Samuel G. Thrasher (81) of Effingham

Samuel G. Thrasher, 81, of Effingham, IL, passed away on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, IL.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham, IL. An interment service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 24, 2021 at Roberts Cemetery off Roberts Lane in Lewisport, KY, 42351. Please wear a mask for all services and practice social distancing.

Memorials may be made to Effingham County Veteran’s Memorial or Wounded Warriors. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here. 

Samuel was born on August 20, 1940, in Lewisport, KY, the son of Paul Brey “Pete” and Dorothy (Speaks) Thrasher. He married Julie Carr on August 7, 1965 at Saint Dominic Savio Catholic Church in Bellflower, CA.

Samuel attended St. Alphonsus High School in St. Joseph, KY and Antelope Junior College outside of Los Angeles, CA. He was a Navy Veteran and served from 1958 - 1964 as an E5 - AT2 Electronics Tech, Aircraft Carrier USS Coral Sea, Black Knights fighter squadron, Far East Western Pacific.

This Navy experience set Sam up for a wonderful position at Cape Canaveral (Cape Kennedy) in 1964 to become part of All NASA Apollo Missions working with North American Aviation (builder of rockets). He was a Senior Electronics Mechanic. As a Spacecraft Observer during testing, he knew every switch and operation in order to do the job being very familiar with the controls the astronauts would use. He was a part of a SCO (Spacecraft Operations) Team performing simulation missions in the module. When the Space Program was winding down, Sam looked at new endeavors, one being at Lockheed in California. However, none were quite as exciting as being an integral part of the NASA Apollo Missions. He loved EVERYTHING Space, Moon and Rockets.

After living in many places, across the USA and England, the family eventually moved to Teutopolis and then Effingham, where Sam worked and then retired from CIPS now known as Ameren. Samuel loved to collect Navy/NASA memorabilia and watch many movies about space. He loved to attend and watch the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds Air Shows when they would come near Effingham. We Love You Dad/Sam! You will be truly and greatly missed!

Samuel is survived by his wife, Julie Carr Thrasher of Effingham; children, Theresa Thrasher Elmore (Marcus Nehl) of Denver, CO, Robert Thrasher (Claudia Wagner) of Sierra Vista, AZ, John Thrasher (Ana Cristina) of Las Vegas, NV, and Nicholas Thrasher of Effingham; grandchildren, Keitan Hendry, Brayde Elmore, Christopher Thrasher, and Patrick Thrasher; and siblings, Paul (Marita) Thrasher, Allen (Becky) Bell, Rita Colón, Geneva Riordan, Phillip Bell (Debbie) and Pat Bell (Pennie).

He was preceded in death by his parents, Pete Thrasher, Dorothy (Thrasher) Bell as well as his loving step-father, Vincent Bell; brother, Michael Thrasher; and sister, Charlotte Broga (Dwight).