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Karen Hansen
business woman
CHEBANSE -- Karen Rae Hansen, loving wife and mother and successful business woman, died on Feb. 25, 2003 while aboard a cruise ship. She died peacefully in her sleep of a heart attack.
Karen and her husband, Jeff, had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a party and the cruise.
Karen, 44, was born Dec. 10, 1958, in Kankakee, the daughter of Ray K. and Bettyjane F. Styck Bertrand of Bourbonnais.
A resident of Chebanse, Karen was married
to Jeffery Frank Hansen in Bourbonnais on Jan. 20, 1978.
Survivors include her husband, her parents and fraternal twin daughters, Kelly and Kristy Hansen, who are juniors at Central High School in Clifton.
Other survivors are a sister and brother-in-law, Kim and Kevin Mauritzen of Kankakee; a brother, Keith Bertrand of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; her father-in-law and wife, Harry and Kay Hansen of Bourbonnais; sister-in-law and husband, Julie and Jeff Lambert of Clifton; brother-in-law and wife, Tom and Kathleen Hansen of Orlando, Fla., along with several nieces and nephews.
Karen was preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents and her mother-in-law, Verna Hansen.
Karen, along with her husband, Jeff, father-in-law, Harry Hansen, and sister-in-law, Julie Lambert, owned and operated Hansen Window Covering and Upholstery.
She was a 1976 graduate of Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School.
Known for her passion for life, Karen enjoyed walking each day in Chebanse with her husband, Jeff. Karen also enjoyed cooking for friends and family, retreating to the family home on the Iroquois River, playing softball, reading, traveling and watching all high school sports. She was a collector of "Snow Babies."
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, March 3, 2003, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Clifton by the Rev. Lee Bacchi. Burial will be in Sts. Mary and Joseph's cemetery in Chebanse. Friends may call at the Knapp Funeral Home in Clifton from 2-6 p.m. Sunday.
Memorials are to be made for her daughters' education.
Martha Skibinski
teacher
FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Martha Jane Skibinski, 67, of Fort Wayne, Ind., formerly of Kankakee, died Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2003) in Fort Wayne.
Private services will be held.
Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens in Fort Wayne.
Covington Memorial Funeral Home, Fort Wayne, Ind., is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Skibinski was an elementary education teacher.
She was born Feb. 15, 1936 in Central City.
Surviving are two sons and one daughter-in-law, Bruce and Denise Skibinski and Bobby Dean Skibinski; two brothers, Robert Gore and James Gore; and two grandchildren.
Sandra Smith
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Sandra Smith, 63, of Las Vegas, Nev., formerly of Kankakee, died Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2003) in Las Vegas.
Visitation will be from 3-9 p.m. Sunday at the Beverly Ridge Funeral Home, 10415 S. Kedzie Ave., Chicago. Services will be held 9:15 a.m. Monday from the funeral home to Queen of Martyrs Church for the 10 a.m. celebration of the funeral Mass.
Burial will be in Chapel Hill Gardens South cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Creekside Hospice, 3626 Pecos McLeod, Suite 15, Las Vegas, NV 80121.
She was born Feb. 24, 1940, the daughter of John and Marie Carlson. Her parents are deceased.
Surviving are her husband, Ernest Smith; and many cousins.
Randolph Spires,
Livingston County judge
PONTIAC -- Randolph "Randy" Roth Spires, 51, of Pontiac, Livingston County associate judge, died Thursday (Feb. 27, 2003) at BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal. He had been ill the past six months.
Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church, Pontiac, where services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday. Revs. Jason Woolever and Gretchen Stinebaugh will officiate.
Burial will be in Houder cemetery in rural Pontiac.
Memorials may be made to the District 429 Education Foundation or to the Livingston County Health Department Cancer Fund.
Arrangements are by the Harris-Martin-Burke Funeral Home in Pontiac.
From March 1977 until August 1979, he was an assistant state's attorney in the Livingston County state's attorney's office. On Sept. 1, 1979, he joined the law firm of Satter, Ewing and Beyer in Pontiac. In 1982, he became a partner in the law firm of Satter, Beyer and Spires, where he practiced until he became a judge in August 1998.
He was born April 5, 1951, in Streator, the son of Emerson and Ruth E. "Betty" Roth Spires.
Surviving are his wife, the former Cheryl Williams, whom he married
April 27, 1991, in Pontiac; two daughters, Claire Elizabeth Spires and Grace Ann Spires, both at home; one son, Brett William Spires at home; his father of Pontiac; his mother of Streator; and three stepsisters, Joyce Spachman of Riverside, Barb Biroschik of Lexington, Ky., and Beverly Clarkson of Glendale, Ariz.
He received his undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and graduated from John Marshall Law School in 1977.
Judge Spires was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Pontiac; Pontiac Elks Club; Pontiac Masonic Lodge; Illinois Judges Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.
