Henry County, Illinois Obituary and Death Notices Collection

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Date: Sunday, 23 March 2025, at 2:54 p.m.

Norma J. Fornoff
(May 22, 1930 - September 6, 2012)

KEWANEE - Norma J. Fornoff, 82, of Kewanee, passed away at 11:40 PM, Thursday, September 6, 2012 at Toulon Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.
Cremation has been accorded and a memorial service will be held at a later date.
Memorials may be directed to the family for a memorial to be established.
Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee, is in charge of arrangements.
She was born May 22, 1930 in Kewanee, the daughter of Albert and Martha (Anderson) Gipe.
She married Karl H. Fornoff on April 10, 1948 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kewanee, and he preceded her in death on July 5, 1979.
Survivors include her son, Thomas K. (Barbara) Fornoff of Manito, IL, her daughter, Sandra J. (Nicholas) Phillips of Bradford, five grandchildren, Debra L. Woiwode, Kenneth R. Fornoff and Susan K. (Joseph) Lay, all of Manito, IL, Kaitlin E. Phillips and her fiancé, Barry Cade of Sheffield, and Ashley P. Phillips of Bradford, and seven great-grandchildren, Megan and Madison Woiwode, Karley, Bailey and Avery Lay, Evelyn Fornoff and Jemma Cade.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, brother, Donald Gipe, half-sister, Ann Perkins, half-brother, Hadyn Beyers and a grandson-in-law, James Woiwode.
Norma was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Kewanee.
She was a homemaker, who enjoyed music, going out to eat, watching TV, especially soap operas and spending time with her family.

Bernice M. Corkill
September 12, 1917 - August 16, 2012

GALVA - Bernice M. Corkill, 94, of Galva, passed away at 12:58 PM, Thursday, August 16, 2012 at Courtyard Estates in Galva.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Monday, August 20 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Galva.
Pastor Linda Winkelman will officiate.
Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM, Sunday, August 19 at Rux Funeral Home in Galva.
Inurnment will be in Evergreen Memory Gardens in rural Kewanee.
Memorials may be directed to the Galva Ambulance or to the National Downs Syndrome Congress.
She was born September 12, 1917 in Andover, IL, the daughter of Edward and Amy (Elm) Walline.
She married Maynard J. Corkill on February 24, 1939 in Chicago, and he preceded her in death on September 19, 1997.
Survivors include her son, Alan (Joanne) Corkill of Galva, three grandchildren, Brian (Amy) Corkill and Lynda (Jim) Anderson, both of Galva, and Robert McClain of Country Club Hills, IL, and five great-grandchildren, Emma and Sophia “Sophie” Corkill and Sam, Nick and Hannah Anderson.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Ralph and a daughter, Ann M. Corkill.
Bernice graduated from Cambridge High School in 1934 and then attended Business College.
In her early years, she had worked as a bookkeeper for a law firm in Chicago, and then, later, had helped her husband on the farm.
She was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church and WELCA at the church.
She was also a member and President of the Farmland Ladies Advisory Board and in her early years, a member of Order of the Eastern Star and had been a Cub Scout Leader.
She enjoyed flying and traveling with her husband, doing genealogy work, reading and writing poetry and doing crossword puzzles.

Leona June Greiner
September 4, 1933 - September 9, 2012

KEWANEE - Leona June Greiner, 79, of Kewanee, passed away at 4:45 AM, Sunday, September 9, 2012 at Royal Oaks Care Center.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Thursday, September 13 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee.
Rev. Jerry Rafalko will officiate.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Wyoming Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to Royal Oaks Care Center.
She was born September 4, 1933 in Wyoming, IL, the daughter of Theodore and Rosie (Cooper) Knowles.
She married Frederick W. Greiner on September 27, 1956, and he preceded her in death on April 6, 1975.
Survivors include three daughters, Debra Rusk and significant other, James Schoals of Kewanee, Barbara Greiner of Colorado Springs, CO, and Ginger Bengston of Galva, a sister, Rosabel Moore of Wyoming, IL, seventeen grandchildren, twenty-nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, a son, Theodore, three brothers, one sister, a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter.
Leona was a homemaker and had did some babysitting.
She enjoyed playing bingo, reading and doing word puzzles.

