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HAROLD F. McELROY
July 12, 1915 -- Feb. 13, 2003
Harold F. McElroy, 87, of Galesburg, formerly of West Point, died Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003, in OSF St. Mary Medical Center.
He was born July 12, 1915, at home in Hermon, the son of John F. and Olive Pister McElroy. He married
Marcella Louise Wagher in 1950 in Galesburg.
He is survived by one daughter, Marti (Chuck) Smith of Springfield, Mo.; two sons, Bert L. McElroy, Galesburg, and John L. McElroy, Fort Madison; one brother, Donald W. McElroy of Sutter; his caregiver with whom he shared his home, Donna Vineyard; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one granddaughter; one grandson, and one sister.
He was a lifelong farmer and was a Hampshire hog herdsman from 1931 until retiring in 1998. He had lived and worked in Knox, Warren, Adams, and Hancock counties. He was an advocate of low input sustained agriculture. He was a 1934 graduate of Avon High School and graduated from Brown's Business College in Galesburg. He was a member of Abingdon Christian Church, the Galesburg Camera Club, and was involved with the Farm Bureau.
Graveside services were held Wednesday, Feb. 19, (today) in Abingdon cemetery. The Rev. Raymond McLaren officiated.
Memorials can be made to Abingdon Christian Church.
EDWIN BEELER
June 16, 1924 -- April 10, 2003
Edwin Beeler, 78, of Hamilton, formerly of Warsaw, died Thursday, April 10, 2003, in Keokuk Area Hospital in Keokuk.
He was born June 16, 1924, in Hancock County, a son of George and Helena Haas Beeler. On Feb. 24, 1944, in Bethlehem United Church of Christ in Sutter, he was married
to Elda Mae Nagel.
He is survived by his wife, Elda Mae of Hamilton; two daughters, Linda (Carroll) Leffler of Hamilton and Beverly Richard of Mt. Vernon; two sons, Gary (Diane) Beeler of Sutter and Randy Beeler of Michigan; two sisters, Irene Kunz of Basco and Doris Sheffler of Warsaw; two brothers, Carroll (Hazel) Beeler of Warsaw and Wilbur (Teresa) Beeler of Sutter; 12 grandchildren, Dan and Scott Beeler, Adams and Jerrod Leffler, Benjy Beeler, Cyndi Smith, Leia Dale, Kancy and Shara Richard, Brandy Snyder, Brittany and Breanne Beeler; eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one son-in-law, Bill Richard; one sister-in-law, Dorothy Beeler; two brothers-in-law, Martin Kunz and Ezra Sheffler.
He was a graduate of Greenhill School and a member of Trinity United Church in Warsaw. He was a building contractor and later a purchasing agent for Hartrick's Lumber Company. He served on the church board, and was a past president of the Warsaw Board of Education where he served for nine years. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who loving nothing more than being with his family and enjoying his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Memorial services were held Saturday, April 12, in Trinity United Methodist Church in Warsaw. Rev. Mark Horn officiated.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that memorials contributions be made to Trinity United Methodist Church of Warsaw.
The Lamporte Funeral Home of Hamilton is in charge of the arrangements.
MARGARET L. FREITAG
June 2, 1951 -- July 16, 2003
Margaret L. Freitag, 52, of Nauvoo, died Wednesday, July 16, 2003, in Memorial Hospital, Carthage.
She was born June 2, 1951, in Carthage, a daughter of Harold C. and Daisy C. Rogers Neff. On Nov. 18, 1978, in Memphis, Mo., she married
James "Jack" Freitag.
She is survived by her husband, Jack of Nauvoo; one daughter, Amanda Freitag of Nauvoo; seven sisters, Elizabeth (Richard) Scott of Bushnell, Dora (William) Vassaka of Corinth, Texas, Carolyn (Donald) Mapes of Powell, Ohio, Lois (Jerry) Moore of Ft. Worth, Texas, Beverly (James) Davis of Kahoka, Mo., her twin sister, Flora Neff of Keokuk, and Catherine (Michael) Callard of Danvers; five brothers, Chester (Betty Jo) Neff of Champaign, Arthur (Donna) Neff of Keokuk, Elbert (Donna) Neff of Montrose, Henry (Sherry) Neff of LaFayette, Ind., and Roger (Joanne) Neff of Denver; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
She is a graduate of Nauvoo Colusa High School class of 1969. She worked for several years at Sheaffer Pen Company in Ft. Madison and St. Mary's Priory in Nauvoo. She was currently an LPN at the Montrose Care Center in Montrose, Iowa. She loved animals, especially her two cats, Princess and Buba. She liked riding horses and enjoyed collecting tea pots and growing flowers.
