Joyce Jeanette (Rushing) Bobka

Joyce Bobka, 89, of Collinsville and formerly of Carbondale, passed away Sunday, August 8, 2021, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, Illinois.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, August 14, 2021, at Riggin-Pillatsch & Burke Funeral Home in Carterville, with Rev. Keith Bunfill officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery in Carterville. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Saturday, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to American Cancer Society.

Joyce was born October 10, 1931, in Carbondale, to Lee and Helen (Tucker) Rushing. She married Louis A. Bobka on July 7, 1956, in Carbondale. He preceded her in death on October 18, 2008.

She is survived by her children, Craig Bobka of Collinsville, Andrea (Ryan) Caswell of Collinsville, and Derek (Patty Parker) Bobka of O’Fallon, Illinois; grandchildren, Amanda (Danny) Klingler of San Jose, California, and Connor Bobka of Collinsville; great-grandson, Ari Klingler; brother, James Tucker Rushing of Collinsville; and several nephews.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; husband; step-mother, Violet Ludene Rushing; and step sisters, Pat Gooch and Ladena Schoolcraft.  

She graduated in 1954, from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with a degree in education. Joyce taught P.E. at Lincoln Junior High School in Carbondale from 1954 until 1960, when she decided to focus on raising her family. Joyce returned to the workforce once again as an administrative assistant at CON-AGRA, and as an administrative secretary at SIU-E. She retired after 10 years of service as an administrative secretary for AT&T in St. Louis.

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