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Samantha Spicer
PONTIAC -- Samantha Jean Spicer, 20, of Pontiac, and the granddaughter of a Dwight resident, died Monday (Jan. 13, 2003) in Lafayette, Ind.
Visitation will be from 1 p.m. Thursday until the 2 p.m. services at the Hager Memorial Home in Dwight. Rev. Robert Crane will officiate.
Cremation rites will be accorded.
Memorials may be made to the family.
She was born July 7, 1982 in Waukegan.
Surviving are her mother and stepfather, Donna (Head) and Paul Haley of Pontiac; father, Jeffrey Grissom of Winthrop Harbor, formerly of Dwight; one sister, Maryann Grissom of Baker, Calif.; one brother, John Grissom at home; paternal grandparents, Wayne and Tola Haley of Dwight and John and Glady Grissom of Zion; maternal grandfather, Marvin Head of Wichita, Kan.; seven aunts, three uncles and one nephew.
Her maternal grandmother; one brother; and one uncle, are deceased.
She had attended Pontiac Township High School.
Blanche Harwood
CRESCENT CITY -- Services for Blanche Morton Harwood, 83, of Crescent City, were held Jan. 14 at the Crescent City United Methodist Church. Rev. Jay DeMent officiated.
Mrs. Harwood died Jan. 12, 2003.
Burial was in the Flesher cemetery. Pallbearers were David, Steve, John, Brian and Wayne Decker and Bill Morton.
Lawrence DesLauriers
Visitation for Lawrence Des Lauriers, 93, of Kankakee, will be from 9:30 a.m. Saturday until the 10 a.m. celebration of the funeral Mass at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, where he was a member.
Burial will be in Mound Grove Gardens cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Sts. Patrick and Teresa School or to Immaculate Conception School in Morris.
Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais is in charge of arrangements.
He died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at Bradley Royale Health Care Center.
Mr. DesLauriers was a self-employed contractor.
He was born June 15, 1909, in Kankakee, the son of Edward and Ida Dupuis DesLauriers.
His first wife, the former Velma Judy, whom he married
May 4, 1935, at St. Rose Rectory, died May 9, 1978.
He then married
the former Audrey Wulffe Feb. 9, 1980. She died in May 2002.
Surviving are one son and daughter-in-law, Kim and Trudy DesLauriers of Morris; one daughter, Molly Jones of Bradley; three stepdaughters, Ann Allegro of Kankakee, Mary Harrison of So. Holland, Sally White of Lafayette, Colo.; one sister, Ursula Earnshaw of Seattle, Wash.; and four grandchildren.
One son, David DesLauriers; two sisters, Clotilde DesLauriers and Aurelia Cross; and three brothers, Leo, Urbain and Adhemar DesLauriers, are deceased.
He enjoyed playing bridge and was a Cubs fan.
Norma Giertz
CHEBANSE -- Visitation for Norma Louise Giertz, 81, of Chebanse, will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday at the Knapp Funeral Home in Clifton.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Zion Lutheran Church in Chebanse, where she was a member. Rev. Kene Whybrew will officiate.
Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery, Chebanse.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Kankakee Valley.
Mrs. Giertz died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at her home.
She was born Feb. 20, 1921, in Chicago, the daughter of Paul and Elsie Rosenberg Dau.
Her husband, Herman H. Giertz, whom she married
June 10, 1950, in Chicago, is deceased.
Surviving are one son, Paul Giertz of Chebanse; two daughters, Louise Giertz of Edwardsville, Anita Giertz of Chebanse; one sister, Erna Boness of Chebanse; and one grandson, Justin.
One brother, two sisters and one son, are deceased.
Mrs. Giertz was a member of the Ladies Aid and the Birthday Club.
She enjoyed baking and singing in her church choir.
James Greenwood
former Journal classified manager
GRAPEVINE, Texas -- James A. Greenwood, 82, of Grapevine, Texas, formerly of Memphis, Tenn., and Kankakee, died Monday (Jan. 13, 2003).
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, Tenn.
Entombment will be in Memorial Park Mausoleum.
Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association.
Mr. Greenwood was a former Classified Advertising Manager at the Daily Journal. He was also the former manager of Transeas Travel in Kankakee.
His wife, Beverly Greenwood, died May 1, 1999.
