Loretta Mouser, 76, of Bridgeport, IL, passed away on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Regional Hospital in Terre Haute, IN.
Born on August 17, 1948, in Robinson, IL, Loretta grew up with a sense of purpose and a steady stride. After graduating from Robinson High School with the Class of 1966, she went on to Lockyear Business College, where she honed her skills in bookkeeping—a field that came as naturally to her as breathing. Loretta had a gift for numbers, and she put it to work at Victor Dana, Pepsi, and LS Heath & Sons. Wherever she was, her sharp mind and quick wit kept things running smoothly.
Life took her and her husband, Charlie, on a journey—each new job bringing them to new places, from Illinois to Georgia to Kentucky. But after a string of corporate buyouts—Potter & Brumfield to Siemens to Tyco—they decided it was time to stop moving and come back home, where Loretta rounded out her career with Golden Rule Insurance.
Fast on her feet and even faster to speak her mind, Loretta never wasted time with half-measures. She could breeze through Walmart like a champion, grabbing exactly what she needed and moving on with that determined glint in her eye. She had an artist’s heart, too—drawing cartoon characters that could bring a smile to anyone’s face and painting those “happy little trees” that Bob Ross made famous, each brushstroke reflecting her vibrant spirit.
Loretta found joy in the simple, everyday tasks of caring for her home. She loved to work in the yard and tend her garden—strawberries, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers—growing each plant with the same selfless care she gave to the people she loved. She was always active, always moving, always putting her family first—especially her grandkids. Chance called her “Grandma,” and Kendra and Chase called her “Nana,” but to all of them, she was the one who got down on the floor to play checkers and Uno, who let them win just often enough, and who taught them that love isn’t just something you say—it’s something you do.
Loretta was a spitfire—outspoken, high-spirited, and to the point. You never had to wonder what she was thinking—she’d tell you herself! But underneath that fierce honesty was a well of warmth and an unwavering devotion to those she held dear. In the end, that was Loretta’s greatest gift: the fierce, everyday kind of love that made a house a home, and a family something to treasure.
She leaves behind her husband of 38 years, Charlie Mouser; her sons & daughters-in-law, Chris & Carol Guyer and Richie & Tiffany Guyer; her grandchildren, Kendra Guyer, Chance Guyer, and Chase Guyer; and her brother & sister-in-law, Steve & Jan Jenkins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Omer Jenkins and Rosabel “Rosie” (Catt) Jenkins, and by her sister, Omara Kay Jenkins, in infancy.
A private family service will be held in the Oblong Cemetery at a later date. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson is in charge of arrangements.
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