JOHN and CAROLINE (BORT) WOESSNER - Death Takes both John, Carol Woessner Simultaneously; Health Poor for Years
Death called at 417 Third ave., Dixon, Monday evening, simultaneously claiming the lives of an aged couple, constant companions in their years of declining health. Members of the family found both John and Caroline Woessner dead in the bedroom they shared. John on a cot at the bedside of his invalid wife, himself the victim of an illness he kept secret from his bed- ridden mate. They affixed the time of death at 6 p. m. Both were natives of Germany. John Woessner was born Oct. 23, 1873 in Altenberg, Germany, while Caroline Bort Woessner was born in Stuttgart, June 1, 1879. John came to the United States at the age of 16 and resided near Sterling. Caroline also came to Sterling a the age of 14. They were married Feb 23, 1899 and had engaged in farming north of Sterling. They retired in 1938 and moved to Dixon. Mrs. Woessner was an invalid for the past five years. Her husband was her constant bedside companion. Members of the family said that he had been under a physician's care for some time although he kept that fact from his ailing wife. The Woessners are survived by seven children: Clarence J., Mrs. Edna Hammelman of Sterling, Mrs Lena Gilbert, John G., Mrs. Edith Fassler and Carl W. all of Dixon and Walter F. Anchorage, Alaska. Mr. Woessner was preceded in death by two sisters and brother. He is survived by a brother, Matt, Hitterdal, Minn. and a sister, Mrs. Dora Scheck, Tulsa, Okla. Mrs. Woessner was preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters. Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Thursday, (DT) at the Melvin funeral home and at 2:30 p. m. in St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church. The Rev. George J. Curran will officiate. Interment will be in Chapel Hill cemetery.
Contributed by Alice Horner - Dixon Evening Telegraph, Tuesday, May 31, 1949, Page 1

C. FRANK WOODYATT , 73, Rockford, brother of Howard and George Woodyatt and Mrs. William Bradley, Dixon, died Monday (October 27, 1947) at his home following a long illness. Funeral services will be held Thursday at the Christenson Funeral Home Rockford, Rev. O. Garfield Beckstrand pastor of Trinity Lutheran church officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood cemetery in Dixon. Mr. Woodyatt who has lived in Rockford since 1910 was born in Dixon Nov. 22, 1873. He was an active member of the Moose. He leaves his wife the former Clara Myers, whom he married here 43 years ago, two sisters, Mrs. Bradley and Mrs. Nell Pherson of Chicago; four brothers, Howard and George; Holly of California and Leonard of St. Louis. Mr. Woodyatt's father the late Henry Woodywatt was for years the efficient head of the Dixon police depaartment.
Dixon Evening Telegraph 29 October 1947.

DENNIS ALLEN WOODYATT , 60, of Villa Park, formerly of Dixon, died January 26, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, IL. He was the manager of Travel with West Suburban for 36 years. Dennis was born September 24, 1948, in Dixon, IL, the son of Lyle J. and Catherine R. (Reuter) Woodyatt. Survivors include his mother, Catherine R. Woodyatt of Dixon; two brothers, Dr. Lyle “Jack” (Marilyn) of Fairfax, VA, David (Joan) of Northfield; two sisters, Sandy Nilles of Wadsworth, Sally (Louie) Strange of Lombard; and nine nieces and nephews. Dennis was preceded in death by his father, Lyle J. Woodyatt. Graveside services will be 1:00 p.m., Friday, January 30, 2009, at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Dixon, with the Rev. Dr. Vincent O. Marrandino, Director of Pastoral Care at Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, Dixon, officiating. Visitation will be from noon to 1:00 p.m., Friday, at the Preston-Schilling Funeral Home, Dixon.
Contributed by Margaret Managers

LYLE WOODYATT , 91, of Dixon, died, Friday, January 6, 2006, at the Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, Dixon, following an extended illness. Mr. Woodyatt was born in Sterling, IL, April 14, 1914, the son of Elbert C. and Eva (Bryson) Woodyatt. He married Catherine Reuter on September 18, 1940, with whom he spent the next 65 years. Lyle received a degree in civil engineering from Chicago Technical College. During World War II he was employed in the construction and operation of the Green River Ordnance Plant. Following the war he joined the Illinois Northern Utilities Company which became part of the Commonwealth Edison Corporation. He was employed by Commonwealth Edison until he retired in 1980. Survivors include his wife, five children, Lyle “Jack” (Marilyn) Woodyatt of Fairfax, VA, David (Joan) Woodyatt of Northfield, IL, Dennis Woodyatt of Villa Park, IL, Sandy Nilles of LaGrange, IL, and Sally (Louie) Strange of Lombard, IL, nine grandchildren, one great grandson, and a great grandson due in February. Also surviving, one brother Dean Woodyatt, of Seal Beach, CA, two sisters, Dorothy Penhollow of Dixon, and Joanne (Robert) Knight of East Moline. Lyle was preceded in death by three sisters and three brothers. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday, January 9, 2006, at the Preston-Schilling Funeral Home, Dixon, with the Rev. Dr. Vincent Marrandino, chaplain at Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, officiating. Burial will be at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Dixon. Visitation will be from 2 – 5:00 p.m. Sunday, at the funeral home.

