Clara Marie Woelber

Clara Marie Woelber, age 95 of Mattoon, IL passed away on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center. A funeral service in her honor will be held at 11:30 AM, Monday, May 4, 2026, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 Charleston Avenue, Mattoon, IL 61938. Pastor Andrew Herzberg will officiate. A committal service will immediately follow at Beals Cemetery in Trilla, IL. The visitation will be held from 9:30 AM until the time of service at the church. Clara was born on July 21, 1930, in Cumberland County to the late Robert Eli and Nellie Grace (Morgan) Thompson. She married Richard Henry William Woelber on June 17, 1953, at Tyndall Air Force Base in Pensacola, FL: he preceded her in death on February 25, 2026. She is survived by two children, Janet Woelber and significant other Kesha Neal of Pawnee, IL, Steve Woelber and wife Sandy of Mattoon, IL; two grandchildren, Matt Woelber and wife Kassie of Charleston, IL, Kacey Rawlings and husband Hayden of Mattoon, IL; five great-grandchildren: Jaren Woelber, Gracie Wilson, Weldin Woelber, Avery and Nellie Rawlings; and numerous nieces and nephews. Clara was a devoted member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mattoon, where her faith and kindness were evident to all who knew her. She worked as a switchboard operator for Illinois Bell prior to starting a family and greatly enjoyed raising her children. Later, as her children grew older, she held positions with Farrier Construction, JC Penney in the catalog department, and Central National Bank. Clara found great joy in life’s simple pleasures, square dancing alongside her beloved husband, Rich, reading Amish romance novels, and spending time playing pinochle or Uno. She cherished her weekly “Old Lady Coffee” gatherings with dear friends from Trilla and had a deep love for music, often sharing her talent at the piano. Above all, Clara will be remembered as a loving and dedicated mother and grandmother, whose warmth, laughter, and steady presence meant everything to her family. Memorial donations in her honor may be made to the St. John’s Lutheran Church Music Department. Please visit www.mitchell-jerdan.com or www.facebook.com/mitchelljerdanfuneralhome to light a virtual candle in her honor or share a memory with the family

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Clara Marie Woelber

July 21, 1930 - April 28, 2026