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Leona J. Flynn
HANOVER -- Leona J. Flynn, 85, of Hanover died Thursday, July 31, 2003, at home.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hanover. Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Law-Jones Funeral Home.
A memorial fund has been established.
Lois V. Laeser
FREEPORT -- Lois V. Laeser, 78, of Freeport died Tuesday, July 29, 2003, at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.
She was born Sept. 23, 1924, in Lena, daughter of Ernest and Rose (Mokros) Hofer. On Sept. 10, 1949, Lois and Edward Laeser were married in Freeport.
Mrs. Laeser was a member of First Lutheran Church.
She worked out at the YMCA and enjoyed playing with all animals, but especially her Schipperke dog, Simon. Lois liked to go to band concerts at Krape Park with friends, and also attended plays at Winneshiek Playhouse. She was very devoted to her church.
Survivors include cousins, Greg (Melody) Mokros of Freeport, Dianna (Harry) Unzicker of Oregon, Lyle (Kris) Mokros of Platteville, Wis., and Albert (Ann) Mokros of Lena; her aunt Lillian Mokros of Lena; many nieces and nephews; and foster daughters, Anna, Tina and Martha.
Preceding her in death were her husband and her parents.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Leamon Funeral Home in Lena with Pastor Neville Kretzmann of First Lutheran Church and Pastor Douglas Bowden of Faith United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be at Lena Burial Park.
Visitation is from noon to 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home, 210 W. Main St., Lena. A memorial fund has been established for YMCA and Freeport Area Church Cooperative.
David A. Trenda
FREEPORT -- David A. Trenda, 36, of Freeport died Wednesday, July 30, 2003, at Freeport Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born May 30, 1967, in St. Paul, Minn., he was the son of Donald and Renee (Salmon) Trenda. David married Mary R. Cox on Oct. 26, 1991, in Freeport.
He was a member of Crossroads Community Church.
An avid sportsman, he enjoyed all sports.
Surviving are his wife, Mary of Freeport; one daughter, Tasha Herold of Freeport; his mother, Renee Trenda of Stelle; his father, Donald (Sharon) Trenda of Surprise, Ariz.; two sisters, Jody Trenda of Streamwood and Jenny Trenda of Algonquin; paternal grandmother, Florence Trenda of Stillwater, Minn.; his wife's parents, Harry and Barbara Cox of Freeport; two sisters-in-law, Lisa (Stuart) Thompson of Leaf River and Lori Cox of Freeport; and his beloved dogs, Icon and Kramer, both at home in Freeport.
His maternal grandmother and paternal grandparents preceded him in death.
Private funeral services will be held. Burial will be at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.
A celebration of his life for family and friends will be held Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Four Seasons Banquet Hall. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in his name.
Dora M. Carson
MOUNT CARROLL -- Dora Marie Carson, 76, of Mount Carroll died Friday, June 11, 2004, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Mount Carroll.
Dora was born Jan. 14, 1928, in rural Lanark, the daughter of John and Magda Alma (Riedel) Birchen. She was a lifelong resident of Carroll County. Dora married Herbert Carson on
Nov. 3, 1951, in Lanark. Herbert died Sept. 10, 1993.
After graduation, she was employed as a bookkeeper by the National Bank of Lanark, the Exchange Bank of Lanark and for 25 years at the National Bank of Mount Carroll, followed by 17 years with the Caroline Mark Home in Mount Carroll.
Dora's memberships included Center Hill United Brethren Church, where she served as church treasurer and Sunday school teacher. A member of Home and Community Education, Freedom unit, she was currently serving as a county board member of HCE and was co-chairman of the international committee. She played a role in establishing the Good Samaritan Center in Mount Carroll and often visited residents.
Dora enjoyed the farmers' markets, flower gardening, sending cards and letters and, most of all, faithfully helping others.
Surviving are two brothers, William (Evelyn) Birchen of Pearl City and John (Elizabeth) Birchen Jr. of O'Fallon, Mo.; one sister, Hilda Birchen of Lanark; two sisters-in-law, Fern Irwin of Mount Carroll and Shirley Walser of Fort Worth, Texas; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and infant sister, Esther. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Frank-Law-Jones Funeral Home in Mount Carroll. Burial will be at Zion Cemetery in Elizabeth.
Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for the Caroline Mark Home in Mount Carroll.
Irma E. Link
FORRESTON -- Irma Elizabeth Link, 79, of Forreston died Wednesday, June 9, 2004, at home.
She was born Dec. 25, 1924, in Milan, the daughter of Raymond F. and Maude G. (Hull) Walker. On Sept. 26, 1948, Irma and Donald R. Link were married in Apple River. Mr. Link died Oct. 21, 1988.
After graduating from Apple River/Warren High School in Warren with the class of 1942, she studied nursing at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, graduating with the class of 1945 as a registered nurse. She served 35 years nursing at St. Francis Hospital in Freeport, KSB Hospital in Dixon and Pinecrest Manor Nursing Home in Mount Morris before retiring in 1978.
She had lived in Forreston since 1948 and was a member of West Branch Church of the Brethren in Polo, Country Crossroad Quilters of Forreston, Sunshine Homemakers Extension of Forreston and Veterans of Foreign Ward Auxiliary Post 3639 in Mount Morris.
Irma was a master quilter who won numerous ribbons at county fairs.
Surviving family members include her son, David (Cindy) Link of Leaf River; two daughters, Diane (Gale) McCully of Mendota and Debra (George) Macklem of Haslett, Mich.; four grandchildren, Andrea (Derek) Marcellus of Orfordville, Wis., Melissa (Tony) Schelling of Oregon and Kyle and Beka Macklem of Haslett; four great-granddaughters, Brooklynn and Madison Schelling of Oregon and Isabella and Olivia Marcellus of Orfordville; two brothers, Arthur (Doris) Walker of Anchorage, Alaska, and James Walker of Sylmar, Calif.; two sisters, Dorothy Hewes of Palo Alto, Calif., and Gertrude (Roland) Penticoff of Freeport; and two sisters-in-law, Joyce Walker and Esther Mennenga of Oregon.
Preceding her in death were her parents, husband and brother, Warren Walker.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Finch Funeral Home, 405 E. Hitt St., Mount Morris with the Rev. Richard G. Bright, pastor of West Branch Church of the Brethren, officiating. The cremains will be buried at a later date at Haldane Cemetery in Haldane.
Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
A memorial fund has been established for West Branch Church of the Brethren or Pinecrest Manor in Mount Morris.
Mary R. Borchardt
FREEPORT -- Mary Ruth Borchardt, 81, of Freeport died at 7 a.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2004, at Freeport Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center where she resided since April 13, 2001.
She was born Oct. 24, 1922, in Dakota, the daughter of John B. and Mamie G. (Moss) Harnish Sr. She attended Dakota High School. On Aug. 31, 1944, Mary Ruth and George L. Borchardt were married at McConnell.
Prior to her retirement, she was employed at Fairbanks-Morse Co and W.T. Rawleigh Co in Freeport.
Her memberships included First Church of the Open Bible in Freeport and Rock Grove Rebekah Lodge.
She enjoyed collecting Teddy bears and going to the cottage at McFarland, Wis.
Surviving are her husband, George of Freeport; five nieces, Paulette (Lester) Pfile, Pamela Wise, Patricia (Allan) Fransen, Diane (Lamoine) Despain and Donna (Bennett) Bratley; one nephew, Michael Harnis, all of Freeport; and many grandnieces and grandnephews.
Preceding her in death were her parents, an infant child, one brother and one sister.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Daughenbaugh Funeral Home, 115 S. West St., Dakota, with the Rev. Randal Bush of First Church of the Open Bible, Freeport, officiating. Burial will be at Dakota Cemetery.
Visiting hours are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
A memorial fund has been established in her name.
Merna E. Grebner
FREEPORT -- Merna E. Grebner, 87, of Freeport died Tuesday, June 15, 2004, at Stephenson Nursing Center.
She was born Jan. 8, 1917, in Elizabeth, the daughter of Lawrence and Dorothea (Meyer) Read. She was a graduate of Elizabeth High School. Her husband, Wesley "Hank" Grebner, preceded her in death in 1976.
Mrs. Grebner was a former employee of Freeport Memorial Hospital.
