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DR. ROBERT W. HEALEY
Dr. Robert William Healey, 57, of DeKalb, Ill., passed away Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at the DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center in DeKalb, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Born Sept. 29, 1947, in Charleston, Ill., he was the son of Dr. William A. Healey and Dr. Ruth M. (Wiedenhoeft) Healey of DeKalb. He married Sharon Barbara Grande on Aug. 7, 1982, in Downers Grove.
Dr. Healey lived in DeKalb since 1954 and attended Haish Elementary School, MacMurray School, the Northern Illinois University Laboratory School and DeKalb High School. He was a member of the DHS varsity swimming team and the last graduating class of the former DeKalb High School Building. During the summer months, he enjoyed employment as a lifeguard, swimming instructor and assistant swimming coach for the DeKalb Park District, and head swimming coach at the Kishwaukee Country Club.
After receiving his bachelor's degree at Eastern Illinois University-Charleston, he returned to DeKalb to teach at Glidden Elementary School and worked toward a master's degree in educational administration at NIU. Upon receiving his administrative degree from NIU, he was assigned as one of the youngest principals ever employed in the DeKalb School District and served as principal of Glidden School. Bob received his doctorate in curriculum and instruction at NIU while serving as principal at Lincoln Elementary School in DeKalb. In later years, he also served as principal of Littlejohn Elementary School, Cortland Elementary School and Jefferson Elementary School, all of which were in the DeKalb School District. In his final year as principal of Jefferson Elementary School, Dr. Healey was selected as Illinois Elementary Principal of the Year and was honored as the 1995 National Distinguished Principal by the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. From 1995 through 2002, he served the DeKalb School District as director of personnel and director of human resources. He retired in 2002 as assistant to the superintendent.
Dr. Healey was an advocate for the students, parents, staff and community of the DeKalb School District throughout his 33 years of employment. He was actively involved with the Illinois Principals Association and served several years as state director of the Kishwaukee Region. He earned the highest title in the Illinois Administrator's Academy. He served as vice moderator and moderator at the Congregational Church - United Church of Christ in DeKalb. He was county chairman for Dads Association - University of Illinois at Urbana.
He immensely enjoyed family life and the fatherhood of raising his two sons. He enjoyed family vacations and completing a variety of woodworking and home-improvement projects for his wife and sons. Projects such as the Healey Roadster, backyard patio, basement log cabin and school robot kept everyone guessing as to what might appear next. He received a U.S. patent in 1982.
He is survived his wife, Sharon B. Healey; two sons, William R. Healey and Steven A. Healey, both of DeKalb; his mother, Dr. Ruth M. Healey of Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center in DeKalb; a brother, Dr. John Healey of Charlotte, N.C.; a sister, Judith Ann (Dr. Donald) Holder of Rockford; and a niece, Krista Holder, and a nephew, Jason Holder, both of Colorado.
He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. William A. Healey.
In accordance with his wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 30, at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 515 N. First St. in DeKalb, with Pastor Joseph Gastiger and Pastor Judy Harris officiating. Private burial at Fairview Park Cemetery in DeKalb will follow the service. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial is being established for a "Dr. Robert W. Healey Award" for recognition of an exemplary staff member in the DeKalb School District annually, in care of Anderson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 605, 2011 S. Fourth St., DeKalb, IL 60115.
MATTHEW F. CARUTH
Matthew F. Caruth, 74, of DeKalb, Ill., died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at his residence.
Born Oct. 21, 1930, in DeKalb, he was the son of Matthew and Isabella (Cliffe) Caruth. Matt married Rebecca Jane Byrely on Jan. 21, 1954, in DeKalb; she preceded him in death in 1980.
Matt was the owner and operator of DeKalb Appliance; he then moved to Southern California where he worked for the May Co. and later for the Barkley Co. He then moved back to DeKalb in 1979 from Los Angeles, Calif. Matt served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean conflict. He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in DeKalb and a past member of the DeKalb Moose.
He is survived by a son, Matthew (Tina) Caruth of Salem; a daughter, Isabella Caruth of California; three grandchildren, Matthew and Natasha Caruth of Salem and Rebecca Samo of DeKalb; and a sister-in-law, Carolyn Caruth.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Rebecca; and a brother, Donald.
