Obituaries

Apr 21, 2018

James Besch, Jr.

Age 24 of Joliet and formerly of Plainfield, passed away Saturday, April 21, 2018 at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Born February 17, 1994 in Joliet, James Adam is the son of James Besch, Sr. and Anita (nee Gray) Besch. He was raised and educated in Plainfield and graduated from...

Apr 21, 2018

Jimmy Ray Kerr

Age 38 of Coal City, passed away Saturday morning, April 21, 2018 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Born April 9, 1980 in Berwyn, Illinois, Jimmy Ray is a son of James and Teresa (Virella) Kerr of Diamond. He was raised in Cicero and attended Coal City High School.

Jimmy...

Apr 21, 2018

Dave Thomas

Age 67 of Wilmington, passed away Saturday morning, April 21, 2018 at his home.

Born February 24, 1951 in Mattoon, Illinois, John David was a son of John Dewey and Elsie Eleanor (Worland) Thomas. He was raised in Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of 1969. Dave entered into...

Apr 20, 2018

Christian Resler

Age 93 of Morris, passed away Friday morning April 20, 2018 at Park Pointe in Morris.

Born July 30, 1924 in Lampman, Saskatchewan, Canada, Christian was a son of Emmanuel and Marian (Berger) Resler. He was raised and educated in Canada, and on December 28, 1957, Christian married Joan Planeta in Assumption Catholic...

Apr 19, 2018

Charles “Bud” Bullock

Age 92 of Wilmington, passed away Thursday, April 19, 2018 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, Illinois.

Born December 5, 1925 in Boonville, Indiana, Charles Clayton was a son of Gerald and Laura (Cissna) Bullock. He was raised and educated in Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of...

Apr 17, 2018

Brenda S. Kilgore

Age 60 of Gardner passed away Tuesday April 17, 2018 at Heritage Health in Dwight.

Born May 5, 1957 in Kingsport, Tennessee, Brenda Sue was a daughter of Vernon and Orie (nee Lane) Kilgore. She was raised and educated in Kingsport, until her family relocated to Illinois. Brenda was employed as a...

Apr 16, 2018

Mary Whitis

Age 69 of Herscher and formerly of Morris, passed away Monday evening, April 16, 2018 at her home.

Born February 17, 1949 in Wyatt, Missouri, Mary Ann was a daughter of Willie and Pearlie (Crawford) Abernatha. She was raised in Kentucky and lived with her family in Morris for many years before moving...

Apr 16, 2018

Randy Andrews

Age 59 of Wilmington, passed away Monday evening, April 16, 2018 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.

Born August 22, 1958 in Joliet, Illinois, Randy was a son of Noal Allison and Johnnie Helen (Phifer) Andrews. He was raised in Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of 1976. He...

Apr 11, 2018

Charles H. Staples

“Chuck”

Age 89 of Wilmington passed away Wednesday April 11, 2018 at his home.

Born September 17, 1928 in Rock Falls, Illinois, Charles Henry was a son of Harry and Florence (DeMay) Staples. He was raised and educated in Sterling, Illinois, and then enlisted in the United States Navy, serving...

Apr 11, 2018

John Robert Phillips, Jr.

Age 62 of Coal City, passed away Wednesday April 11, 2018 at St. Margaret’s Health Care Center in Spring Valley, Illinois.

Born July 22, 1955 in Joliet, Illinois, John Robert was a son of John Robert, Sr. "Jack" and Phyllis Jean (Johnson) Phillips. He was raised in Coal City and graduated...

Apr 10, 2018

Marian L. Prosser

Age 95 of Wilmington, passed away Tuesday evening, April 10, 2018 at Rock Run Place Assisted Living in Joliet, Illinois.

Born October 6, 1922 in Peotone, Illinois, Marian Louise was a daughter of John Patrick and Amelia (Reitz) Whalen. She was raised on a farm during the depression, and educated in a...

Apr 7, 2018

Dennis P. Klepk

“Denny”

Age 77 of Coal City and Formerly of Wilmington, passed away peacefully Saturday evening, April 7, 2018 at his home surrounded by family.

Born August 12, 1940 in Kankakee, Illinois, Dennis Paul was a son of Paul Roman and Rhetta L. (Ragain) Klepk. He was raised in Wilmington, graduated...

Apr 4, 2018

Sarah Hagel Smith

Age 32 of Wilmington, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday April 4, 2018 as the result of a cardiac condition.

Born May 5, 1985 in Oak Lawn, Illinois, Sarah Anne is a daughter of Deborah Marchbank of Wilmington and Charles Raymond Hagel, Jr. of Oak Lawn. She was raised and educated in the...

Apr 2, 2018

Lois Rae Stockhaus

Age 86 of Elwood and formerly of Rogers, Arkansas, passed away Monday evening, April 2, 2018 at her home following a valiant battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Born April 18, 1931 in Kansas City, Kansas, Lois Rae was a daughter of John Raymond and Iva Matilda (Blue) Hoag. She was raised and educated...

Apr 1, 2018

Paul L. Ruffatti

Age 52 of Coal City, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, April 1, 2018.

Born March 19, 1966 in Joliet, Illinois, Paul Louis is the son of Lorraine (Endrst) Ruffatti of Coal City and the late Louis P. Ruffatti. He was raised in Coal City and graduated from Coal City High School with...

Mar 31, 2018

June Olson

Age 86 of Morris and formerly of Gardner, passed away Saturday, March 31, 2018 at The Pointe in Morris.

Born June 18, 1931 in Morris, Cecelia June was a daughter of Ralph and Lucille (Glover) Matteson. She was raised and educated in Morris and graduated from Morris High School with the class of...

Mar 31, 2018

Dean Jones

Age 66 of Wilmington, Illinois, passed away suddenly at his home on March 31, 2018.

Born December 10, 1951 in Columbus, Wisconsin, Dean Emrys was a son of Emrys and Adaline (Schepp) Jones. He graduated valedictorian of his class at Rio High School in 1969, and went on to earn a degree in...

Mar 31, 2018

Stella Louise Drabek

“Bootie”

Age 74 passed away Saturday March 31, 2018 at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Born June 27, 1943 in Cheatham County, Tennessee, Stella was a daughter of George W. and Mary Louallen-Hudgens.  Stella spent her early years in Tennessee and Illinois.  She held several roles in her...

Mar 28, 2018

Debbie Glenn

Age 64 of Wilmington. Passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday morning, March 28, 2018 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.

Born January 28, 1954 in Hinton, West Virginia, Debra Lynn was a daughter of William Elbert “Ebb” and Virginia Ruth (Forren) Wickline. She was raised in Joliet and graduated from Joliet Central High School...

Mar 28, 2018

Mary Ellen Whitmore

Age 87 of Wilmington and Largo, Florida, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, March 28, 2018 at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home.

Born November 26, 1930 in Belleville, Illinois, Mary Ellen was a daughter of Gordon and Mary (Morrisette) Ripley. She was raised and educated in Jerseyville, Illinois, where she graduated high...