Obit of Joan E. (Grosenbach) Sterrenberg

Joan Evelyn Sterrenberg, 93, of Chandler, AZ, formerly of Chatsworth, passed away peacefully with her daughter holding her hand on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 4:45 pm in Scottsdale, AZ.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, September 23, 2013 at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chatsworth with Pastor Tom Krieger officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services on Monday at the church. Burial will follow services at Germanville Township Cemetery in rural Chatsworth. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chatsworth. Local arrangements are being handled by Calvert & Martin Funeral Home in Chatsworth.

Joan was born in Chatsworth, IL, on March 13, 1920, a daughter of Walter and Reka Grosenbach. She married Clifford M. Sterrenberg on August 10, 1940 in Chatsworth, IL. She moved to Chandler, AZ in 1981. Joan loved her family, with her three children always coming first. She was a religious, sweet woman who always had a smile on her face and made a point to be sure those around her also had smiles. She loved gardening and birds. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Cliff and daughter Joyce. She leaves behind her daughter Judy Michel, her son James Sterrenberg and his wife Elsa, many cousins and dear friends.

The world has lost a wonderful woman who has left this earth a far better place than when she arrived.

Obit of Brenda K. Bell

Brenda K. Bell, 66 of Normal, IL., formerly of Chatsworth died Wednesday, September 18, 2013 at 4:40 AM at the home of her daughter in Normal.

Cremation rites will be accorded. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 6:00PM at Calvert & Martin Funeral Home in Chatsworth. A visitation will be held on Saturday from 4:00-6:00PM at the funeral home. Memorials in Brenda’s name may be made to Hospice Compassus. 

Brenda was born on March 8, 1947 in Zalma, MO., a daughter of John B. and Mary A. (Hedrick) Bell. Survivors include: one daughter: Sasha Bell Gray of Normal, IL. And one grandson: Christian Schenk. Also surviving are five brothers: Jim Bell of Normal, IL.; Gary Bell and Darrell Bell both of Chatsworth, IL.; Larry Bell of Forrest, IL. and Jerry Bell of Advance, MO. Five sisters: Ruth Cantrell of Florissant, MO.; Peggy Higgins of Flora, IL.; Shirley Durham, Sue Kurtenbach and Glenda Faye Baker all of Chatsworth, IL. Brenda was preceded in death by her parents, one sister: Verna Humphrey and two brothers; Gene and Ivan Bell.

Brenda was educated in Blodgett, Mo schools and had been employed at Diller Tile and Nichols Home Shield both in Chatsworth. Her grandson, Christian was the joy of her life.

Obit of Edwin C. Kapper

Edwin C. Kapper, 81 of Chatsworth, IL, died on Wednesday, September 18, 2013 at 10:55 pm at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 11:00 am at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Chatsworth with Fr. B. Rogers officiating. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Chatsworth, with full military rites. A visitation will be held on Monday from 4:00-7:00 pm at Calvert & Martin Funeral Home in Chatsworth with the rosary being recited at 3:30. Memorials in Edwin’s name may be left to American Cancer Society.

Edwin was born on September 9, 1932 in Olney, IL, a son of Cornelius “Neil” and Johanna (Dumstorff) Kapper. He married Mina Halsey on November 24, 1955 in Olney, IL. She preceded him in death on April 23, 1994.

He is survived by two sons: Edwin (Kim) Kapper of DeKalb, IL and Tom (Shawn) Kapper of Madison, WI; two daughters: Cindy Hanauer and Janet Kapper both of Normal, IL: six grandchildren: Brent (Mary) Kapper, Aaron Kapper, Daniel Kapper, Kimberly Kapper, Michael Olson and Emily Olson; four brothers: Lester Kapper of North Carolina, Bill Kapper of Indiana, Jim Kapper of Illinois and Jerry Kapper of Illinois and five sisters: Jean Stacy of Oklahoma, Eileen Beuthien of Michigan, Mary Dowty of Illinois, Janice Morgan of Illinois and Marjorie Blunt of Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister: Judy Crosby.

Edwin graduated from Olney High School. He served our country in the United States Army from December of 1952 until October of 1954, serving in Korea. He attended college on the GI Bill, graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 1960. He taught history and government at Chatsworth High School and Prairie Central High School for over 35 years. On school breaks he spent working as a carpenter, enjoying the outdoors and being able to see the completed projects of his labor. He was a member of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Chatsworth and the Chatsworth American Legion.

