Obituaries

May 19, 2018

Emma Villarreal

(nee Thatcher)

Age 76 of Morris, formerly Verona and Cuevitas, Texas, passed away Saturday May 19, 2018 at Morris Hospital.

Born November 21, 1941 in Cuevitas, Emma was a daughter of George and Francisca (nee Farias) Thatcher. She was raised in Cuevitas, and on December 18, 1959 she married Inez Villarreal,...

May 15, 2018

Gregory Allen Huffines

Age 53 of Park Forest, passed away Tuesday evening, May 15, 2018 at St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights.

Born May 18, 1964, Gregory Allen is the son of Jean Huffines (nee Bever) of Park Forest and the late Vester Huffines. He was raised and educated in the Park Forest community and...

May 14, 2018

Ruth L. Smith

Age 82 of Gardner, passed away peacefully on Monday evening, May 14, 2018 at her home.

Born July 19, 1935 in Alton, Illinois, Ruth Leora was a daughter of James and Leora (Watts) Moody. She worked for Casey’s General Store in Gardner, as a cook for 15 years until her retirement. In...

May 12, 2018

Gayle Kimmel

Age 34 of Braceville, formerly Wilmington, passed away Saturday May 12, 2018 at her home surrounded by family.

Born May 20, 1983 in Joliet, Gayle Marie is a daughter of Angela K. Sartore of Manteno and Ronald Kimmel of Braidwood. She was raised and educated in Wilmington and attended Wilmington schools. Gayle was employed...

May 12, 2018

Mary Melvin

Age 69 of Wilmington, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, May 12, 2018 at home surrounded by family.

Born August 15, 1948 in Joliet, Illinois, Mary Ruth was a daughter of Melvin Louis and Helen Marie (Johnson) Jackson. She was raised and educated in Wilmington, and graduated from Wilmington High School with the...

May 10, 2018

Ron Hetzel

Age 64 of Wilmington, formerly of Westmont and Downers Grove, passed away Thursday May 10, 2018 at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home.

Born January 13, 1954 in Oak Park, Ronald Jay was a son of John, Jr. and Helen (nee Evers) Hetzel. He was raised and graduated high school in Westmont, and...

May 8, 2018

Vernon M. Vaughn

Age 88 of Diamond and formerly of Shelby, Alabama and Berwyn, Illinois, passed away Tuesday, May 08, 2018 at the home of his daughter in Diamond.

Born May 28, 1929 in Bessermer, Alabama, Vernon Melvin was a son of Melvin Thomas and Ellen (Reynolds) Vaughn. He was raised in Alabama, and upon...

May 7, 2018

St. Anne, Illinois - Rebecca L. (Becky) McComb, 65, loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, died on May 7, 2018 at her home, after a six-month battle with fast-progressing ALS.

A Memorial Service will be held at 12:30 pm Saturday, May 12, 2018 at Baskerville Funeral Home, 700 East Kahler Road, Wilmington, Illinois.  Her family...

May 6, 2018

Homer Boling

"Peanut"

Age 36 of Bowling Green, Kentucky, formerly Joliet, passed away Sunday May 6, 2018 at his residence.

Born July 15, 1981 in Maryville, Tennessee, Homer Glenn, Jr. is a son of Cheryl Cuff Moore and the late Homer G. Boling, Sr. He was raised and educated in Joliet, and attended...

May 1, 2018

Gerald Ruder

“Jerry”

Age 94 of Wilmington, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at his home.

Born October 23, 1923 in Herscher, Illinois, Gerald Raymond was a son of Edwin and Alice (Fritz) Ruder. From an early age, Jerry excelled in academics and after skipping a couple grades, graduated with the...

Apr 29, 2018

Mary Szlak

Age 91 of Surprise, Arizona and formerly of Wilmington, passed away Sunday morning, April 29, 2018 at Peoria Care Center in Peoria, Arizona.

Born March 6, 1927 in Webster, South Dakota, Mary Ellen was the youngest of ten and a daughter of Edward and Mary (Breske) Tracy. She was raised and educated in...

Apr 29, 2018

Robert E. McConnell, Jr.

"Bob"

Age 74 of Goose Lake passed away Sunday April 29, 2018 in his home after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born April 6, 1944 in LaSalle, Robert was a son of Robert and Jane (Bildhauer) McConnell. He married Jean Panneck on June 1, 1968 at Saint Mary's...

Apr 25, 2018

Jerry W. Hale

Age 86 of Morris, formerly Chicago, Lemont and Naples, Florida, passed away Wednesday April 25, 2018 at his home.

Born March 6, 1932 in Chicago, Jerry Walter was a son of Earl and Eleanore (nee Olszewski) Hale. He was raised and educated in Chicago, and graduated from Bowen High School. Following High...

Apr 23, 2018

Terry Mayfield

Age 58 of Wilmington, passed away Monday, April 23, 2018 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Born September 22, 1959 in Joliet, Terrence L. was a son of Jack and Emma (Anderson) Mayfield. He was raised and educated in Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington High School with the class of 1977. Terry...

Apr 23, 2018

William Travis McDowell

Age 71 of Lockport and formerly of Wilmington and Hartselle, Alabama passed away Monday, April 23, 2018 at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

Born January 28, 1947 in Haleyville, Alabama, William Travis was a son of William C. and Dorothy Mae (Loyd) McDowell. He was raised and educated in Wilmington and...

Apr 22, 2018

Kenneth Max Cullums

Age 81 of Coal City, passed away Sunday evening, April 22, 2018 at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home.

Born October 18, 1936 in Newton, Illinois, Kenneth Max was a son of Charles Edgar and Winifred (Rodgers) Cullums. He was raised and educated in Gardner, and on February 20, 1955, Max married...

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...