderson officiating and Dick Hurley assisting. Visitation preceded the service.

Burial is in Hartsburg Union Cemetery, Hartsburg.

Mr. Hitchcock retired in 1981 after 46 years of teaching.

He was born Feb. 16, 1915, at Emden to Orla and Jennie Rademaker Hitchcock. He married Blanche Taylor on Sept. 6, 1942, in Hartsburg. She died Jan. 21, 1998.

He is survived by one son, Allen Hitchcock of Decatur; one sister, Joan Morgan of Emden; one niece, Jacquelyn Bruketa of Lincoln; and one nephew, Don Morgan of Emden.

He was a member of Lincoln Christian Church.

He began his teaching career in 1936 at Pleasant Valley, a rural school. After six years in the rural school, he became principal and teacher at Beason Consolidated School. The following year he served as coach and teacher at Bartonville Elementary School in Peoria County. In 1943 he began teaching in elementary schools in Lincoln. He was coach, shop teacher and history teacher at Central School, and in 1953 he became assistant principal at Central. In 1959 he was named principal at Lincoln Junior High School, which at that time was a newly organized attendance center in the Lincoln Elementary School system. After 10 years at the junior high, he became principal of Central and Adams schools.

He attended elementary school at Emden and graduated in 1933 from Hartsburg-Emden High School. He graduated from Lincoln College in 1935 with an associate degree. He received his bachelor's degree in 1953 and his master's degree in education in 1955, both from Millikin University in Decatur.

Memorials may be made to Lincoln Christian Church or CIEDC.