Surviving are one daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Larry Cross of Houston, Texas; one son and daughter-in-law, James M. and Harla Greenwood of Grapevine, Texas; one brother, Pat Greenwood of San Marcos, Texas; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mr. Greenwood served eight consecutive terms as a member of the International Board of Advisers, being the only manager to have served more than two consecutive terms. He was honored by the Association of Newspaper Classified Advertising Managers with the presentation of the "Distinguished Service Award" for services rendered the classified fraternity and for the efforts extended in advancing classified advertising. During the three years of its existence he was twice the recipient of the "MacDonald Gold Cup Award" for having developed what was judged the best classified advertising idea presented at the Mississippi Valley Advertising Convention.
He was a past member of the Kankakee American Legion and a past commanding officer of Co. E., 129th Infantry, which was the Kankakee unit of the Illinois National Guard. He entered service with Kankakee's Co. L, 129th Infantry in 1941. He served twice as an officer in the European Theater, and saw action at Bari, Italy and at Anzio beachhead. He left the Army with the rank of captain.
Thomas Johnston,
Vietnam War vet
Visitation for Thomas Johnston, 53, of Kankakee, will be from 4-8 p.m. today at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais, where services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday. Rev. Andy Hansen will officiate.
Burial will be in the Abraham Lincoln National cemetery in Elwood.
Memorials may be made to the family wishes.
He died Monday (Jan. 13, 2003) at his home.
Mr. Johnston was an employee of Peotone School District at Wilton Center.
He was born Feb. 25, 1949, in Kankakee, the son of Vaughn and Dorothy Anderson Johnston. His parents are deceased.
Surviving are one son, Thomas Johnston Jr. of Oregon; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Donna and Larry Kane of Alvarado, Texas, Beverly and Wayne Studer and Mary Understahl, all of Bradley; one brother, Edward Johnston of Kankakee; several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
One brother, Norman "Mike" Johnston, is deceased.
He was a graduate of Eastridge High School.
Mr. Johnston was a U.S. Navy veteran serving during the Vietnam War.
He was a member of Open Bible Church.
He enjoyed fishing and hiking.
Elizabeth Larsen,
former nurses aide
CLIFTON -- Elizabeth O. Larsen, 85, of Clifton, died Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2003) at Provena St. Mary's Hospital in Kankakee, after a short illness.
Visitation will be from 2-6 p.m. Sunday at the Knapp Funeral Home in Clifton, and from 9:30 a.m. Monday until the 10:30 a.m. services at Zion Lutheran Church in Clifton, where she was a member. Rev. William Callister will officiate.
Burial will be in the Clifton cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Zion Lutheran Church, Clifton or to the Prairieview Lutheran Home in Danforth.
Mrs. Larsen was a retired nurses aide.
She was born June 10, 1917, in Danforth, the daughter of Anton "Tony" and Ada Karr Sparenberg.
Her husband, Erik Cullen "Cullie" Larsen, whom she married
Dec. 8, 1940, in Danforth, died Jan. 31, 1988.
Surviving are one son and daughter-in-law, David and Susan Larsen of Chebanse; one daughter and son-in-law, Janis and Jack LeRoy of Clifton; one brother, Richard Sparenberg of Clifton; seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Six brothers and two sisters are deceased.
She enjoyed reading, embroidery and crafting.
Raymond Mehochko,
WW II vet
HARVEY -- Raymond J. Mehochko, 80, of Harvey, and the father of a Beecher resident, died Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2003) at Prairie Manor Nursing Home.
Visitation will be from 2-9 p.m. Friday at the Hack Funeral Home in Beecher.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Hillsboro. Rev. J. Neuman will officiate.
Burial will be in St. Agnes cemetery, Hillsboro.
Mr. Mehochko had worked at Dominick's Grocery.
He was born Nov. 19, 1922, the son of Joseph and Mary Reschak Mehochko.
Surviving are his wife, the former Barbara J. Pivour, whom he married
May 11, 1946, of Harvey; one son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Mary Mehochko of Beecher; three sisters and one brother-in-law, Delores Mehoch ko of Peoria, Mary Ann and Bob Vogel of Springfield, Lorraine Dzurovicin; and two grandchildren.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran serving during World War II and a member of the Harvey American Legion.
Almeda Nemeth
ST. CHARLES -- Almeda Nemeth, 73, of St. Charles, formerly of Kankakee, died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at her daughter Rebecca's home in St. Charles.
Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. today at the Yurs Funeral Home, 405 E. Main St., St. Charles.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Friday at St. John Neumann Church, 2900 E. Main St., St. Charles.
Burial will be in Highland cemetery in South Bend, Ind.
Her husband, Steve Nemeth, is deceased.
Surviving are two daughters and sons-in-law, Rebecca and Darrel Kachan, Peggy and Dave Simon; one son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Katherine Nemeth; seven grandchildren; one brother and five sisters.
