Dianne Crisp, 69, of Benton passed away on Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
Dianne was born July 7, 1955, to Paul “Toots” and Frankie Lou (Sneed) Howard.
She gave her heart to Jesus Christ at an early age and loved being a part of the youth group. GA’s and Acteens at North Benton Baptist Church. Although she enjoyed life as a child, becoming a teenager and receiving her driver’s license was such a fun time. During her 16th year she was one of the last lifeguards at the Benton City Swimming Pool at Lake Benton. Her boss was Gene Alexander, “Mr. A.”
After graduating Benton Consolidated High School in 1973, she took classes at Rend Lake College and continuing education classes with ICLE and the US Bankruptcy Court. In 1975, she married Mark S. Crisp, the love of her life and they had two precious boys: Dustin “Dusty” Mark Crisp, (Chelsea), Rylee, Raygan and Parker and David Joshua “Bubba” Crisp, (Bethany), Tinley, Lexi, Grace, and Silas and two Brothers David Paul Howard, Jr (Jo) and Douglas T. Howard (Kara).
She enjoyed being a homemaker and mother. After her children were in school she worked a number of years with various attorneys at law: Joseph Hickman, David B. Garavalia, and Pamela S. Lacey. Following many years in the legal circuit, she began working for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of IL, Benton office. She spent 20 years at the US Bankruptcy Court and retired as a Deputy Clerk.
During the time she was working, she took many and various mission trips abroad to Ivanova, Russia; Playa Del Carmen, Mexico; Santiago, Dominican Republic; and stateside to St. Louis, MO; and Chicago, IL. She and Mark traveled together with trips to the Bahamas, Vancouver, BC, Puerto Rico, Chicago, Hawaii (2), New York (5), Boston (2), all of the New England States, and many times to Washington, DC. But their favorite getaway was St. Louis, MO. One of her most memorable trips with Mark was to Paris, France for their 25th anniversary.
She enjoyed reading about the actors and actresses of the golden age of Hollywood and watched the TCM Movie Channel. She also loved the musicials of the 40’s and 50’s, and made numerous trips to the Fox and Muny Theaters in St. Louis, MO. Eventually, she got to see several of her favorite musicals on Broadway in New York City.
After retiring she worked for the Franklin Baptist Association as the Women’s Director. It was important to her that people knew how much she loved Jesus Christ. She wanted others to know Her Savior in a personal relationship. She was the Women’s Missions Leader and a Bible Study Teacher while serving at Steel City Church. Reading and studying the Bible was a priority in her life. She loved anything to do with theology, doctrine and studying the “Jewish-ness” of Jesus, her Savior. One of her most exciting and favored trips was to the Holy Land in Israel.
She was obsessed about Heaven, and read many books and listened to CD’s and pastors on this subject; because she knew she would spend eternity there with Jesus Christ!
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 P.M. on Saturday, August 24th at the Steel City Baptist Church 9241 Crawford St. Benton, IL 62812. Burial will be in the Masonic & Odd Fellows Cemetery in Benton. Visitation will be from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. at the church on Saturday.
The family requests No flowers. Instead they ask that Memorials be made to Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, North American Mission Board or Zbinden Ministries.
For more information or to send online condolences please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com
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