Ann Lynette Harshman Obituary (1951 - 2019)

Ann Lynette Harshman, 68, passed away on Sunday, May 26, 2019 in her home. Graveside service will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Zion Township Cemetery. A gathering to celebrate Ann's life will be held immediately following at Coz's Restaurant, 1405 E. Village Parkway, Mt. Zion. Memorial contributions be made to the Decatur Women's Golf Association Ann Harshman Memorial Fund, 585 S. Monroe St., Decatur, IL 62522 or the Decatur Obedience Training Club, 130 E. Warren St, Warrensburg, IL 62573. Dawson & Wikoff Funeral Home, Mt. Zion is assisting the family with services. Ann was born on Feb. 8, 1951 at Decatur Macon County Hospital to Jack and Jean Harshman, who have preceded her in death. She grew up in Mt Zion, attending school in Mt Zion until her parents moved to Sullivan and graduating from Sullivan High School. She graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in medical records in 1973 and was a member of Pi Beta Phi women's fraternity. Upon graduation, she began her career in medical records at Decatur Memorial Hospital where she worked for more than 44 years, serving most recently as a transcription liaison, after years as a coder, project manager, and manager of Health Information Management. Ann was well respected throughout the hospital as a helpful and caring hard worker who served the health providers and patients well. An exceptional athlete, outside work, you could see Ann pursuing one of her many sports interests. But more likely than not, you would find her playing a round of golf on her own, with friends, in tournaments or benefit outings, as golf was the sport she loved the most. Ann was one of the most decorated women golfer's in Decatur history, winning the Decatur Area Women's Open (also known as the city tournament) eight times, the Decatur Senior Women's Tournament ten times, and winning numerous scrambles at charity golf events (most often capturing the proximity prize for closest to the pin and/or longest drive). Ann was respected for her sportsmanship, her humbleness and her nurturing of young up and coming women golfers. Ann was also known state-wide, playing in invitational events or making her mark in the Illinois Women's Golf Association events, such as the state women's amateur and state senior women's amateur tournament, which she participated in for 19 consecutive years. She also served a term as President of the Decatur Senior Women's Tournament. When not playing golf, you might find Ann playing in local softball leagues, racquetball leagues, or more recently playing pickleball. An animal lover, Ann was devoted to her dogs and cats, which she treated as family. She was active in the Decatur Obedience Training Club, especially with their agility trials. She volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, Homeward Bound, and was a member of Central Christian Church. She is survived by her brother Stephen (Peggy) Harshman, nieces Laura Gorecki, Sarah Jo Harshman, Jenni (Dee) Carter, and nephews Christopher Harshman and Rob (Laura) Dumblauskas, and step-sisters Teresa (Rocky) Maple, Cinda McCabe, Jennifer Keepper, and step-brother Douglas Keepper, her beloved Oliver, Lexi, and Ellen, her DMH family, her golf family, her pickleball family, and her dog enthusiast family. Special thanks to her doctors, nurses, and caregivers at DMH and Cancer Care Specialists of Central Illinois. And a special thanks to Ruff- Inn-It.