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RALPH D. 'BUNNY' IRVING
Ralph D. "Bunny" Irving, 83, of St. Charles, Ill., formerly of DeKalb, Ill., died Friday, Jan. 30, 2004, in the Kishwaukee Community Hospital emergency room as the result of an automobile accident.
Born Aug. 9, 1920, in Polo, he was the son of Stanley and Grace O. (Powell) Irving.
Ralph married Doris Hangartner Adams on May 1, 1972. He had worked as a grade school teacher in DeKalb at Glidden and Haish schools. Bunny then went to work as an independent insurance broker, owning and operating Irving Agency in DeKalb from 1955-2001. Bunny had lived most of his life in the DeKalb area, and most recently in the St. Charles area. Bunny served in the U.S. Air Corps during World War II, when he flew in a B-17 bomber as a tail gunner and a radio man, and he also taught gunnery school while in the service.
Bunny was an avid card player, playing bridge and a few hands of poker; he also was an avid golfer and an alto sax player when he played with Mel Elliott's dance band. He loved music, traveling and watching sports of all kinds. Bunny also cherished his two pet dogs.
After graduating from DeKalb Township High School, Class of 1938, Bunny attended Northern Illinois State Teachers College, where he played on the basketball team. He then earned his master's degree from the University of Illinois.
He is survived by his wife, Doris, of St. Charles; three sons, Bryant (Janet) Irving, Stephen (T.J.) Irving and Don (companion, Leonard Legrand) Irving, all of DeKalb; three grandchildren, Kimberly (Jody) Owen of California and Stephanie and Peter Irving, both of DeKalb; and three great-grandchildren, Tyler, Emily and Bethany Owen, all of California.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Tim; a great-granddaughter, Taylor; and four brothers, Earl, Leo, Wayne and Harold.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at First United Methodist Church in DeKalb with Pastor Kitty Ganzel officiating. Private burial will be at Fairview Park Cemetery in DeKalb. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home in DeKalb.
Memorials can be made to the family for a fund to be established at a later date.
Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home, 310 Oak St., DeKalb, IL 60115.
HAROLD WRIGHT
Harold Wright, 92, of Chenoa, Ill., formerly a long-time resident of DeKalb and father of a former Bloomington woman, died Friday Jan. 30, 2004, at Meadows Mennonite Home in Chenoa.
Born in Marshall, the son of Leander and Barbara Spitler Wright, Wright was a 1932 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, where he was member of Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Tau Alpha. He married Ruth Beale Wright on June 19, 1935. He taught vocational agriculture at El Paso and Minonk until 1938, when he joined DeKalb Agriculture Association as a direct sales manager for central Illinois.
In 1940, Wright was selected to develop a quality-control program for DeKalb Agriculture relating to the production and performance of high-quality seed. He was actively involved in the direction and management of the program for a career spanning 37 years, becoming nationally and internationally recognized for his ideas and methodology relating to hybrid seed corn. Wright retired from DeKalb Agriculture Research in 1978.
During his career, he served as chairman for several committees of the American Seed Trade Association, served as president of the Illinois Seed Dealers Association in 1957 and served as a member of its Board of Directors for 11 years. Wright received a life membership from ISDA in 1976, being only the third person of the seed industry to receive the honor in the 43-year history of the association at the time. In 1983, Wright received the University of Illinois College of Agriculture Alumni Association's highest honor, the Award of Merit. The Award of Merit recognizes distinguished alumni for outstanding achievement in agriculture, agribusiness and community service.
Active in community affairs, Wright was a founding member of the Kishwaukee Family YMCA, serving on their Board of Directors and later as its president and vice president. He was also a charter member of the Kishwaukee Community Hospital Auxiliary and served as chairperson of the Trustees of the First Congregational Church of DeKalb with two terms as Deacon. He was an associate member of the Desert Garden Church of Sun City West, Ariz. Wright was a 62-year member of Kiwanis International, having served as club president in 1958 and as lieutenant governor in 1962. He was awarded the Kiwanis International Legion of Honor and the Kiwanis International Tablet of Honor, the highest award given to members. He received an award for 60 years of perfect attendance and will be remembered for his work on Farm Day held annually in DeKalb. Wright was a member of the Chicago Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho Alumni, Chicago Farmers Club, Associated Milk Producers, Holstein-Friesian Association of America, DeKalb County Farm Bureau, Masonic Lodge and University of Illinois Alumni Association.