Funeral services will be held at a later date; Matt graciously donated his body to Northern Illinois University for further study.
Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home, 310 Oak St., DeKalb, IL 60115.
BRIAN A. ZUBERBIER
Brian A. Zuberbier, 36, of Kingston, Ill., died Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, as the result of an accident in Batavia.
Born July 26, 1968, in DeKalb, he was the son of Raymond and Mary (Ledbetter) Zuberbier. He married Susan Marks on Nov. 11, 1995, in Burlington.
He was employed by Diamond Rigging for more than five years as a heavy-equipment mover and truck driver. He was a 1987 graduate of Burlington Central High School. Brian loved to spend time with his children and enjoyed coaching soccer. He was an avid Nascar fan and enjoyed hunting.
He is survived by his wife, Susan, of Kingston; three children, Kelsi, Haley and Dakota; his parents, Raymond and Mary Zuberbier of Burlington; two sisters, Tracie (Brett) Duffield and Michelle (Ryan) Block, both of Kingston; his honorary grandmother, Viola Sabin of Hampshire; six nieces, Brianna and Chloe Block, Bailey and Emma Duffield and Jessica and Samantha Rhoades; his father- and mother-in-law, Gary and Barb Marks of Monroe Center; two sisters-in-law; two brothers-in-law; his best friend, Doug Schmidt of Indiana; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and many dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents and two uncles.
The funeral service will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 30, at Slater-Butala Funeral Home, 132 W. Main in Genoa. Burial will be at Kingston Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at the funeral home.
A memorial fund has been established for Brian Zuberbier in care of Old Second Bank-Kane County, P.O. Box 307, Burlington, IL 60109.
LeROY R. ANDERSON
LeRoy R. Anderson, 81, of DeKalb, Ill., died Oct. 21, 2004, at Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb.
Born May 12, 1923, in Chicago, he was the son of Roy and Elsie Anderson and the brother of Anita Skyles. Lee married Muriel Larsen in December 1956; they lived 40 years in West Chicago before moving to DeKalb. He was a beloved husband and was a devoted and loving father to his son, Duane, of Aurora and his daughter, Karen Forbes Johnson, and her husband, Dennis Johnson of Sycamore.
Lee cherished his grandchildren, Justin and Adrienne Forbes and Caitlin and Jillian Johnson, and his great-grandson, Riley Forbes.
He was extremely proud to be a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Marines; he saw action on the Solomon Islands, Cape Gloucester N.B., Paleliu Island, Okinawa and Ryuka Islands.
He graduated from Roosevelt University and became a Chicago Public School teacher. After retiring from teaching, he worked 11 years at National Data Corp. He invented and manufactured the Rake 'N Roll Leaf Cart that he worked on and sold for many years. Lee was passionate about golf and developing the perfect swing. He was a wonderful piano player and great joke teller who loved entertaining his family and friends.
Lee was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, June Anderson.
A memorial service will be held from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at St. Andrew's Golf Club in West Chicago. The funeral will be held Monday, Nov. 1, at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Joliet.
KENNETH F. O'KANE
Kenneth F. O'Kane, 92, of Sycamore, Ill., formerly of Waterman, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, at his home in Sycamore.
Born June 11, 1912, in Chana, he was the son of Fred and Laura (McPherson) O'Kane. When Kenneth was a youngster, his family moved to Shabbona where his father became a station agent for the CB&Q Railroad.
Kenneth attended Shabbona schools and graduated from Shabbona High School in 1930. He then attended and graduated from Northern Illinois State Teachers College in DeKalb and began his teaching career at Creston High School, where he taught industrial arts.
In 1940, he married Helen Lattin at her rural Shabbona home. They then moved to Blue Island, where they both spent 35 years teaching school. Upon retirement, they moved to Waterman, and they later relocated to Sycamore, where they have lived for the past four years.
He is survived by his wife, Helen, of Sycamore; several cousins; and many good friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Selene Kirk.
The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Jacobson Funeral Home in Shabbona, with the Rev. Irene P. Pouliot, minister of the Shabbona United Church of Christ, officiating. Burial will follow at Johnson's Grove Cemetery in Waterman. Friends may call from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
A memorial has been established for DeKalb County Hospice.
ADRA E. WETZ
Adra E. Wetz, 87, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, at Pine Acres Care Center in DeKalb, Ill.