Funeral services were held Monday, July 21, in the Lamporte Funeral Home in Carthage. Mark Anderson officiated. Burial followed in the Thornber cemetery in Powellton.
Memorials have been established for her daughter's college education fund.
JOHN ROBERT YOUNG
March 7, 1935 -- Aug. 10, 2003
John Robert "Bob" Young, 68, of Warsaw, died on Aug. 10, 2003, at his home.
He was born on March 7, 1935, in Keokuk, Iowa, a son of John and Gertrude Berthold Young. Bob married
his high school sweetheart, Ellen Marie Thalmann, on Aug. 12, 1956, in the First Presbyterian Church of Warsaw. She survives.
In addition to his wife, Bob is survived by four children, Suzanne (Ted) Elting of Warsaw, Betsy (Frank) Lieb of Lombard, John Young of Warsaw, Sarah Young of Rushville; five granddaughters, Danielle Vogel of Waukegan, Annie and Meagan Vogel of Warsaw, and Elisa and Sarah Lieb of Lombard; one great-granddaughter, Emma Phillips, of Warsaw; a brother, Bill (Sharon) Young of Osceola, Iowa; and a sister, Mary Lou (Ron) Courtney of New Port Richey, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Bob was a 1953 graduate of Warsaw High School. He attended the University of Missouri for two years and later graduated from Iowa Wesleyan with a bachelors of science degree. He taught middle school math and science in various Hancock County schools for 20 years before going to work at Dadant and Sons in Hamilton where he retired as plant manager in 1998.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Warsaw and a member of the Warsaw Masonic Lodge #257. He was an avid waterfowl hunter and enjoyed the sport his entire life. He was known for his sense of humor, and his family and friends will cherish their memories of his many practical jokes. Bob was also a great storyteller. He loved living in Warsaw and had many fond memories to relate about the people he knew during his childhood and school years there. Bob was a talented athlete during those days and made All-State in football his senior year, but people remember his abilities on the football field, basketball court, baseball diamond, and track field alike.
Bob greatly enjoyed the company of family and friends. He had been able to enjoy an additional five years because he was gifted with a heart transplant at the University of Iowa Hospital. Bob's family and friends will be forever grateful to the donor's family for the additional time with him.
Services were Wednesday morning, Aug. 13, at the First Presbyterian Church of Warsaw with Reverend William Olmsted officiating. Burial was in Oakland cemetery in Warsaw.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Warsaw or to the Masonic Lodge #257 of Warsaw.
DeJongs Funeral Home in Keokuk was in charge of the arrangements.
M. Pauline Blackledge
May 15, 1913-September 9, 2000
Mary Pauline Blackledge, age 87, of Blandinsville, died Saturday, September 9, 2000, at 6:25 a.m. at the LaMoine Christian Nursing Home in Roseville, Illinois.
She was born May 15, 1913, in McDonough County, the daughter of Alfred and Maude Cook Sandstrom. On December 13, 1934, she married
Carroll Robert Blackledge in Chillicothe. He preceded her in death on July 1, 1978.
She is survived by one daughter, Ann (Jim) Halcomb of Monmouth; three sons, Stephen (Charlotte) Blackledge of Edwardsville, Illinois, Terry (Barbara) Blackledge of San Diego, California and Paul (Marcia) Blackledge of Blandinsville; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Lloyd (Mary) Sandstrom of Blandinsville.
She was preceded in death by her husband, two great-grandchildren and one sister in infancy.
She lived all her life in the Blandinsville area. She was a graduate of the Blandinsville High School and had worked with her husband in the Blackledge Variety Store in Blandinsville. She was a member of the Blandinsville Senior Citizens and the Argyle Bible Church in Colchester.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 13, 2000, at the Argyle Bible Church with Reverend Michael Deblois officiating. Burial will be in the Forest Lawn Memory Gardens in Macomb. Friends may call after 2 p.m. Tuesday at Banks & Beals Funeral Home in LaHarpe, where the family will meet with friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
A memorial fund has been established for the Blandinsville senior Center, the LaMoine Christian Nursing Home or the Argyle Bible Church.