Surviving are one son, Richard (Connie) Grebner of Freeport; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one sister, Louise (Tom) Casey of Monroe.
Preceding her in death were her parents, husband; one son, Stuart "Bill" Grebner; one brother, Maurice Read; and two sisters, Virginia Fisher and Charlotte Ackerson.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements were made by Schwarz Funeral Home.
Ruth F. Klaas
FREEPORT -- Ruth F. Klaas, 69, of Freeport died Wednesday, June 16, 2004, at home.
She was born Sept. 4, 1934, in Elizabeth, the daughter of Lawrence and Theresa Davis Meyer. On Nov. 23, 1957, Ruth and Milton Klaas were married in Elizabeth.
Her employment included General Casualty Insurance Co, State Farm Insurance Co., and Crum and Forster Insurance Co.
She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and enjoyed playing cards, dancing, spending time with her grandchildren and helping people.
Surviving are her husband; one son, Brian S. (Alice) Klaas of Columbia, S.C.; one daughter, Sandra Jean (Joseph) Moran of Buffalo Grove; two brothers, Lynn (sue Ellen) Meyer of Freeport and Earl Meyer of Elizabeth; and four grandchildren, Jonathan, Kelley and Megan Moran and Erik Klaas.
Preceding her in death were her parents; stepmother, Violet Offenheiser; and one sister, Alice Endress.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Rev. John Cahill, pastor of the church, officiating. Burial will be at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.
Visitation hours are from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home, where a Scripture service will be conducted at 4 p.m.
A memorial fund has been established in her name.
Hazel L. Wilkens
FREEPORT -- Hazel L. (Joe) Wilkens, 91, of Freeport died Saturday, June 12, 2004, at Stephenson Nursing Center.
Born Jan. 29, 1913, in Milledgeville, she was the daughter of Rollo and Edith (Petty) Allen. On Sept. 30, 1930, Hazel married Joseph P. Wilkens in Rochelle.
After her marriage, she was a member of the Baileyville Baptist Church and also a member of the Sara Bay Baptist Church in Sarasota, Fla., before joining the Cedarville Baptist Church.
She loved being with her family, raising her canaries and wintering in Florida for 20 years.
Surviving is one son, Eugene P. (Judy) Wilkens of Freeport; one sister, Bernadine Jacobs of Rock Falls; one granddaughter, Kimberly Cary of Freeport; six grandsons, Eugene (Marjorie) Wilkens Jr., Curtis Wilkens and Keith Wilkens, all of Freeport, Kevin (Tina) Wilkens of Shannon, Steven (Becky) Wilkens of Ciresco, Mich., and Kenneth (Jackie) Wilkens of Monroe, Wis; 11 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandson, six stepgreat-grandchildren; six stepgreat-great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and three sisters-in-law, Esther Allen of Rock Falls, Bonita Allen of DeWitt, Iowa, and Evlyn Wilkens of Forreston.
Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, one granddaughter, three sisters and four brothers.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Cedarville Baptist Church with the Rev. Gene McIntosh officiating. Burial will be at White Oak Cemetery in Forreston.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Walker Mortuary.
A memorial fund has been established in her name.
Frances Woodhouse
FREEPORT -- Frances J. Woodhouse, 95, of Freeport died Tuesday, June 15, 2004, at Parkview Home.
She was born April 24, 1909, in Omaha, Neb., the daughter of Nathaniel and Jeanette Dibbern Herdlinger. On June 1, 1935, Frances and John F. Woodhouse were married in Columbia, Mo.
She was a chemist for Mars Candy Co. and later a school teacher in Freeport.
Mr. and Mrs. Woodhouse were world travelers who made an around-the-world trip and went to the South Pacific, Europe and China several times.
She was a former member of the League of Women Voters and Shakespeare Society.
The Frances Woodhouse Local History Room at Freeport Public Library was named in her honor.
Surviving are two sons, John F. Woodhouse Jr. of Freeport and David M. (Maggi) Woodhouse of San Diego; one daughter, Anne F. Woodhouse of St. Louis; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents, husband and two brothers.
Services will be held at Parkview Home at a later date.
A memorial fund has been established in her memory.
