Obituaries

Dec 21, 2017

Gary Bierwirth

Age 66 of Morris and formerly of Bartonville and Peoria passed away unexpectedly Thursday morning, December 21, 2017 at his home in Morris.

Born January 4, 1951 in Peoria, Illinois, Gary Dean was a son of Glen and Ellen (nee Clark) Bierwirth. He was raised and educated in Bartonville, Illinois and graduated from...

Dec 19, 2017

Eric L. Wassong

Age 52 of Wilmington and formerly of Oak Forest, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at his home.

Born June 12, 1965 in Oak Lawn. Eric was a son to Raymond and Margaret (nee Swatkowski) Wassong. He was raised and educated in Oak Forest and graduated from Oak Forest High...

Dec 18, 2017

Imogene Vaughn

“Jean”

Age 87 of Coal City, passed away peacefully on Monday morning, December 18, 2017 at home surrounded by family.

Born February 2, 1930 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Imogene was a daughter of Omar Murry and Ida Maebell (Wilson) Toxey. Over the years her employment included working at Victor Gasket Company,...

Dec 18, 2017

Alice Fay (Davis) Kukla,

Age 78 of Wilmington, and formerly of South Holland, IL, passed away peacefully Monday, December 18, 2017 at Aperion Care Center in Wilmington. Born on September 26, 1939 in Wilmington, IL, Alice Fay was a daughter of E.J. and Alice (Butcher) Davis. Growing up she spent much of her youth on Starvation Hill...

Dec 15, 2017

Derek Hogg

Age 34 of Channahon and formerly of Shorewood, left this world peacefully on Friday morning, December 15, 2017 at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home, following a valiant fight with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).

Born February 23, 1983 in Joliet, Derek is a son of Marion (Wadkins) Oddo of Shorewood and Stephen Hogg...

Dec 13, 2017

Carol Jean Racinowski

Age 61 of Diamond and formerly of Coal City, passed away unexpectedly, Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at her home.

Born January 10, 1956 in Morris. Carol Jean was a daughter to Henry and Anna (Bouwman) Racinowski. She was raised and educated in Coal City and graduated from Coal City High School with...

Dec 9, 2017

Patrick J. Sweeney

Age 82 of Joliet, formerly Chicago, passed away Saturday December 9, 2017 at Salem Village Nursing Home in Joliet.

Born September 6, 1935 on Inishtrawar Island in County Galway, Ireland, Patrick Joseph was a son of Colman and Barbara (nee Coyne) Sweeney. He was raised in Ireland, and immigrated to Boston in...

Dec 7, 2017

Elsie Agnes Swartz

Age 97 of Coal City passed away Thursday morning, December 7, 2017 at Heritage Health in Dwight.

Born April 3, 1920 in Coal City, Illinois, Elsie was a daughter of Joseph and Bessie (nee Hajek) Swartz. She was raised and educated in Coal City, and during World War II was proud to...

Dec 5, 2017

Elvin “Whitey” Wills

Age 91 of Coal City, passed away Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home with his family by his bedside.

Born June 10, 1926, Elvin Wesley was the second son of seven born to John and Ethel (Jackson) Wills, in a rural house on Spring Road. He attended...

Nov 29, 2017

Lorenza Gimenez

Age 68 of Minooka and formerly of Asuncion, Paraguay, Chicago and Morris passed away Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at Morris Hospital.

Born September 5, 1949 in Asuncion, Paraguay, Lorenza was a daughter of Pedro and Modesta (Aguero) Gimenez. She was raised and educated in Paraguay and in her early twenties moved to Chicago....

Nov 29, 2017

Debbie Osborn

Age 60 of Peoria and formerly of Rockdale, passed away Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at Fondulac Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in East Peoria.

Born December 4, 1956 in Los Angeles, California, Deborah Jean is a daughter of Evelyn Irene (Watts) Miller and the late Marvin McKinney. She was raised and educated in Rockdale....

Nov 16, 2017

Robert Romero

Age 95 of Dwight, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 at Heritage Health in Dwight.

Robert was born in Mexico City, Mexico. His family immigrated to Chicago when he was a young child. Robert attended Bowen High School and then Roosevelt University. He was a draftsman during World War II and traveled...

Nov 15, 2017

Beverley D. Davis

“Bev”

Age 72 of Wilmington passed away Wednesday November 15, 2017 at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

Born June 2, 1945 in Dieterich, Illinois, Beverley Diann is a daughter of Rosie (nee Schultz) and the late John Warren Chesnut. She was raised and educated in Joliet, and graduated from...

Nov 14, 2017

Lavern Johnson

“Rocky”

Age 77 of Morris and formerly of Elwood and Anna-Jonesboro, passed away Tuesday evening November 14, 2017 at Morris Hospital, surrounded by family.

Born April 27, 1940 in Union County, Illinois, Lavern Leon was a son of Earl Edward and Blanche Agnes (Freeman) Johnson. He was raised in Union County...

Nov 9, 2017

Janet J. Cooper

Age 71 of Wilmington, passed away Thursday afternoon, November 9, 2017 at her home surrounded by family.

Born November 13, 1945 in Joliet, Illinois, Janet Jessie was a daughter of Roy and Eva (Oster) Cupples. She was raised and educated in Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of...

Nov 3, 2017

John Stainbrook

“John Boy”

Age 44 of DeKalb and formerly of Wilmington and Braidwood, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, November 3, 2017.

Born July 4, 1973 in Joliet, John Michael was a son of Richard Stainbrook, Sr. and Sandra (Wolff) Jenkins. He was raised and educated in Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington High...

Nov 3, 2017

Ariana Kay Gage

Age 14 of Wilmington, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, November 3, 2017.

Born April 9, 2003 in Palestine, Texas, Ariana Kay is a daughter of Brandius Noble and Patrick (Stacey) Gage. She was attending Joliet West High School, where she was involved with the ROTC Program. Ariana also enjoyed volleyball and softball,...

Nov 2, 2017

Michael A. Andrews

Age 64 of Braidwood and formerly of Chicago, Orland Park, Lockport and Wilmington, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

Born May 28, 1953 in Chicago, Michael Adrian was a son of James M. and Martha A. (Bobko) Andrews. He was raised in...

Oct 31, 2017

Matthew Moser

Age 23 of Coal City, passed away Tuesday afternoon, October 31, 2017 at Morris Hospital.

Born November 8, 1993 in Morris, Matthew Charles was a son of John and Karen (nee Cutler) Moser. He was raised and educated in Coal City. Matthew loved the outdoors and spent his free time fishing, hunting and...

Oct 28, 2017

Leonard J. Semetulskis

Age 74 of Wilmington passed away Saturday October 28, 2017 at his home.

Born November 29, 1942 in Chicago, Leonard John was the son of Stanley and Bernice (nee Ragainis) Semetulskis. He was raised and educated in Chicago, and graduated from Saint Rita of Cascia High School with the Class of 1960....