Evelyn Torbet
MILFORD -- Evelyn Marie "Babe" Torbet, 87, of Milford, died Thursday (Feb. 27, 2003) at Watseka Health Care Center.
Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Monday at the Knapp Funeral Home in Milford.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Milford Methodist Church, where she was a member. Rev. Pat Allen will officiate.
Burial will be in Maple Grove cemetery, Milford.
Memorials may be made to the Milford Ambulance Service or to the donor's choice.
Mrs. Torbet was a cook at the Grade School in Milford and worked at Howard Industries and Crows Seed Corn Company in Milford.
She was born Feb. 23, 1916, in Danforth, the daughter of Herman and Minnie Duits Beherns.
Surviving are her husband, Laverne "Dilly" Torbet of Milford; three daughters and sons-in-law, Carol and Pat Hauert of Tumwater, Wash., Joyce and Jim Reutter of Milford, Connie and Bill Kruse of Gibson City; one sister, Mabel McVicker of Bourbonnais; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Five brothers and two sisters are deceased.
Victor White
NAPLES, Fla. -- Victor "Vic" White, 68 of Naples, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2003). Vic moved to Naples in 1995 from Manteno.
He worked for Republic Steel as a supervisor for over 30 years
He also was an honorably discharged veteran serving in the U.S. Army.
Vic is survived by his loving wife of over 41 years, Roberta "Bonnie" White; two daughters and sons-in-law, Cheryl and Brian Ritter of Charlotte, N.C., and Lesly and John Tekampe of Sarasota, , Fla.; his son and daughter-in-law Victor "Skip" and Pam White of Manteno; and his sister, Florence King of Barefoot Bay, Fla.
Vic was known as "Baba" to his beloved grandchildren, Victoria, Brianna, Carrington, Emily, James, Melissa and Michelle; and his "granddogs, " Casey and Daytona.
The family will receive friends at a memorial gathering Saturday, March 1, 2003 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Hodges Funeral Chapel, 3520 Tamiami Trail North. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 990 First Avenue South, Suite 200, Naples FL 34102 in his memory.
Inez Guest
SEBRING, Fla. -- Visitation for Inez Ann Guest, 69, of Sebring, Fla., a former local resident, was from 11 a.m. Monday until the noon services at the Kankakee Chapel of the Schreffler Funeral Homes. Pastor Bob Fear officiated.
Burial was in Kankakee Memorial Gardens cemetery. Pallbearers were Mike Smith, Corey and Steve Eich and Scott McFarlane.
Memorials may be made to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 4300 National Children's Home.
She died Thursday (Feb. 20, 2003) at her home in Florida.
Ms. Guest worked for Amberg File in Kankakee before moving to Florida, and for Wal-Mart in Florida.
She was born Dec. 27, 1933 in Reddick, the daughter of Francis M. Sr. and Zelma D. Milling Guest. Her parents are deceased.
Surviving are five sisters and four brothers-in-law, Mary Lou and Jack Ericsson of Rogers, Ark., Kay and Marion Smith of Urbana, Jean and Don Boling of Warrenton, Mo., Verla Jorden of Moline, Rena and Bob Eich of Herscher; one uncle, Harold Milling of Kankakee; special friends, Jane Wolf and Charlie Grasser; six nephews; four nieces; and 12 great-nieces and great-nephews.
Two brothers, Mick and Jack Guest; and one brother-in-law, Bill Jorden, are deceased.
She was of the Methodist faith and a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 4300 and the American Legion Auxiliary in Sebring, Fla.
Tressie Hiles
educator
Tressie L. Hiles, 80, of Kankakee, died Sunday (Feb. 23, 2003) at Provena Heritage Village.
Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, where she was a member. Rev. Dennis Settles will officiate.
Burial will be in Mt. Calvary cemetery.
She retired from her teaching career in 1985 while at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School.
She was born April 26, 1922, in Braidwood, the daughter of Joseph and Josephine Leach who preceded her in death.
Her husband, Thomas H. Hiles of Wilmington, whom she married
June 10, 1944 at St. Peter Catholic Church in New Castle, Del., died April 20, 1990.
Surviving are two daughters and sons-in-law, Ruth Anne and Glenn Seamark of Lake Forest, Calif., Mary and Ken Coash of Rantoul; one daughter-in-law, Marcia Hiles of Kankakee; one sister, Josephine Sullivan of Braidwood; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
One son, Thomas "Joe" Hiles; and one grandson, Joseph Coash, are deceased.
Mrs. Hiles graduated from Illinois State (Normal) University in 1943 with a degree in business education.
She was a member of the Kankakee County Retired Teachers and the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. Mrs. Hiles was a volunteer for Provena St. Mary's Hospital with more than 5, 000 hours of service. She was a member of the CCW of her church and of Provena St. Mary's Auxiliary.
Her love for family and friends was one of her greatest joys.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Kankakee Valley, the American Cancer Society or to Provena St. Mary's Auxiliary.
