“I shall pass through this world but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” (Stephen Greliet 1773-1885)

This is the motto Bob and Joyce Close try to live by.

Bob Close was born in Peoria in 1945. He went to Mossville school and then graduated from Chillicothe High in the class of 1963. After high school, he went to the Universal Trade School in Omaha Nebraska to learn to be an auto mechanic. He came back home, worked at Hyster and then Caterpillar, and got married. The marriage didn’t last, but from that union, he had two children,—Jason and Joshua. When he was on strike at Caterpillar, he saw a job opening at PARC and started working as a job coach for clients there. He found he really enjoyed working by helping others learn to be self-sufficient.

Joyce Sprehe was born in Waukegan in 1947. She went to school in Fort Wayne until her father, who was a parochial teacher and principal, accepted a job in Peoria at Christ Lutheran School. Joyce went to grade school there and then graduated from Manual High in Peoria. She then decided to go to nursing school, but never finished because she got married and nursing students were not allowed to be married at that time. One year later she had her daughter Tammy. Her husband then enlisted in the Air Force and the marriage did not survive. To support herself and her daughter, Joyce found herself a job at Kroger as a checker. Bob was teaching the clients from PARC how to bag groceries when the cute checker caught his eye—her name was Joyce. They talked for a while, but didn’t connect until later when he went back and asked her out, and that as they say, is history. Bob and Joyce have been married for 30 years, and they have five grandchildren.

Serving his community and helping others is at the top of Bob’s list. He has always been involved in many clubs and organizations. He was a member of the Mohammad Shriner Funmakers as a clown and performed in parades for years, and can still be found in his clown costume riding his bike in local parades. He is a Mason at the George Washington Lodge in Chillicothe, and regularly volunteers for the pancake and sausage breakfasts they put on. He volunteers at the Chillicothe Park District, where he helped build Coal Hollow Park, just north of town, from the ground up. He also coordinates the Senior Steppers events for the Park District, by organizing hikes and outings for the seniors. For all his efforts in 2023 the Park District awarded him the Jack Hammer Award for volunteerism. Bob’s an active member of the Optimist’s Club and can be found helping at most all their events. He volunteers at Blue Ridge Community Farm by mowing their grass and volunteers at the Three Sisters Spring Planting event in the shelling barn each year. He is also an amateur photographer and he has shot some beautiful award winning worthy photos.

With both Bob and Joyce their church, Trinity Lutheran in Peoria, is their focus. Bob  teaches Faithful Friends—a special needs Sunday School class. They both are on the Braille team that prints 3,300 calendars to be shipped worldwide for the blind. They are also ushers and volunteer at the food pantry at the church.

Joyce is part of the Lutheran Woman’s Missionary League Quilting group that ships quilts all over the world. The group also provides quilts for the Ronald McDonald House in Peoria. Each family is given a quilt to use during their stay and then to take home with them when they leave. Joyce enjoys playing handbells and singing in the choir at her church, too.

Joyce has been in the Optimist’s Club since 2008 and sits on their board. You can find her participating in all their fundraisers during the year. At home, she loves her flower garden and her “She Shed” which is more like a tiny house where she can quilt, craft, or just sit, relax, and reflect.

In 2015, Joyce was diagnosed with breast cancer and in 2016 Bob was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but that was only a bump in the road for them. They both went through treatment and are now cancer-free.

Asked what they were most proud of, they both pondered for just a moment and Bob said, “For me, it’s knowing that I’m helping others and making a difference in people’s lives.” Joyce replied, “I think it’s my church work, knowing I’m helping others all around the world get much-needed reading materials and goods.”

If we all lived our lives like the lines written by Stephan Greliets, what a beautiful world this would be. Thank you, Bob and Joyce, for taking this verse to heart, giving of yourselves, and living a life of service. We are grateful to you both for making a difference in this world.