Richard L. Stubblefield, of Mount Vernon, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family at Good Samaritan Hospital, Mount Vernon, on Saturday evening, October 4, 2025, at the age of 81. Richard was born June 22, 1944, in Sesser, to Willie and Hazel (Bradley) Stubblefield.
Richard graduated from Goode-Barren Township High School (Sesser), and received a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He taught high school Government for 33 years, 32 of them at Mount Vernon Township High School.
Richard met his love of his life, Carolyn (Fornear), in sixth grade. They married in 1967 and would have celebrated 58 years of marriage on October 14.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two daughters, Sara and Rebecca Stubblefield, two sisters, five brothers-in-law, and one sister-in-law. He is survived by his wife Carolyn (Fornear) of Mount Vernon, one daughter, Jennifer and husband Ed Lobenhofer, and two grandsons, Kyle and Zachary Lobenhofer, of Thousand Oaks, California. He is also survived by three sisters; Jo Ann Garner of Herrin, Joyce Hodge of Sesser, and Gayla Stubblefield of Mount Vernon; one brother-in-law, Gary Reynolds of Mount Vernon; and numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.
Richard was a man of deep Christian faith and served as an elder at Woodlawn Christian Church. He also previously served Central Christian Church and Sesser First Christian Church throughout his life.
Within his role as a dedicated educator, he was the advisor to the Mount Vernon delegation to the Illinois YMCA Youth & Government for many years – one of the largest and most productive delegations in the state, electing several Youth Governors and multiple Speakers of the House, Presidents of the Senate, and Secretaries of State. Dozens of Richard’s students have gone on to prominent community leadership roles, inspired in large part by his influence.
Richard was active in Republican Party politics throughout his life, serving as Chairman of the Jefferson County Central Committee and as Vice Chair of the Illinois Chairs Association, as well as advising numerous local political campaigns.
He was a 50-year member and past master of the Sesser Masonic Lodge, and a member of the Ainad Temple Shrine and Scottish Rite.
Services will be held at Woodlawn Christian Church on Saturday, October 11, at 12:59pm (iykyk), with Pastors Doug Junkins and Tracy Thomas officiating. Friends may call on the family between 5:00 and 8:00pm on Friday, October 10 at Hughey Funeral Home in Mount Vernon, or between 12:00 and 1:00pm on Saturday at Woodlawn Christian Church.
The family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Sara Elizabeth Stubblefield Memorial Foundation, care of Matthew Flanigan at Black, Ballard, & McDonald, PC, in Mount Vernon.
Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.