Obituaries

Mar 20, 2018

Josephine D. Koester

“Josie”

Age 82 of Wilmington and formerly of Chicago, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at her home.

Born January 3, 1936 in Chicago, Josephine was a daughter of John and Daisy (Snitkowski) Romanski.

Josie was a former member of St. Camillus Parish in Chicago, and...

Mar 20, 2018

Cletus “Jerry” Bozych

Age 82 of Goose Lake, passed away Tuesday afternoon, March 20, 2018 at Presence St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Born September 20, 1935 in Lemont, Illinois, Cletus Jerome was a son of Harry and Hazel (Lund) Bozych. He was raised and educated in Lemont, and went on to honorably serve in...

Mar 19, 2018

Robert J. Kane

Age 77 of Pontiac, passed away Monday, March 19, 2018 at Evenglow Lodge in Pontiac.

Born January 13, 1941 in Joliet, Robert James was a son of Bernard and Elizabeth (Stein) Kane. He was raised and educated in Lemont and graduated from Lemont High School with the class of 1959. After graduation...

Mar 19, 2018

JoAnn Hines

Age 82 of Coal City, passed away Monday evening, March 19, 2018 at Heritage Health in Dwight.

Born January 9, 1936 in Coal City, JoAnn was a daughter of Anton and Bessie (Chavtal) Schimandle. She was raised in Coal City and graduated from Coal City High School with the Class of 1954. On...

Mar 18, 2018

Willis C. Smid

Age 89 of Wilmington, passed away Sunday afternoon, March 18, 2018 at his home.

Born July 15, 1928 in Hampton, Iowa, Willis Calvin was a son of Klaus and Peterka (Heinrich) Smid. He was raised and educated in Iowa and graduated from West Union High School with the Class of 1947. On...

Mar 17, 2018

Mitch Brown

Age 46 of Braceville, passed away Saturday afternoon March 17, 2018 following a valiant battle at Foster G. McGaw, Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.

Born April 12, 1971 in Joliet, Illinois, Mitchell Douglas is a son of Mildred Turner (nee Griffith) of Custer Park and the late Melvin Douglas Brown.

...

Mar 16, 2018

William Waltz

Age 95 of Wilmington, passed away Friday morning, March 16, 2018 at Aperion Care of Wilmington.

Born in the family home on March 13, 1923 in Ledford, Illinois, William was a son of Fred and Roena (Bennett) Waltz. He was raised Harrisburg, Illinois and went on to honorably serve in the United States Army...

Mar 14, 2018

David L. Henke

Age 51 of Wilmington, passed away Wednesday March 14, 2018 at his home.

Born May 5, 1966 in Joliet, David Lee is a son of Lee and Fanny (Vinson) Henke of Wilmington. He was raised and educated in Wilmington, and graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of 1984. David was...

Mar 12, 2018

James Olson

Age 68 of Coal City and formerly of Joliet, passed away Monday evening, March 12, 2018 at his home.

Born July 6, 1949 in Joliet, James T. was a son of Joseph and Angeline (nee Korelc) Olson. He was raised and educated in Joliet and graduated with the class of 1967. James learned...

Mar 12, 2018

Norman Cotham

Age 74 of Wilmington passed away Monday March 12, 2018 at his home.

Born April 13, 1943 in Thayer, Missouri, Norman Lee was a son of Lee and Thelma (nee Agnew) Cotham. He was raised and educated in Thayer, and on July 10, 1964, he married Judy Ann Tucker in Saint Charles, Illinois....

Mar 10, 2018

Robert W. Crenshaw

"Bobby"

Age 47 of Channahon, passed away Saturday, March 10, 2018 at his home.

Born June 8, 1970, Robert W. was a son of Kyra (nee Connelly) of Channahon and the late Stephen Crenshaw. He was a graduate of Minooka High School with the class of 1988, and went on...

Mar 10, 2018

Dorothy June Puracchio

Age 90 of Wilmington and formerly of Joliet, passed away Saturday, March 10, 2018 at home.

Born March 28, 1927 in Joliet, Dorothy June was the daughter of Elmer and Myrtle (nee Peterson) Swanke. She was raised and educated in Joliet and graduated from Joliet Township High School with the class of...

Mar 9, 2018

Michael T. Smith

Age 57 of Coal City, passed away Friday, March 9, 2018 at his home.

Born December 4, 1960 in Joliet, Michael Thomas is a son of Sharleen (nee Perona) Smith of Coal City and the late James Smith. He was raised in Coal City and graduated with the Coal City High School...

Mar 9, 2018

Martha A. Squellati

(nee Gallagher)

Age 69 of Wilmington passed away Friday March 9, 2018 at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Born June 24, 1948 in Morgantown, West Virginia, Martha Alice is the daughter of Mary Bittaker and the late Lawrence Gallagher. She was raised and educated in Wilmington, and graduated...

Mar 9, 2018

Joseph G. Martyka

Age 82 of Wilmington and formerly of Chicago, passed away Friday evening, March 9, 2018 at Our Lady of Angels in Joliet.

Born January 23, 1936 in Chicago, Joseph George was a son of George and Sophie (nee Krzysiak) Martyka. He was raised and educated in the “back of the yards” of...

Mar 6, 2018

Melinda Cortez-Cullen

Age 38 of Coal City, along with her son Jaxson Cash Cullen, passed away tragically Tuesday March 6, 2018 as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

Born January 1, 1980, Melinda is the daughter of Roberto and Teresa (Valdez) Cortez of Diamond. She was raised and educated in Coal...

Mar 5, 2018

Grace F. Hatch

Age 84 of Braidwood, passed away Monday afternoon, March 5, 2018 at Morris Hospital.

Born May 6, 1933 in Braceville, Illinois, Grace Frances was a daughter of Louis and Frances (Feltenz) Buffo. She was raised on the family farm and graduated from Gardner-South Wilmington High School with the Class of 1951. Following...

Mar 4, 2018

Ralph E. Sims

Age 63 of Wilmington, passed away Sunday morning March 4, 2018 at Loyola University Foster G. McGaw Medical Center in Maywood.

Born July 14, 1954 in Kankakee, Ralph Edward was a son of Permenus Benjamin “Ben” and Dorothy Mae (Johnson) Sims. He was raised in Bradley and graduated from Bradley Bourbonnais Community...

Mar 4, 2018

Sharon A. Gresham

Age 78 of Wilmington, passed away Sunday morning, March 4, 2018 at The Timbers of Shorewood.

Born August 25, 1939 in Cabery, Illinois, Sharon Ann was a daughter of the late Donald Trost and Julia Ann Correct-Trost. She was raised in Kankakee and graduated from Kankakee High School with the Class of...

Feb 26, 2018

Ida M. Nelson

Age 76 of Braidwood, passed away Monday morning, February 26, 2018 at Presence St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Born September 4, 1941, in Cundiff, Kentucky, Ida Mae was raised in Adair County, by her mother Mary Helm.

As she grew older, Ida became a woman of vast interests who...