Obituaries

Donald Lee Bixby

Donald Lee Bixby

May 29, 2025

Donald Lee Bixby passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on May 29, 2025, at the age of 93.

Don was born on May 25, 1932, in Geneseo, Illinois, where he spent his formative years and graduated high school. His pursuit of knowledge led him to Purdue University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. He...

Shirley A. Marsaglia

Shirley A. Marsaglia

May 28, 2025

(Nee, Styber)

Age 98, passed away May 28, 2025.

Born in Coal City, IL to the late Charles and Antoinette (Cerny) Styber, she was a lifelong resident of Coal City, graduating from Coal City High School with the class of 1944.

Surviving are her daughter, Lisa (Joe) Klepk, sons Mark (Christie) Marsaglia, Michael (Mary) Marsaglia, grandchildren Kathryn (Coy) Shaw, Kathleen (Matthew) Otzel, Matthew...

Phil Anderson

Phil Anderson

May 28, 2025

Age 73 of Wilmington, Illinois died unexpectedly on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at Silver Cross Medical Center in New Lenox, Illinois.

Born January 25, 1952 in Cicero, Illinois, Philip Wilson was a son of Lawrence and Doris (Wilson) Anderson. He was raised and educated in Cicero and graduated from Morton East High School with the class of 1970.

Phil devoted over four...

Gladys M. Meyer

Gladys M. Meyer

May 25, 2025

Age 82 of Rockville Township, Manteno, died Sunday, May 25, 2025 at Citadel Care Center in Kankakee, Illinois.

Born June 21, 1942 in Joliet, Illinois, Gladys Margaret was a daughter of Laverne and Alice (Green) Lovell. She was raised in Rockville Township and graduated from Saint Patrick's Catholic High School in Kankakee, Illinois. Gladys furthered her education and graduated from St....

Bernard Kudirka

Bernard Kudirka

May 23, 2025

Age 67 of Coal City, Illinois, formerly of Chicago, Illinois and Godley, Illinois, died unexpectedly on Friday, May 23, 2025 at his home.

Born October 8, 1957 in Chicago, Bernard Martin was a son of Joseph and Milda (Hoffmann) Kudirka. He was raised and educated in Chicago, graduated from Luther South High School with the Class of 1977, and completed a...

Ned David Kneller, Jr.

Ned David Kneller, Jr.

May 20, 2025

Age 83 of Morris, Illinois, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 due to injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident.

Born October 9, 1941 in Morris, Ned was a son of Ned, Sr. and Nellie (Meredith) Kneller. He was raised and educated in Morris and graduated from Morris High School with the Class of 1959. Following high school, Ned served...

Barbara J. Arnold

Barbara J. Arnold

May 18, 2025

Age 85 of Morris, Illinois, passed away Sunday, May 18, 2025 at her home with her family by her side.

Born June 5, 1939 in Morris, Barbara Jean was a daughter of Julius and Victoria (Claypool) Petersen. She was raised in Morris and attended Morris schools. Barb married Wayne Arnold in 1957 and later divorced, and she then married Richard McLaughlin...

Barb Goodwin

Barb Goodwin

May 16, 2025

Age 82 of Braceville, Illinois and formerly of Wilmington, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 16, 2025 at her home.

Born July 25, 1942 in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, Barbara Joyce was a daughter of Allen Paul and Beulah Marie (Jones) Chipman. She was raised in the Ripley, Tennessee area.

Barb dedicated her early years to nurturing her family, and later gained...

Vernon Udel Denham

Vernon Udel Denham

May 14, 2025

Age 92, of Minooka, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening, May 14, 2025, at the Lightways Hospice Home in Joliet, Illinois.

Born on April 6, 1933, in Belle Rive, Jefferson County, Illinois, Vernon was a son of Fred and Martha Ellen “Nellie” (Neibel) Denham. Raised in Belle Rive, Vernon went on to honorably serve in the United States Army during...

Phil Mehochko, Sr.

Phil Mehochko, Sr.

May 12, 2025

Age 87 of Mazon, Illinois passed away on May 12, 2025 at Morris Community Hospital of Morris, Illinois with family by his side.

Phil was born on February 18, 1938 at Morris Community Hospital to the late George, Sr. and Betty (Emro) Mehochko. He was a graduate of Gardner High School, and through means of a family friend went on to...