DOROTHY HANLON
August 27, 1917 - February 5, 2001
Dorothy Katherine Hanlon, 83, of Colorado Springs, Colo. since 1981 and formerly of the Hamilton and Carthage areas, died Monday, February 5, 2001 in Colorado Springs. She was born on August 27, 1917 in Warsaw, the daughter of John F. and Anna M. (Sporey) Altheide. She married
Thomas B. Hanlon on December 23, 1957. He died in 1981.
She is survived by one son, Mark (Joey) Hanlon of Colorado Springs; one grandson, Brent Hanlon; and cousins, Roger and Jarel Nagel of Hamilton.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one sister, Alberta Gray, and two brothers, Harold and Martin Altheide.
She was a member of Sutter Salem Bible Church in Sutter. She retired from inner-city missionary work in Chicago and Washington, D.C. She graduated from Moody Bible Institute. She was heavily involved in Brynford Bible Church in Chicago the Galilee Baptist Church in Chicago, and Cherrydale Baptist Church in Washington, and the Woodmen Valley Chapel in Colorado Springs. She enjoyed playing piano and singing in the choir.
Services will be held Thursday February 8, at 11 a.m. at Sutter Salem Bible Church in Sutter with Pastor Shawn DeJong officiating. Burial is the Sutter Salem Bible Church cemetery is Sutter. Visitation will be held today (Wednesday), Feb. 7, 2001 after 3 p.m. with the family meeting friends between 6 and 8 p.m. at Lamporte Funeral Home of Hamilton.
A memorial has been established for Community Church of the Rockies, 4297 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO, 80918.
DUANE SPRAGUE, JR.
July 29, 1949 - January 22, 2001
Duane "Wayne" Clair Sprague, Jr., 51, a longtime resident of Hamilton, died Monday, January 22, 2001, at Keokuk Area Hospital. He was born July 29, 1949, in Lake Orion, Mich., the son of Duane Clair and Beverly "Jean" Marr Sprague. On June 2, 1973, he married
Kathryn A. Witt Barnett in Hamilton. She survives.
He is survived by his wife, Kathryn A. Sprague of Hamilton; his father, Duane Clair Sprague and wife June; one daughter, Nicole A. Sprague of Hamilton; three sons, Thomas R. Barnett, Jr. of Donnellson, Ia., Matthew W. Sprague of Hamilton, and Jason A. Sprague of Hamilton; four sisters, Doreen Leftwich of Moberly, Mo., Judy-Bev Morris of Hamilton, Linda Harris of Big Rapids, Mich., and Mrs. Mike (Gail) Waker of Auburn Hills, Mich.; four brothers, Dan (Dorothy) Lake of Columbiaville, Mich., Jeffrey Sprague of Orion, Mich., Phillip Sprague of Trenton, Fla., and Charles Sprague of Ypsilanti, Mich.; one sister-in-law, Frankie Knajdek of Pontiac, Mich.; five grandchildren, Zachary, Kenneth, Abigail and Ethan Barnett of Donnellson, Ia., and Damian Sprague Andrews of Carthage; father and step-mother, Duane Clair (June) Sprague, Sr., of Pontiac, Mich.; Mother-in-law, Alice (Pat) Witt of Warsaw; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Beverly and step father, Gustavus Knajdek; a step brother, Gary Knajdek, and a sister, Marian.
He graduated from Hamilton High School in 1967. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1968 and was attached to the Marines as a combat medic from Oct. of 1970 to June of 1971 in Vietnam. Among the commendations he received are: Combat Action Ribbon; Good Conduct Medal (First Award); Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Star and FMF Combat Insignia; Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960); Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Civil Action Ribbon. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1974.
From Jan. 17, 1976 to May 16, 1997, he was a member of the 126th Illinois National Guard in Quincy. He held the rank of Sgt. First Class when he retired. He was a member of the Hamilton VFW Post #5256.
He had been employed at I.A.A.P. in Burlington for over 10 years. He was employed by A.D.M. in Keokuk, since 1979 and was a member of the union, local #7, B.C.T.G.M.