He is survived by three daughters, Marilyn (Donald) Gingles of Great Falls, Va., Sue (James) Freytag of Palm Coast, Fla., and Bonnie (Alan) Bowes of Plano, Texas; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Beale Wright, on Aug. 1, 1993; four brothers; and six sisters.
The graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 9, at El Paso Township Cemetery in El Paso with the Rev. Peggy Vogelsinger officiating.
Memorials may be made to the Kiwanis Club of DeKalb, P.O. Box 932, DeKalb, IL 60115, First Congregational United Church of Christ in DeKalb or a charity of the donor's choice.
Calvert & Froelich Memorial Home in El Paso is in charge of the arrangements.
FRIEDA C. ROZYCKI
Frieda C. Rozycki, 92, of DeKalb, Ill., died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004, at DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center in DeKalb.
Born Nov. 22, 1911, in Lake County, Ind., she was the daughter of Frank and Anastasia (Belyakov) Lojewski.
Frieda married Eugene Rozycki on May 20, 1933, in Chicago; he preceded her in death on Aug. 29, 1977. For 28 years, Frieda worked for Henderson's Department Store in Sycamore as a clerk. She had lived in the DeKalb community since 1933. Frieda was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in DeKalb, Catholic Daughters of America 996, Ellwood House Association and a volunteer for N.I.R.I.S.
She is survived by a daughter, Margaret "Peggy" (Marvin) Rauhut of Chicago; two sons, Paul (Nancy) Rozycki of Flint, Mich., and Robert (Sue) Rozycki of Sycamore; four grandchildren, Mary (Greg) Adrian of Belvidere, Patricia (Robert) Plecki of Worth, Michelle (Richard) Newtson of DeKalb and Mark (Lien) McCaslin of New York; four great-grandchildren, Meagan and Paige Newtson, Anastasia Plecki and Jordyn McCaslin; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eugene; and a daughter, Kathleen.
The funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, at St. Mary Catholic Church in DeKalb with Father Kenneth Anderson officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in DeKalb. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home in DeKalb with a Catholic Daughters' service at 5 p.m. and a wake service at 7:45 p.m.
Memorials can be made to the family for a fund to be established at a later date.
Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home, 310 Oak St., DeKalb, IL 60115.
DOROTHY E. QUITNO
Dorothy Evelyn Quitno, 87, passed away Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004, at Kindred Hospital in Sycamore, Ill.
Born Oct. 23, 1916, at Three Forks, Mont., she was the daughter of James H. and Anna Marie (Reinbold) Bradley. When she was 4 years old, the family moved to Chicago for two years, then to Creston where her father became the railroad depot agent. She attended school in Creston, graduating from the three-year high school in 1932. She then attended DeKalb High School for her final year, graduating in 1933. Following high school, she attended business school in Sterling.
On Nov. 17, 1934, she was united in marriage to Leonard Quitno in Peoria. Following their marriage, Dorothy and Leonard moved to the family farm northeast of Creston, where they farmed for the next 35 years. Following their retirement from the farm in 1968, the couple moved to DeKalb, and in 1970, Dorothy enrolled in the first licensed practical nursing program at Kishwaukee College in Malta. She graduated at the top of her class, and for the next 12 years worked at the Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb, retiring in 1983.
Dorothy was an active member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Creston. She was an avid reader and loved crossword puzzles, but her true joy was spending time with her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by four sons, Charles (Marilyn) Quitno of Monroe Center, James (Mary Ann) Quitno of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Jeffrey Quitno of West Suffield, Conn., and Paul (Jane) Quitno of Rochelle; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard; her parents; a sister; and a brother.
The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Creston with the Rev. David Rasmussen officiating. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in Creston. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Unger Horner Funeral Home, 400 N. Sixth St., Rochelle.
LAURA G. BYFORD
Laura G. Byford, 86, of DeKalb, Ill., died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004, at Kishwaukee Community Hospital.
Born April 12, 1917, in Joliet, she was the daughter of John and Mary (Hofman) Weber.
Laura married Herbert T. Byford on Jan. 10, 1937, in Manhattan, Ill. Laura had been living in DeKalb for four years, having moved from Monee. Laura was a member of the United Methodist Church in Peotone; she also was a member of the Eastern Will County Senior Center. Laura was known for her quilt-top covers; she loved reading, crossword puzzles, baking and the Chicago Cubs, and she adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by two sons, Kenneth E. (Nancy) Byford of Tennessee and Daniel L. (Toni) Byford of DeKalb; four grandchildren, Susan (David) Jones, Kenneth E. (Mary Ellen) Byford Jr., Michael (Lisa) Byford and Cindy (Brian) Kozumplik; and four great-grandchildren, Katie Byford, Kevin and Kurt Byford and Zak Kozumplik.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Herbert; an infant sister, Elsie Weber; and four brothers, two infant brothers, Elmer and John, and Harold and Lawrence.
