Sue (Thurmon) Gleckler

Hanna "Sue" Gleckler died at her home on June 6, 2022. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harry, and parents, Neal and Venise Sanderson Thurmon. Born on January 31, 1935 and raised on the farm that has been in her family for 178 years, Sue was a true farm girl.

After graduating from Milton High School in 1953 and Illinois State University in 1957, Sue followed in her mother’s footsteps as a public school teacher. She began her teaching career at Oswego, IL before returning to Pike County. She loved teaching middle school English and retired from the Griggsville and Griggsville-Perry School Districts after 35 years. Her students will remember her strict, but light-hearted manner.

Sue married Harry Gleckler on June 15, 1958. For 60 years, Harry and Sue made their home in New Salem on the family farm where they raised three children, countless dogs, barn cats, sheep, donkeys, pigs, and Polled Hereford cattle. They guided their children and grandchildren through years of 4-H projects, including baking, sewing, and showing livestock. A summer wasn't complete without time at the county fairgrounds. They loved antiquing and finding unique treasures together. Her glass salt cellar collection is unrivaled.   

Sue was a voracious reader, an excellent baker, and a master at almost every kind of needlework and sewing craft. She loved Christmas, always finding the biggest live Christmas tree and filling it with over 600 vintage ornaments. She bemoaned winter, and she anxiously awaited the first robins of spring and the green corn fields of summer. Her porch always had perfectly potted red geraniums. Sue was so observant of the world around her - whether it was pointing out horses or rock fences, a monarch butterfly or woolly worms, she reminded us to stop and notice the world around us.

Always the English teacher, Sue read the newspaper with a red ink pen and took too much pleasure in sharing how many grammatical errors she caught. You could also find her doing the crossword puzzle in pen, never a pencil. Her penmanship was beautiful and she wrote countless letters to her grandchildren when they went off to college and began their own lives. She loved visiting her grandchildren and generously loved her great-grandchildren.

Those who love her have peace knowing she is no longer in pain.

Sue is survived by her children: Brad, New Salem, IL; Nancy (Tim) Halpin, Pittsfield, IL; Gail (Mike) Jones, New Salem, IL; grandchildren Paige (Henry) Smith, Lexington, KY; Gavin Halpin, St. Louis, MO; Cheyenne Jones, Baldwin, LA; great-grandchildren, Isaac and Alice Smith of Lexington, KY; and brother, Howard (Chris) Thurmon, Hebron, KY.

She was preceded in death this year by her lifelong childhood friend, Peggy Hack Bissell and her beloved dog, Callie.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield with visitation held prior to the service on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  Interment will follow the services at Green Pond Cemetery.  Memorials are suggested to be made to Milton Christian Church or to the Village of New Salem, IL for the maintenance and upkeep of the bandstand and park.  Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh.com.  Niebur Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

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