Richard L. Hocker

Richard L. Hocker, age 61, of Alexis, Illinois; died at 9:35 pm on Thursday March 26th, following a traffic accident. Rich was born on August 25, 1947 in Macomb, Illinois and is the son of Carl and Evelyn Kessler Hocker. Rich was raised in the Sciota, Colchester, and Macomb areas where he attended local schools and graduated from Macomb High School. He also attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. Rich served in the Army where he attained the rank of Master Sergeant serving in the 101st Airborne Division from 1967 to 1970 serving two tours in Viet Nam. Rich married Lory Sandburg on November 27, 1991 in LasVegas, Nevada. Rich worked for Fairview State Bank as Vice President of Operations and a board member. Previously he worked for Valley Bank and the Bank of Seaton as a consultant, for Farmers State Bank as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer, for Bank of Viola as President and CEO, and for Monmouth Production Credit Association as Vice President of Credit. Rich is a life member of the Viola Masonic Lodge and member of the Monmouth Masonic Lodge, a member of the Shriners, past treasurer and life member of the Ducks Unlimited Aledo chapter, past chairman and president of the Viola Development Corporation, past president and treasurer of the Viola Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Mercer County Banking Federation, member of the Rock Island Advisory Board on Drug Addiction, steering committee member of the Mercer County YMCA drive, member of the Workforce Investment Board for Rock Island, Henry and Mercer Counties, and board member of the Robert Young Center. Also he was named Champion Chamber Citizen by the Viola Area Chamber of Commerce in 1991. Surviving are his wife, Lory (Sandburg) Hocker of Alexis, Illinois. Three children Ian Hocker, James Blackwell, and Amy (Mark) Berg, all of Peoria, Illinois Three Grandchildren Ryan and Dylan Berg and Terra Blackwell One Sister Judy (Del) Morrison of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Rich is preceded in death by his parents. Services:A Masonic Rite and memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Monday March 30, at Turnbull Funeral Home in Monmouth, Illinois. Military honors will follow the memorial service Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Shriner's Crippled Childrens Hospitals.