Born Nov. 6, 1916, in Charter Grove, she was the daughter of Thomas and Mabel (Westlake) Mundy.
Adra was a member of the 1934 West Aurora High School graduating class. She was united in marriage to John Wetz on June 24, 1939, at the First Baptist Church in DeKalb. Mr. and Mrs. Wetz spent many happy years together, and they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1999. Adra was a longtime member of Waterman United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Wetz and her husband owned and operated the Wetz Honey Farm in Waterman for more than 38 years. She was a member of the Waterman Grange, the Kane-DeKalb County Beekeepers Association and the Illinois Valley Beekeepers Association. Adra enjoyed spending time gardening and was an avid Cubs fan. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who will be missed by her family and many friends.
She is survived by her husband, John Wetz of Waterman; three daughters, Eva (Lawrence) Maxwell of Butte, Mont., Catherine Bennett of Amherst, Mass., and Susan (the Rev. John) Hudson of Chicago; three grandchildren, Keegan Maxwell, Timothy Bennett and Molly Maxwell; and a great-grandchild, Malia Maxwell.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Mabel Mundy.
The funeral service for Mrs. Wetz will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 1, at Waterman United Methodist Church, Cedar and Garfield streets in Waterman, with the Rev. James Ketzel officiating. Entombment will follow at North Clinton Cemetery in Waterman. Friends may call from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at Nash-Nelson Chapel, 116 N. Birch St., Waterman, IL 60556.
Arrangements were made by Nelson Funeral Homes.
JANE W. CRAWFORD
Jane W. Crawford, 72, of DeKalb, Ill., died Monday, Oct. 25, 2004, at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford.
Born Dec. 1, 1931, in Chicago, she was the daughter of Rex B. and Evelyn (Escher) Walters. Jane married Harry R. Saur on June 25, 1950, in Oregon, Ill.; he preceded her in death on Dec. 19, 1990. She married David T. Crawford on Dec. 18, 1982, in DeKalb; he preceded her in death in 1989.
She worked for Northern Illinois University for several years in the food service department; she then worked at the Fashion Bug clothing store. Jane had lived in DeKalb since 1971, having moved from Oregon. She was a member of the Cathedral of Praise Church of God in DeKalb and a past member of the Order of the Eastern Star in DeKalb.
She is survived by three sons, Phillip (Bobbi) Saur of Sycamore, Joseph Saur of DeKalb and Vincent (Talat) Saur of Fresno, Calif.; six grandchildren, Hanna, Adam, Sean, Lynnann, Jeanette and Crystal; two great-grandchildren, Jonathon and Gavin; a sister, Mary Vett of Michigan; and a brother, Jack Walters of Belvidere.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Harry and David, and a grandson, Harris.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, at Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home, with Pastor Eric Wyzard officiating. Burial will be conducted at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Oregon, Ill. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, 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.
MASON G. FENWICK
Mason G. Fenwick, 83, formerly assistant professor of biology at Northern Illinois University from 1956 to 1988, died Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, at DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center in DeKalb. He had suffered Parkinson's disease for many years.
Born July 12, 1921, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., he was the son of George and Gertrude (Gilroy) Fenwick. Mason married Carol Carlson on June 2, 1973, in DeKalb.
Mason served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. After the war he studied botany at the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in botany. He then carried on with doctoral studies in botany and algae at the University of Michigan and Southern Illinois University. He regularly taught general biology, general botany and algology at NIU until his retirement in 1988. After his retirement, Mason served as a professor emeritus for seven years. Mason was a respected scholar, and one of the very few, and was regarded as the top in his field. Mason published several research papers in the field and for many years carried out identification studies in aid of outside environmental projects.
Mason was pleasant and a quiet man who concentrated on his studies and teaching duties. He loved music and gardening. He loved cooking and enjoyed watching the food channel, and had many gourmet recipes. He was still cooking until his move to the nursing home. He volunteered for Gideons International and was a member of the Honorary Society of Sigma Xi and a Master Gardener. Mason was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Sycamore.