The funeral service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home with Pastor E. George Krause officiating. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, at Ebenezer United Methodist Cemetery in Samsville. Visitation will be from 4-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Memorials can be made to Barb City Manor or to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home, 310 Oak St., DeKalb, IL 60115.
MARGARET A. LARSON
Margaret A. Larson, 88, of Sycamore, Ill., died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004, at DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center in DeKalb.
Born Dec. 14, 1915, in Clare, she was the daughter of Asahel and Harriet (Driscoll) Byers. She was married to Wright Kelso George in 1939 and later to Paul "Vernie" Larson in 1960. She was a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Sycamore and VFW Women's Auxiliary, and was a founding member of Opportunity House in Sycamore.
She is survived by two sons, Wright B. George of Evanston and Scott (Jean) Larson of Geneva; a daughter, Harriet Ann George of Loren House in DeKalb; two sisters, Opal O'Neal of DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center and Charlotte (Norman) Olson of Sycamore; and five grandchildren, Brett and C.W. George, and Paul, Bethany and Kelly Larson.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands; a son, Kelso D. George, in 1973; three sisters, Harriet Schoeneberger, Louise Patten and Olive Cudden; and two brothers, Theodore Byers and Robert Byers.
The funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 206 Somonauk St. in Sycamore, with the Rev. Linda Green officiating. Interment will be at South Grove Cemetery near Clare. Visitation will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the church.
A memorial fund has been established for St. Peter's Episcopal Church Building Fund in care of Quiram-Sycamore Funeral Home, 1245 Somonauk St., Sycamore, IL 60178.
PATIENCE ALLEN ELLWOOD TOWLE
Patience Allen Ellwood Towle passed away peacefully Jan. 25, 2004, at her home in St. Louis, Mo. "Patty" will be remembered for her expressions of love, friendship and generosity.
Born Aug. 29, 1911, in Highland Park, Ill., she grew up in DeKalb. In 1931, she graduated from The Spence School in New York City. She married Dr. Joseph Towle in the garden of the Ellwood House in 1934. The family moved to St. Louis in 1954 when Dr. Towle, affectionately known as Joe, became a professor at Washington University's Olin School of Business. Patty and Joe were married for 55 years.
To her family and friends, Patty was known as the "Little General." Although her profession was a homemaker, she was really a professional volunteer, interested in historical, educational and patriotic activities. She was instrumental in establishing the Ellwood House Museum, the home of Isaac L. Ellwood, the leading manufacturer of barbed wire in the 19th century. She was the last surviving granddaughter of Isaac and Harriett Ellwood. She and her husband were the major donors for the construction of the Ellwood House Museum Education & Visitor Center, which is named in her honor.
Elected to the Executive Board of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), an organization of 170,000 women in the United States and eight foreign countries, she served as the curator general of the DAR Museum in Washington, D.C. As a member of the St. Louis Jefferson NSDAR Chapter, Patty was elected to the office of state regent. During her tenure, the Missouri DAR purchased and restored a headquarters building in Booneville, Mo. In addition, Patty belonged to several other patriotic and genealogical organizations, the Colonial Dames of America, Daughters of the Colonial Wars and Daughters of 1812.
As a charter member of the Church of Christ, Scientist, Town and Country, Mo., she served in numerous posts for more than 40 years. In the 1960s, she served as the president of the Mothers' Club of Principia Upper School in St. Louis.
Patty's surviving children, Selenia Rolfe Towle (husband, Richard K.) Teague of Gibsonville, N.C., and Joseph Ellwood (wife, Robin D.) Towle of Town and Country, Mo., three grandsons, and three great-grandchildren have fond memories of Patty's love of family, friends, art, travel and outreach to others.
There will be a memorial service for the family in DeKalb.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Ellwood House Association, 509 N. First St., DeKalb, IL 60115, the DAR Museum, 1776 D.St., Washington, D.C. NW 20006-5303, or a charity of the donor's choice would be appreciated.
BERNEICE P. WEED
Berneice Pope Weed, of Asheville, N.C., formerly of DeKalb, Ill., died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004.
She was the wife of Dr. Maurice J. Weed.
Memorials can be made to Park Place, 2 S. Park Square, Asheville, NC 28801.
Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Waynesville, N.C., will announce arrangements. For those who desire, an online memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at www.wellsfuneralhome.com.
