Millicent Louise Casper Hankla

Millicent Louise Casper Hankla, 96, of Anna, Illinois, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024.  

Millie was born on March 12, 1928, the daughter of Glendon D. Casper and  Helen E. Brown Casper of Anna, Illinois.   

She and Donald Hankla were married on Aug. 27, 1946.  They both graduated with Master’s Degrees from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. 

She and Don built a family as they both grew their careers. Millie worked as a mathematician and educator following Don’s Conservation Professional career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  

After leaving Anna-Jonesboro, they spent their next 35 years living in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Oregon and Florida. On retirement, they returned to her home place north of Anna in 1987. 

Millie was a gifted mathematician, singer, teacher, counselor, gardener and tireless advocate for women and children, and was active in her church and community wherever they lived and worked. She was a leader nationally in women’s organizations of the Presbyterian Church and later was an instrumental leader in establishment of Bethany Village-Family Crisis Resource Center in Anna. In 2008, Millie received an “Inspiring Women of Achievement” recognition from SIU Carbondale for her volunteer work.

As her three children like to say, “We had the best Mom!”     

She is survived by children David (Lisa), Elizabeth (Sam) and John; grandchildren Peter (Sophia), Molly (Kyle), Daniel Hershey and David Hershey (Alison); great-grandchildren Braeden, Maeve, Fiadh and Bronwyn; and her brother, Thomas Casper. 

She was preceded in death by her mother and father; brothers Robert and Glendon; sister Patricia; and husband Donald. 

There are no funeral plans at this time. Contact Tom Casper at email tom.casper63@gmail.com if you would like more information.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice or to a local women’s and children’s shelter, such as Bethany Village in Anna, Illinois.