RUTH (WHIPPLE) WOODYATT , daughter of Emeline Davis & Moulton Whipple of Dixon passed away October 15, 1948. She was born March 18, 1877 in Dixon and died at her home, 812 East Chamberlain at 1:05 a.m. October 15, 1948. She received her education in Dixon public schools and attended Steinman college. She was married Aug. 28, 1897 at Hammond IN to George (Bob) Woodyatt and spent her entire life in Dixon, where her husband who survives, engaged in painting and interior decorating. She was the mother of 10 children - five daughters; Mrs. Martin Judge, Mrs. Glenn Rosbrook, Mrs. Robert Krug, Miss Nene Woodyatt of Dixon and Mrs. Isabelle Farthing of Centralia; four sons, Henry, Bert, Clinton and Leonard of Dixon. One son Richard was killed Germany Nov. 5, 1943. She also leaves to mourn two brothers Leonard and Joel Whipple of Dixon and 10 grandchildren. Funeral services were conducted from the Jones Funeral Home Monday Oct. 18, Rev. Thompson officiating. She was laid to rest at Oakwood cemetery. Mrs. George Stiles rendered "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Lead Kindly Light". The casket bearers were Morris Rosbrook, Ed Holbrook, John Myers, William Thompson, Edward Anderson and Richard Bovey.
Dixon Evening Telegraph 29 October 1948

HAROLD F. WOOLSEY , 85, of Dixon , died Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007, at OSF St . Anthony Medical Center , Rockford , following a short illness. He was born in Milledgeville on May 23, 1922, the son of Josiah and Freda (Bort) Woolsey. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces from 1941 to 1946 in the South Pacific theater where he was awarded the Bronze Star, the First Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster and the South Pacific Campaign Ribbon. Harold owned and Operated Rol-a-Way Skating Rink for 30 years and Harold’s Small Engine, Bicycle Repair and Key Shop for more than 60 years. He was a member of Dixon Coin Club and Lee County Senior Center Bowling League. The inspiration of Harold will be sadly missed. He married Ellen Freadhoff in Dixon on June 19, 1949. She preceded him in death on July 24, 2000. He also was preceded in death by a brother, Herman Woolsey. Survivors include children, Nancy (Bill) Fink of Tallahassee, Fla., Larry (Kathy) Woolsey of Rock Falls and Barbara (David) Jacobs of Chadwick; 10 grandchildren, Aaron (Amy) Fink, Robin (Matthew) Thompson, Jennifer (Matthew) Fink, Teresa Woolsey, David Woolsey, Amy Deets, Jennifer Deets, Kelley (Andrew) Terveer, Kristin (Robert) Laird and Benjamin (Kate) Jacobs; 13 great-grandchildren; and his half sister, Patricia Heckman of Polo. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007, at Jones Funeral Home, Dixon , with Wesley Dickson, pastor, officiating. Burial, with military graveside honors by the Dixon combined veterans group, will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens , Dixon . Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007, at the funeral home
Contributed by Pat Eesterday The Dixon Telegraph, Tuesday, September 18, 2007

BARBARA HELMS WRIGHT , 64 of Rock Falls died Wednesday June 21, 2006 at her home following an extended illness. Barbara was born on October 25, 1941 in Dixon, IL the daughter of Hoyt and Helen (Bradford) Helms. She married George "Doc" Wright December 16, 1960 in Sterling. Barbara was employed at the former Anixter Co as a wire wrapper. She was an active member of the 1st Christian Church, Rock Falls where she taight Sunday school for 30 years and served as past president of CWF and past president of the Ruth Circle. She was a true Rock Falls Rockets fan and a White Sox fan. Barbara was known being a great cookie baker and had babysat for many years. Surviving is her husband, George "Doc" Wright; her daughter Barbara (Randy) Scott of Cottage Grove, MN; her son Brent (Gayle) Wright of Rock Falls; her sisters Reona Browning of Rock Falls and Cherie Helms of Council Bluffs, IA; her brothers George (Bev) Helms of Brookfield, GA and John (Mary) Helms of Milledgeville, IL; her six grandchildren: Joshua, Geoffrey, Nathan, Timothy, Sarah and Katie. She was preceded in death by one brother and her parents. Funeral services will be Saturday June 24, 2006 at 10 AM in the 1st Christian Church, Rock Falls with the Reverend April McClure-Stewart officiating. A luncheon will follow. Burial will conclude the servcies at 1:00 PM in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Dixon.

WASHINGTON L. WRIGHT , 88, passed away Sataurday, Dec. 31. in the home of Mrs. Helen Glassburn near New Bedford after a long illness. The body rests at the Johnson Funeral home in Manlius where visiting hours are from seven to nine o'clock Tuesday evening. Funeral rites will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home conducted by the Rev. Ritchard Robinson of Tampico. The burial will take place in Greenville-Fairfield Cemetery. Washington L. Wright was born Sept. 5, 1872 at New Bedford, son of Moses and Lucy Ann Newton Wright. He was united in marriage on May 4, 1901 with Anna Katherine Pettit in Princeton. To this union were born two sons, Lee E., and Fred W. Wright, both of Tampico, who survive. Mrs. Wright preceded her husband in death as also his parents and seven brothers. In addition to his two sons, Mr. Wright also leaves seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He was a member of the Free Methodist Church.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds - The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois January 3, 1961 - Tuesday, pg 2 col 3

Lee County Obituaries

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