Ed was reserved and kind. He had a dry sense of humor and appreciated a joke. He took comfort in his church and served in the choir until the time of his passing. He never lost his taste for Westerns from the movie theaters of his youth and loved the “western channel” later in life. His wife preceded him in death, but he soldiered on for 20 more summers, time enough to see his grandchildren grow up and become the wonderful legacy of his strong sense of good and fairness in dealing with all aspects of life. He was, in a sense, an ordinary man. But everyone is extraordinary to some people in some ways. He had idiosyncrasies. He always wore shoes, even in the house. He never ever wore shorts. Amazingly, growing up his children never heard him swear, not once. His children always remember his hands were always warm, and they were still warm at the end. And every Christmas, in a joking way he said all he wanted was a kind word. This is it.

Obit of Mary Agnes (Bouhl) Oliver

Mary Oliver

Sept. 07, 2013, 10:08 am 

Mary Agnes Bouhl-Oliver, 89, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., passed away Thursday (Aug. 29, 2013) at the home of her daughter in Port St. Lucie. A celebration of life service is being planned for Mary and Emery on Sept. 22, 2013, at the home of her daughter, Nancy Pearson, of Wilmington. Memorial donations, if desired, may be made to Treasure Coast Hospice. Mary Agnes was born Feb. 24, 1924, in Chatsworth, the daughter of Edward and Nellie Fischer Bouhl. She was married to Emery W. Oliver on Aug. 30, 1947, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Chatsworth. The couple were longtime residents of Kankakee and New Orleans, La. He preceded her in death April 11, 2011. Surviving are daughters, Marietta "Penny" Oliver and Sandy Christensen, both of Port St. Lucie, Nancy Pearson, of Wilmington, and Jane Christie, of Gilman; nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Jerome Bouhl and Robert Bouhl; and a grandson, Wayne E Pearson.

Obit of Elizabeth (Aberle) Culkin

Elizabeth Anna "Betty" Culkin, 87, of Bloomington, formerly of Forrest and Lake Bloomington, died at 4:16 pm, Friday, August 30, 2013 at her home.

Her funeral will be at 11:00 am, Wednesday (9-4-13) at St. Patrick Church of Merna, Bloomington with Monsignor Gerald T. Ward officiating. A graveside service will be at 2:30 pm, Wednesday in Forrest Cemetery, Forrest. Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 pm, Tuesday (9-3-13) at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington and from 10:30-11:00 am, Wednesday at the church.

Memorials may be made to the Apostolic Christian Home For the Handicapped, 2125 Veterans Rd., Morton, Il 61550.

Elizabeth was born on July 29, 1926 in Strawn, Illinois, the daughter of Carl Jacob and Lydia Veronica Baer Aberle. She married Clarence E. Culkin on June 26, 1948 in Peoria. He survives.

Also surviving are two daughters, Diane (John) Hoke, Carbondale and Teresa (Steve) Flury, Wilmington, NC; one son, Thomas (Mary Lou) Culkin, Fairbury; ten grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren; two brothers, Reuben "Pete" (Kathleen) Aberle, Florida and Harold "Hank" Aberle, Chatsworth; three sisters, Ann (Roy) Maurer and Rose Huette, both of Bloomington and Lois (George) Fisher, California. She is also survived by one brother-in-law, James Byrd, Eureka; one sister-in-law Judy Aberle, Arizona; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by one son, Michael E. Culkin; three brothers, Elmer, William and Ezra Aberle and one sister, Leota Byrd.

During WWII, Elizabeth served as a "Rosie the Riveter" and worked for Lockheed Martin in Arizona and California. She graduated from the St. Francis School of Nursing in Peoria and while at school, she became an Army Cadet Nurse. Elizabeth practiced nursing for several years and later became a private duty nurse for many years. She worked briefly at Fairbury Hospital. In the early 1960's, Elizabeth was an advocate and instrumental in getting schooling established for children with mental challenges in Livingston County. She also assisted her husband, Clarence in the ambulance and funeral service industry at Culkin Funeral Homes in Forrest and Chatsworth.

Later in life, Elizabeth was an artist and enjoyed painting. She did oil painting and china painting, including china dolls. She was a member of St. Patrick Church of Merna, Bloomington.

Elizabeth's joy in life were her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com

Remembering 9-11-01

 

TRIBUTE TO 9-11-01

 

Let your flag fly, for all to see,

As we wonder what the future will be. 

Let there be prayer and let there be praise,

As around this country,  

Our flags do raise.

To honor the fallen and brave rescuers too, 

Oh, God, we wish, we had only knew.

But it was not to be, no knowledge had we. 

So we must come together in many ways,

To make sure there's a future for those we raise. 

As we realize, we all can hate,

Don't let that be our children's fate. 

Let them learn of honor, patriotism and love,

As we raise our flags to the heavens above.  

 

COPYRIGHT:MARY RUNYON HANSHEW

SEP.17,2001