Deanna (Lhamon) Oltman

Deanna (Lhamon) Oltman (nee Hoover) of Tampa, FL — formerly of Pekin, IL — passed away on December 9, 2024 at the Cedarhurst Assisted Living facility in Waterloo, IL. She was 85 years old. For the last 10 days of her life, she was under the sympathetic care of Hospice of Southern Illinois while residing at Cedarhurst.

She was predeceased by her husband, Vincent Oltman; her parents, Harold and Dorothy (Shreves) Hoover; and her brothers, Jack, Richard, and Rodger Hoover. Deanna is survived by her children, Traci (Steven) Lindhart and Gregory (Deidre) Lhamon, as well as their children, Rafe Lindhart, Bree (Nicholas) Avery, Taylor Lhamon and Rachel Lhamon. Her great grandson, Wade Avery, arrived in 2023. She is also survived by two step-granddaughters, Ashlee Ranney and Emily Ranney, along with a sister-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

Deanna will be remembered for her laugh. It was unfettered and lively and always close to the surface. She had a host of stories from her childhood that she told and retold and became funnier with each retelling. If you shared a story, she would listen intently and throw her arms into the air and bellow with laughter at all the funny parts. She was your best audience.

If you were hurting, she would honor you by listening deeply. She would pull you in close and embrace you. If you were lonely, she would call you to talk for as long as you needed. Or she would write you a lengthy, hand-written letter. And she would pray for you regularly afterwards. She became your safe place.

Deanna was born in Peoria, IL and her family later relocated to North Pekin. Her widowed mother, Dorothy, raised Deanna and her three brothers on a very low income while living in Harrison Homes, a housing project in Peoria, IL. In recalling those years, Deanna would say, “We didn’t know we were poor. We just learned to have fun for free.”

As a young girl growing up with three brothers, Deanna was the quintessential tomboy. She matched the local boys step-for-step as they ran through the neighborhood and climbed trees and wriggled their way up a three-story spiral slide that served as a fire escape at the local elementary school. When Deanna was approaching her pre-teen years, her mother pulled her aside and said, “Deanna, it’s time to come out of those trees and start behaving like a young woman.”

And so she did. Deanna would embrace her femininity for the rest of her life.

In high school, Deanna developed a passion for tap dancing. She never lacked for dates during her high school years as young men were drawn to her casual confidence. In her senior yearbook from Pekin Community High School, the yearbook staff included a motto that served to sum up a student’s personality. The phrase written under Deanna’s picture was: “She will dance her way through life.”

And so she did. Both literally and metaphorically.

At company holiday parties or at family gatherings, Deanna would sometimes don her silver tap shoes and sequined red leotard and tap her heart out. She did so not to call attention to herself, but simply for the love of dancing.

On October 14, 1960, Deanna married Vernon “Larry” Lhamon. Their first child, Traci, arrived on September 9, 1961. A couple of years later on December 17, 1963, she gave birth to Greg.

Deanna’s supreme desire in life was to be a homemaker and mother. When her marriage to Larry unraveled a few years later, she was thrust into the workforce - something she never envisioned for herself. She worked as a secretary for various companies in Peoria.

But her heart was for her children and extended family. Her children recall fondly the long conversations that were held at the green card table in their living room. The conversations were freewheeling and vibrant and sometimes sad, but always peppered with laughter. Always.

It was in those years Deanna found her spiritual home at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pekin. It’s where her faith in Jesus blossomed and deepened and took root. It is where her children were baptized and confirmed. Her life was forever shaped by the Gospel, thanks to the ministry of St. John’s.

It’s also where she met her soulmate, Vincent “Buzz” Oltman.

On June 1, 1985, Deanna and Buzz were married. Deanna lovingly welcomed Buzz’s daughter, Cari (Oltman) Ranney and her husband, Mike into her family.

Deanna and Buzz loved to have all of their grandkids together for playtime in their backyard in Pekin. They would play in the sprinkler and do crafts and she would teach them how to make pies from scratch. But the grandkids’ favorite thing to do with Grandma/Nana was to play Nancy Drew computer games. They would put their heads together to solve the mysteries in the whodunnit and squeal loudly at the scary parts. Grandma most of all.

In October 2016, Deanna and Buzz moved from their hometown of Pekin to a retirement community in Tampa, FL to be near Traci. One of the most difficult aspects of moving was giving up her sewing room in their basement. Deanna spent hours lost in her fabrics making doll clothes and gifts for others. She had a heart for quilts because of the time and dedication that goes into their creation. Deanna collected them and even completed some begun by her mother.

As their years in Florida went by, Deanna developed chronic pain from scoliosis and spinal stenosis which limited her mobility. Buzz, too, became less mobile due to his advancing age. But their inability to move around didn’t limit their socializing. In fact, their home in the senior living community became known as “The Party House.” Each day at 4pm, neighbors would show up with brownies and snacks or a bottle of wine and gather to laugh and talk and swap stories. People found connection at Deanna and Buzz’s happy hour.

Throughout her life, Deanna was a letter writer. She was fond of saying, “A letter is a lifeline to those who are lonely.” So she wrote to friends and family members and shut-ins at church. For a while even, she wrote hand-written welcome cards to visitors at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church where she and Buzz attended in Tampa. Her letters were long and thoughtful and filled with warmth. It was one of the ways she lived out her faith to care for the lonely and brokenhearted.

In April 2021, her dear Buzz passed away. They had prayed that God would give them 25 years together when they first married. God gave them nearly 36.

In August of 2024 after a fall, Deanna moved to an assisted living facility in Waterloo, IL near her son Greg. She quickly became a favorite of the staff.

During the final weeks of her life, Deanna longed to be free from the chronic pain that had plagued her for nearly 20 years. And her heart was filled with hope in meeting her Savior Jesus and to be reunited with her husband and mother and brothers and her dear friend, Mary Alice Hadley.

When she breathed her last breath on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 6:02am, she was surrounded by her family. Even her grandkids were with her, thanks to technology. The family finds comfort in Deanna’s favorite Bible verse regarding the passing of a believer: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15

Deanna is now free from pain. She is now reunited with family that was her inspiration in life. And she’s likely dancing too.

A funeral service is being held at 1:00pm on Saturday, December 21, 2024 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 711 Court Street, Pekin, IL with Pastor Daniel Bishop officiating. Visitation begins at 12:00pm at the church prior to the service. Internment will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens immediately following where she will be laid to rest next to Buzz. Henderson Funeral Home & Crematory has been entrusted with Deanna’s arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Deanna’s name to St. John’s Lutheran Church (https://www.stjohnpekin.com) or The Covering House (https://www.thecoveringhouse.org/donate).