Douglas Weck

Douglas Weck, 65, of Annapolis, IL, passed away on August 17, 2026, at Willow Breeze, the Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospice House, in Mattoon, IL. He was born on June 19, 1961, in Robinson, IL, and he came into the world so small that his fingers were the size of matchsticks. He grew up in the Annapolis area, and from the get-go, it was apparent that he was ornery. Nothing bad, mind you—just ornery. He pestered his uncle so relentlessly one day that the man hung him up by his suspenders on the bathroom door! His sister Rita had a good many years on him, enough that she was keeping her own home while Doug was still growing up, and he was there so often that he had a room of his own. The stories from those days stayed with him his whole life.

Doug graduated from Hutsonville High School in 1980 and went to work, first at NAPA Auto Parts and then at L.S. Heath and Sons, before getting on with First Crawford State Bank. That's where he'd stay for the next 40 years, working as Maintenance Manager and even earning an Associate's Degree in HVAC from Frontier Community College to do the job right. He was still there when it became First Financial Bank, retiring in the spring of 2026. No matter the job or the place, the people he worked alongside came to love him, and forty years at the bank gave a lot of folks the chance to. On top of all that, he spent several years as a certified first responder and volunteer firefighter with the Prairie Licking Fire Department.

When Doug wasn't working, he was outdoors, because that's where he was most at peace. He was a deer hunter through and through, skilled with both bow and shotgun, and he loved the sport enough to teach his daughter Amanda how to hunt. She took to it so well that she ended up showing up half her family—a regular Annie Oakley—and Doug couldn't have been prouder. He fished, too, and Kentucky Lake was the favorite. He used to head down there with family and friends for a week every year, a tradition they kept up for years. He loved mushroom hunting and three- and four-wheeling, and he'd spend hours splitting wood. This pastime was nominally for firewood, but really, it was a hobby, and for him, an almost relaxing one at that. He golfed for years as well, playing Oak Glen with a longtime group of friends.

Racing had a hold on Doug like few other things did. He was a NASCAR man, loyal to Dale Earnhardt Sr. Over the years, he made it to more races than he could count, taking in the sights and sounds and thrills of Bristol, the Brickyard, Daytona, Talladega, and plenty of others. But watching was never quite enough for him; he got in on the action himself as part of the pit crew for Bill Shaw Racing. That was Doug: never content to sit on the sidelines and always in the middle of the action. And the action usually came with a laugh, because he was a practical jokester who'd spin you a tall tale so convincingly that you wouldn't catch on until much later that none of it was true. So much of his humor came with a straight face, which only made it land harder.

But there was more to Doug than the laughter. He was a tough guy, plain and simple, and not one to hand out his affection freely. So it meant something when, over this last year, he started telling people how much he loved them. Looking back, the family thinks he probably knew what was coming. And yet, he fought anyway. Through all of it, he never once complained about being sick, and he kept the smile that had always been his.

And though the illness took so much, it gave the family something too, because it was then that Doug's faith came alive. He'd been baptized when he was younger, and he'd attend church off-and-on with his family through the years. But as his days grew short, Rita sat and prayed with him, and Doug felt God draw near. Sign after sign came in those final days, and every one has become a comfort. At his last breath, his eyes squinted, making it look as though he was seeing the light of God. The family's deepest peace rests right here: that in his final days, their beloved "Dougie" met his Savior.

Doug married Penny Whitlow on October 6, 1990, and she survives. He is also survived by his daughter, Amanda Weck of Annapolis, IL; his grandson, Axl Lucas of Annapolis, IL; his siblings, Rita & Pat Richards of Robinson, IL, Gary Weck of Robinson, IL, and Terry & Kay Weck of Benton, KY; his sister-in-law, Martha Weck of Robinson, IL; his brother-in-law, Jeff & Jonnie Whitlowof Princeton, IN; his aunt, Sue & Pete Laughead of Palestine, IL; several nieces and nephews and great- nieces and nephews; and one great-great-niece. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald & Edra (Richards) Weck; his parents-in-law, Gary & Carolyn Whitlow; and his brother, Richard Weck.

Friends and family are invited to gather for two times of visitation at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. The first will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19th, and the second from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 20th, followed by a funeral service officiated by Celebrant Curt Goodwine at 11:00 a.m. During the service, there will be an open invitation for those gathered to share their favorite memories of Doug. Doug lived casually, and both the visitations and the service will reflect that, so guests are encouraged to come dressed comfortably. Burial will follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

In gratitude for the wonderful care Doug received in his final days, memorials may be made to "Willow Breeze," the Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospice House, with envelopes available at the funeral home.