He is survived by his wife, Carol, of DeKalb; his first wife, Donna (Jack) Bennett of DeKalb; two daughters, Elizabeth Fenwick of DeKalb and Katheryn (Kenneth) King of Sycamore; a son, John (Carmen) Fenwick of Chadd's Ford, Pa.; seven grandchildren, Oriana Fenwick, Karissa Fenwick, Janelle Fenwick, David Fenwick, Jessica King, Daniel Mason King and Jessica Williamson; two brothers, Gordon (Patricia) Fenwick and Jay (Claire) Fenwick; and a sister, Carol (Al) Kloster.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Paul.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home in DeKalb, with a pastor from St. John's Lutheran Church of Sycamore officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at Fairview Park Cemetery in DeKalb. Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Gideons International, DeKalb County Hospice or St. John's Lutheran Church Fire Fund.
Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home, 310 Oak St., DeKalb, IL 60115.
EVELYN MACK
Evelyn Mack, 87, of Hinckley, Ill., passed away Saturday, Aug. 14, 2004, at her home.
Born July 18, 1917, in Waterman, she was the daughter of Warren and Ola (May) Begley.
Evelyn was united in marriage to Stanley Howard Mack on Oct. 18, 1936, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hinckley; they spent the next 60 years together until his passing on Feb. 25, 1996. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hinckley where she was an active member of its Ladies Aid. She also was a member of the Hinckley Woman's Club. Evelyn was employed for many years at the Brody Coat Factory in DeKalb. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt who will be deeply missed by her family and many friends.
She is survived by three children, Karen Leifheit of Hinckley, Lenore (Myron) Nier of Hinckley and Barbara (Richard) DiVall of Fennimore, Wis.; eight grandchildren, Dr. Joel (Denna) Leifheit, John Lee (Lana) Leifheit, Dr. Ryan Mack Leifheit, Jeffrey David (Cara) Nier, Mark Jonathon (Bethany) Nier, Megan Rae DiVall, Drew Frederick DiVall and Nicole Ladine DiVall; seven great-grandchildren; a sister, Della (Philip) Hodge of California; and a brother-in-law, Peter Johnson of Sycamore.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Warren and Ola Begley; her husband, Stanley Mack; a brother, Thomas Begley; four sisters, Rhoda Johnson, Ruby Nichols, Mary Leifheit and Carolyn Weichlein; and a son-in-law, Fausten "Butch" Leifheit.
The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 12760 Lee Road in Hinckley, with Pastor Donald Balgeman officiating. Entombment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Hinckley. Friends may call from 9-10 a.m. Tuesday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Evelyn's name can be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, 12760 Lee Road, Hinckley, IL 60520, or Fox Valley Hospice, 200 Whitfield Drive, Geneva, IL 60134.
For information, call Nelson Funeral Homes at (815) 286-3247 or (630) 553-7611.
WILBUR L. PURDY
Wilbur L. Purdy, 99, of Sycamore, Ill., passed away Thursday, Aug. 12, 2004 at his home.
Born May 10, 1905, in White Plains, N.Y., he was the son of Cyrus B. and Phoebe (Turner) Purdy. He married Viola Maria Ida Blaschke on Dec. 23, 1931, at Hitchcock Memorial Church in Scarsdale, N.Y.
Wilbur was employed at the post offices in White Plains, N.Y., and Iowa City, Iowa, as a mail carrier for 35 years. He lived in Hartsdale, N.Y., for 20 years and moved to Iowa City, Iowa, and then to Sycamore, Ill.
He is survived by his wife, Viola; a daughter, Carolyn (Duane) Dienst of Rochelle, Ill.; five grandchildren, Terri (Kyle) Kuhns of Sycamore, Lon (Barb) Dienst of Poplar Grove, Steven Dienst of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Ellen (Paul) Opperman of Bettendorf, Iowa, and Diane (Mark) Metzger of Rochelle; eight great-grandchildren, Stephanie, Christian, Andrew, Eric, Brent, Regina, Ben and Trent; and a great-great-granddaughter, Alexia.
He was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter, Leslie; and 10 brothers and sisters.
Private family graveside services were held Monday, Aug. 16, at Greenwood Cemetery in Hinckley, with the Rev. Garry Briesacher of Salem Lutheran Church in Sycamore officiating.
A memorial is being established for Wilbur L. Purdy for St. John's Lutheran Church Building Fund in Sycamore or Unity Hospice of Western Illinois in care of Anderson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 605, 2011 S. Fourth St., DeKalb, IL 60115.
