Deborah Hershberger-Kidwell

CHARLESTON, IL - Deborah (Debbie) Hershberger-Kidwell, 67, of Charleston, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 with her family at her bedside.

Visitation will be at Adams Funeral Chapel from 5:00-7:00 pm, Friday, May 6,2022, followed immediately by family remembrances.  A private family service will be held at a later date.

Debbie was born June 30, 1954, in Baltimore, MD, the daughter of Wayne and Joyce (Eikenberry) Hershberger.  She is survived by her husband, David; son Brian Kidwell of Washington, DC; daughter Lauren (Chris Wyant) Kidwell of Chicago, IL; grandsons Owen and Henry; brothers Dave Hershberger of Geneva, IL, and Steve (Heidi) Hershberger of DeKalb, IL; nephews Devin and Trevor; and mother of Sebastian, FL. She was preceded in death by her father.

Debbie graduated from DeKalb (IL) High School in 1972 and earned both a bachelor’s degree (1976) and master’s degree (1977) from Illinois State University. She was a residence hall counselor at Illinois Wesleyan while completing the graduate program in counseling. She was an academic/student government advisor at LakeLand Community College from 1979-82 and then a stay-at-home mom during Lauren and Brian’s formative years. She was an academic advisor at Eastern Illinois University from 1998 until retirement in 2014.

Debbie was actively involved with home room and fund-raising events at Carl Sandburg Elementary School, coordinated the crafts portion of Wesley United Methodist Church’s summer Bible School program, and was active with the Coles County Arts Council where twice she organized the Kids “Arts in the Park” event. She enjoyed painting and quilting during leisure time, was a member of P.E.O., and one of the founding members of QuiltWorks.

She especially enjoyed traveling, particularly trips to England and Europe during retirement years, with her favorite part visiting historic art museums.

Family was always her main focus with the recent highlight reading children’s books to grandsons Owen and Henry and cooking green eggs and ham.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Coles County Arts Council and left at the service or mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, IL  61920.

Click here to view Family Tribute Video.

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