Stephanie (Hall) McGlasson, a longtime registered nurse and diehard Cubs fan from Mahomet, passed away surrounded by loving family Nov. 26 at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. She was four days shy of her 63rd birthday.
“Steph,” as she was known to everyone, was born Nov. 30, 1955, in Springfield to Margaret G. (McLaughlin) Hall and J. Stephen “Steve” Hall. After graduating from Sacred Heart Academy (now Sacred Heart-Griffin) in 1973 and working several years at her dad’s service station as a pioneering female “pump jockey,” she earned her Associate’s Degree in nursing from Lincoln Land Community College in May 1978.
She married Paul McGlasson, a nurse she met while they both were working at St. John’s, on Nov. 24, 1979. In 1981, they moved to Mahomet and Steph started work at Mercy Hospital (now OSF Heart of Mary) in Urbana.
She continued working there, mostly in the Critical Care Unit, until the time of her death. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Illinois in 1983. That’s Steph’s history.
But her real story – what won’t be forgotten – is the sweet warmth and kindness she showed her patients, pets, friends and family. Her dimpled smile, ready giggle and quick wit. Her tireless work ethic and never-ending quest to grow intellectually and spiritually.
She learned to play the piano at St. Agnes Grade School, earned a Silver Medal at a private recital in high school and continued to try to play every day. She loved to read and took her daughters to classic libraries (and historic cathedrals) wherever they vacationed. After she died, her family found a small notebook she had filled with the names, authors and dates of 150-some books she had read in the past eight years.
She gravitated mostly to baseball and sports biographies, but her reading tastes were eclectic. The two books she just finished in November were “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” a fun book of lists; and “What Men Live By,” a collection of short stories by Tolstoy. Last year, Steph was aghast – and indignant – when she spotted a mistake on page 69 of Tom Verducci’s “The Cubs Way”.
Which brings us to her great love of the Chicago Cubs, an affliction passed down from her father and his mother. Steph was at Wrigley Field for the pennant-clinching game in 2016 and was among the millions at the World Series victory parade in Chicago. She didn’t get to realize her goal of seeing a game at every Major League baseball park, but did make it to 22, following the Cubs on the road with her daughters and sisters – and has the hand-written scorecards to prove it.
Besides her husband and mother, survivors include her daughters, Katie Kauffman (Andrew) and Laura Voegel (Derek), both of Champaign; sisters, Holly Danks (Dan) of Portland, Ore. , and Christina Murrell (Michael) of Carbondale; brothers, Michael Hall (Joanne) of Tracy, Calif. , and Patrick Hall of Carbondale; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Her father died in 2015. Services will be Friday, Dec. 7, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 501 W. State St, Mahomet (where she was a longtime member).
The Rosary will be prayed at 9:30 a.m and the visitation will follow from 10-11am. The funeral Mass will begin at 11 am at the church. After Mass there will be a reception in the church hall.
Burial will be private. Blair-Owens Funeral Home, Mahomet is assisting the family with arrangements. The family suggests that remembrances be memorial contributions to the Crisis Nursery, 1309 W. Hill St., Urbana, IL 61801; or the Champaign County Humane Society, 1911 E. Main St., Urbana, IL 61802.
The family expresses their gratitude to the Springfield Fire Department and the Spiritual Care Department at St. John’s. Donations may be made to: Crisis Nursery 1309 West Hill Street, Urbana IL 61801 Champaign County Humane Society 1911 E. Main Street, Urbana IL 61802 Web: www.
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