He was active in scouting for over 25 years, serving as Scout Master, Assistant Scout Master, and Rank Advancement Chairman. He was a Boy Scout Leader of Troop #80 and #41, and a member of Order of the Arrow. He was an active member of Silver Tomahawk Lodge 80. He received various awards, including District Award of Merit, the highest award given to a volunteer. He also received Scoutmaster Key Award, Scouters Training Award and was vested as the Keeper of the Wampum. Several of his scouts have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, including his youngest son, Jason.
He served as the City of Hamilton Building Inspector since 1986.
He enjoyed fishing, reading, camping and scouting. He especially enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Services were held Saturday, January 27, at Lamporte Funeral Home in Hamilton, with Father R.M. Lukoskie officiating. Burial was in the Oakwood cemetery in Hamilton. A full Military Service was held at the graveside by Hamilton VFW Post #5256.
Memorials have been established in his memory.
GEORGE W. VRADENBURG
November 7, 1920 - April 16, 2001
George W. Vradenburg, 80, a lifetime resident of Warsaw, died Monday, April 16, 2001 in Hamilton.
He was born on November 7, 1920 in Warsaw, the son of Wilbert and Gladys Taylor Vradenburg. On September 22, 1946, he married
Julia Elizabeth Exon at the Concordia Lutheran Church in Warsaw. She preceded him in death in 1986.
He is survived by, two daughters, Janice L Vradenburg and Mrs. Robert (Linda L.) Thomas; two grandchildren, Mrs. Tim (Valerie K.) Hamma and Robert C. Thomas; one great grandchild, Abigail "Abbey" Hamma, all of Warsaw.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and one brother, Gene Vradenburg.
He attended Warsaw High School. He was a long time member of Concordia Lutheran Church, where he served as treasurer for 14 years, as a trustee, an elder, and chairman of the cemetery board. He was an electrician and had owned and operated Georges T.V. & Appliance in Warsaw. He had also been employed by Warsaw Radio and Electric for 27 years. He had also worked as projectionist and manager of the Warsaw Theater for many years. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 through 1945. He was a member of the Ralph Parker American Legion #682 in Warsaw. He was an avid H.A.M. Radio Operator and his handle was "W9NVG".
Services will be held Thursday, April 19, at 11 a.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church in Warsaw with Rev. Karl Bollhagen officiating. A flag presentation will be held at the graveside by Ralph Parker American Legion Post #682. Burial in Lutheran cemetery in Warsaw.
Visitation will be held Wednesday (today) April 18, after 2 p.m. with the family meeting friends between 6 and 8 p.m. at Lamporte Funeral Home of Warsaw.
A memorial has been established in his memory.
FRED C. REIDNER
November 28, 1932 - June 29, 2001
Fred C. Reidner, 68, of Burnside, died Friday, June 29, 2001, at his home.
He was born November 28, 1932, in Adrian, a son of Ralph and Gladys Stevenson Reidner. On March 2, 1958, in Burnside, he married
Elaine Dighton. She died on August 3, 1994.
He is survived by four sons, Tim Reidner and Randy (Becky) Reidner of Burnside, Danny Reidner of Nauvoo, and Darrell Reidner of Ferris; two grandchildren, Ashley and Ross Reidner; four sisters, Ida Hastings of Ft. Madison, Eula Richards and Mrs. James (Irma) Russell, both of Carthage, and Mrs. Douglas (Joan) Gjesdahl of Palm Bay, Fla.; three brothers, Charles (Betty) Reidner of Ft. Madison, Wendell Reidner of Carthage, and Kenneth Reidner of Dakota, Ill.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; one grandson; two sisters, Norma Thompson, and Zelda Grisham; and three brothers, Lyle, Lloyd, and Eldon Reidner.
He was employed by Housewright Soil Service in Burnside for most of his working life. He was a member of the Hancock County Post 5117 V.F.W. of Carthage. He loved sports, gardening, country music, and NASCAR racing, but most of all, he loved his grandchildren and spending time with them.
Funeral services were held Monday, July 2, in the Lamporte Funeral Home in Carthage with Pastor Kenneth Reidner officiating. Burial was in Moss Ridge cemetery in Carthage, with full military honors by Hancock County V.F.W. Post 5117.
Memorials have been established for the Hancock County Heart Association or a charity of the donor's choice.