Joanne Rosemary Portegys

Joanne Rosemary Portegys

May 12, 2025

Age 88 of Wilmington, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Monday May 12, 2025 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, Illinois.

Born May 21, 1936 in Chicago, Joanne was a daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Ranftle) Pagliaro. She grew up on the south side of Chicago, where she developed a strong foundation of faith and community. Joanne attended Resurrection Academy on the...

Frankie Zuniga

Frankie Zuniga

May 12, 2025

Age 58 of Morris, Illinois and Sheridan, Illinois, died Monday, May 12, 2025 at Endeavor Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois.

Born November 9, 1966 in San Diego, California, Fankie is a son of Frank Zuniga and Tina Amodeo. He was raised and educated in San Diego and graduated from San Diego High School with the Class of 1984. Frankie then moved...

Lawrence W. "Bear Jr." Ferrari

Lawrence W. "Bear Jr." Ferrari

May 7, 2025

Age 83 of Campus, Illinois and formerly of Coal City, South Wilmington/East Brooklyn, died peacefully with his wife at his side on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at Arcadia Care of Morris.

Born August 27, 1941, in Joliet, Illinois, Larry was the son of Silvio and Madalyn (Pohl) Ferrari. He was raised in Coal City, attended Coal City schools, and one year...

Gary M. Bunton

Gary M. Bunton

May 7, 2025

Age 86 and a lifelong resident of Coal City, Illinois died Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at The ARC of Dwight.

Born on January 2, 1939, in Morris, Illinois, Gary was a son of Francis Amos and Catherine Alice (Ryan) Bunton. He was raised in Coal City, from where an early age, proved to be a tremendous athlete. He excelled in both...

Bernice E. Jolley

Bernice E. Jolley

May 5, 2025

Mrs. Bernice E. (Thompson) Jolley, 100, of Morris, IL joined her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Monday morning, May 5, 2025 at Serenity Estates in Morris. Her family praises God that her eternal joy has begun for “the Lord was her light and her salvation” (Psalm 27:1).

Born January 21, 1925, in Big Grove Township in Kendall County, Bernice was the...

Mary Lou Halliday

Mary Lou Halliday

May 5, 2025

Age 74 of Joliet, Illinois, died Monday, May 5, 2025 at the Lightways Hospice Home in Joliet.

Born November 12, 1950 in Moorhead, Minnesota, Mary Lou was a daughter of Wallace and Rosemary (Meyer) Halliday. She was raised in Minnesota until her family relocated to Coal City, Illinois where she graduated from Coal City High School with the Class of 1968....

Tracy Ann Less Jones

Tracy Ann Less Jones

May 1, 2025

Age 54, of Braidwood, Illinois, and formerly of Morris, passed away tragically on May 1, 2025, as the result of a motor vehicle accident.

Born August 24, 1970, in Ottawa, Illinois, Tracy is a daughter of Deborah Ann (Strong) Watters of Plainfield and the late Richard Lee Less. She spent her early years in Ottawa before moving to Morris, where she...

Phillip Ray Sylvester

Phillip Ray Sylvester

Apr 30, 2025

Age 75 of Elwood, Illinois, died Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at the Illinois Veteran's Home in Manteno, Illinois.

Born August 2, 1949 in Arcola, Illinois, Phillip was a son of Russell and Wilma (Nixon) Sylvester. He was raised and educated in Elwood and attended Joliet East High School. He then enlisted in the United States Army, serving for 15 months in...

Henry Joseph Jessen III

Henry Joseph Jessen III

Apr 28, 2025

“Hank”

Age 84 of Wilmington, Illinois, formerly of New Lenox and Manhattan, Illinois, died Monday, April 28, 2025 at his home.

Born September 17, 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, Hank was a son of Henry, Jr. and Anna (Derwood) Jessen. He was raised and educated in New Lenox and was part of the first Freshman Class at New Lenox High School, where he...

Sandra Sue Cerny

Sandra Sue Cerny

Apr 27, 2025

Age 87 of Coal City and formerly of Cocoa, Florida, passed away Sunday evening on April 27, 2025 at Goldwater Care in Pontiac, Illinois.

Born on April 5, 1938, in Lawrenceville, Illinois, Sandra Sue was a daughter of William Patten and Hazel (Greenlee) Blackburn. At the age of 12, her family moved to Wilmington after the sudden loss of her father....