Helen M. Kuster
(March 28, 1922 - August 17, 2012)

KEWANEE - Helen M. Kuster, 90, of Kewanee, passed away at 2:30 PM, Friday, August 17, 2012 at Toulon Health Care Center.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, August 22 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee.
Rev. David Schweppe will officiate.
Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM, Tuesday, August 21 at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church.
She was born March 28, 1922 in Kewanee, the daughter of Roy and Mabel Florence (Lundeen) Piester.
She married William “Bill” F. Kuster on July 8, 1944 in Kewanee, and he preceded her in death on March 9, 2004.
Survivors include a daughter-in-law, Carolyn Kuster of Kewanee, two grandchildren, Amy (Brian) Belsky of Kewanee and Angela (Jason) Siekierka of Wesley Chapel, FL, three great-grandchildren, Jacob Belsky and Adisyn and Alyssa Siekierka, a brother-in-law, Fred Kuster of Bettendorf, a nephew, David (Brenda) Kuster of Bettendorf, and three great-nieces and nephews, Andrea, Michael and Elizabeth. She was also preceded in death by her parents, a son, Ricky Kuster, a brother, William Piester, a sister in infancy and two sister-in-laws, Winnie Kuster and Cassie Piester.
She graduated from Kewanee High School in 1940.
She had worked as a supervisor for the J.C. Penney’s Catalog and she had also worked for the Walworth Company.
She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church.
She enjoyed knitting, cooking, camping and fishing.
She thoroughly enjoyed spending time with family and visiting with her friends.

Dave A. VanNieuwenhuyse
(April 23, 1949 - September 11, 2012)

KEWANEE - Dave VanNieuwenhuyse, 63, of Kewanee, passed away at 12:24 PM, Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at Genesis Medical Center, East Campus in Davenport, IA.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 15 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Celebrant will be Fr. Michael Hussey.
Visitation will be held from 4:00-8:00 PM, Friday, September 14 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee.
A rosary will be recited at 7:30 PM.
Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Dave VanNieuwenhuyse Memorial Fund.
He was born on April 23, 1949 in Kewanee, the son of Albert and Mary (Greenstreet) VanNieuwenhuyse.
He married Nancy L. Klundt on February 5, 1972 in Geneseo.
She survives, as do three sons, James (Kerry Swiger) of Geneseo, John of Galva, and Jason of Rhinelander, WI, three grandchildren, Amanda, Erica and Hunter, three sisters, Jeannie DeConinck of Kewanee, Janice (Gary) Geirnaeirt of Milledgeville, IL, and Beth (Dave) Harding of Bloomington, IL, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother-in-law, Robert DeConinck and a niece, Diane Hamm.
Dave attended Visitation Grade School and then graduated from Kewanee High School in 1967.
He attended Western Illinois University, graduating in 1971 and then, received his Master’s in Education from Xavier College in Chicago.
He taught art at Central School for 34 years, retiring in 2005.
He was Central Jr. High School Football Coach for 14 years, from 1974 to 1988.
He was the KHS High School Assistant Varsity Football Coach for 27 years, taking teams to the state playoffs in 1993, ’98 and ‘99.
He was also the KHS Track and Field Assistant Coach for 11 years, helping the program take 5 sectional titles (4 boys and 1 girls team.)
As a Kewanee High School Wrestling Coach, he was the assistant coach for 13 years and the Head coach for 12 years.
He holds the record for the longest tenure at KHS as a wrestling coach.
During his coaching tenure, he had the first 100 career win wrestler along with 7 state qualifiers, 3 state medalists, including state runner-up.
He was the official voice of the wrestling team at all home dual meets and tournaments.
He also served as the director of the KHS Invitational Tournament for the last 17 years.
He was an Eagle Scout and was the 2011 Honorary Kewanee Boilermaker.
Dave was a Kewanee Historical Society Volunteer and he enjoyed fishing, painting, drawing, traveling and especially spending time with his family.

Robert "Bob" Lee Murphy, Sr.
(June 29, 1938 - September 12, 2012)

KEWANEE - Robert “Bob” Lee Murphy, Sr., 74, of Kewanee, passed away at 10:03 AM, Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
Cremation has been accorded and a memorial service will be held at 7:00 PM, Monday, September 17 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until the time of the service at the funeral home.
Memorials may be directed to the family for a memorial to be established.
He was born June 29, 1938 in Cambridge, the son of L.L. and Margaret (Virgo) Murphy.
He married Carmen Scovil on June 19, 1960 in Cambridge.
She survives, as do six children, Robert (Denice) Murphy, Jr. of Colona, Scott (Peteann) Murphy, Penney Bengston, Susan Doye and Kevin Murphy, all of Kewanee, and Rick (Alicia) Murphy of Port Byron, two brothers, Ronnie (Mary Jane) Murphey of Kewanee, and Loren Murphey of Kansas City, KS, a sister, Evelyn (Richard) Wilson of Kansas City, KS, twelve grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Wilmer, Alvin, LaVerne and Fred and two sisters, Anne Marie and Judy.
Bob served his country in the National Guard.
He had worked construction, as a garbage collector and as a welder.
He enjoyed shooting pics and darts, camping, fishing, bowling, playing pool, mowing and woodworking.
He was a generous man who donated much of his time to the former Eagles Club and Moose Lodge.

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