Whiteside Co IL Obituaries

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Whiteside County Illinois

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JANET (HAP) FAIRBANKS , 205 1/2 W. 2nd St., Rock Falls, was pronounced dead on arrival at Community General Hospital shortly after noon today after she was stricken in her home. Rock Falls Police were notified at 12:39 p.m. that the woman was having difficulty breathing and they administered oxygen to her before summoning an ambulance to have her taken to the hospital. The body was removed to the Grennan and Son Funeral Home where arrangements are being completed.
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois March 2, 1964 - Monday, pg 2

JACK FARNHAM , 79, of East 19th St., Sterling, formerly of Tampico, died Sunday, June 13, 2004, at his home. Born Feb. 4, 1925, in Granite City to Sam and Eunice (ADAMS) Farnham, he married Phyllis L. JONES June 29, 1947, in St. Louis, Mo. She died Oct. 2, 1993. He attended St. Louis, Mo., schools and graduated from Drury College in Springfield, Mo., with a bachelor of arts degree. He received his master's degree from Western Illinois University Graduate School in Macomb. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II with duty in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. He was a teacher, coach and administrator in public schools for 34 years, with the last 24 years in Tampico. He was a member of American Legion Post 574.Survivors include three daughters, Pam (Norman) Rittenhouse of Fairbury, Karen Garrett of Geneseo and Cindy (Marc) Melton of Prophetstown; one sister, Norma Eberle; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He also was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Rodney; one son-in-law, Bob Garrett; two brothers; and two sisters

MARIA C. FARNHAM , 82, Leisure World, Seal Beach, Calif., died Monday, Jan. 9, at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, Calif., after a long illness. A local Prayer Service will be held at the Newman Parrish Center at 10 a.m. on Monday followed by graveside services at Calvary Cemetery.
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - Sterling Gazette - January 27, 1984 - Friday, pg A4

PHYLLIS (JONES) FARNHAM , died Saturday, Oct. 2, 1993 at St. Mary's Hospital—Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., of lupus. She was born Feb 21, 1928 in Iberia to Leslie and Ruth (Arnold) Jones. On June 29, 1947 she was married in St. Louis to Jack Farnham, who survives at the home. Mrs. Farnham was a teacher's aid at Bi-County Special Co-op for eight years, retiring five years ago. She was a member of the Tampico United Methodist Church, the Rebecca Circle and the UMW at the church and the Tampico Eastern Star. She was reared and went to school in Iberia. Surviving, in addition to her husband, are three daughters, Patricia Rittenhouse of Fairbury, Ill., Karen Garrett of Genesco, Ill., and Cynthia Melton of Tampick, Ill.; a son Rodney Farnham of Mishawaka, Ind.; 10 grandchildren; a great-granadson; a brother, Doyle Jones of St.Louis; and a sister, Eva Jo Grady of Iberia. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Oct. 6, at the Tampico United Methodist Church with burial in Tampico Memorial Cemetery.

MARION L. (SCHUMACHER) FARVER , 88, who spent most of her life in Sterling, died Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999, in Denver, where she moved three years ago to be near family. Mrs. Farver was a 1929 graduate of Sterling High School. She also completed secretarial training at The Scovill Schools. She was employed as executive secretary for 27 years at Oak Knoll Memorial Park, Sterling. She also sold Avon Products and World Book Encyclopedias locally for many years. She was married to Harold James Farver, who preceded her in death, although that marriage had ended in divorce. She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church where she had contributed monthly poems for the church newsletter for nearly 20 years. She was a former member of the Business and Professional Women's Club, Sterling Rock Falls Altrusa Club, and the Young Women's Christian Association. A humorist, she impersonated Groucho Marx and Charlie Chaplin in local programs. Mrs. Farver is survived by three children, Ann Norton of Denver; Harold James Farver Jr. of Williams, Ore.; and Frances Erickson of Park Ridge; a sister, Dorothy Haberer of Sterling; six granddaughters, Miriam Leonard and Liza Patton, both of Denver; Rebecca Watt of Virginia Beach, Va.; Penny Malloy of Frimodt, Calif.; Julie Koenig and Jill Pauls, both of Corvallis, Ore., as well as by nine great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mathias and Fannie Schumacher; brothers, Howard, Frank and Lloyd Schumacher, and a sister, Ida Scovill. Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29 at St. John's Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Herbert Reed, pastor of First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sterling, officiating. Interment will be at Oak Knoll Memorial Park. Arrangements are being made by the Schilling Funeral Home, Sterling. Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be sent to St. John's Lutheran Church.
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - The Daily Gazette, Sterling, Illinois December 27, 1999 - Monday, pg A2

MARY J. (YANNA) FECHT , 61, of 414 Seventh Ave., Sterling, died Saturday (Sep 28, 1990) in her home. Prayer services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Grennan Funeral Home, Sterling, followed by a 10:30 Mass of the Resurrection at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Sterling, with the Rev. Thomas Hales officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. today with a Rosary at 7 p.m. A memorial has been established to the St. Mary's Catholic Church music department. Mrs. Fecht was born Dec. 20, 1928 , Monpford, Wis., the daughter of Fred and Anna (Prochaska) Yanna. She married Robert Fecht June 20, 1949, at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Monpford. He died March 15, 1981. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and was the church organist for 25 years. She is survived by three sons, Pete and Pt, Sterling; Mike, Chattanooga, Tenn.; one sister, Theresa Yanna, Madison, Wis.; and eight grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one sister.
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois October 1, 1990 - Monday, pg A2

FLORENCE (McKENNA) FELIO , 465 7th Ave., N. Petersburg, Florida, 33700, formerly of Sterling, died Friday in Florida. Funeral services were held in Florida. The former Florence McKenna was born in Rock Falls. Surviving are her husband and one brother, Lloyd McKenna of Sterling.
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois July 6, 1982 - Tuesday, page A4

CATHERINE (COFFEY) FLANNERY , died in Fulton Thursday morning, January 27, 1916, after an illness of two weeks. She had been a resident of Fulton and vicinity for nearly half a century. Born in the County Limerick, Ireland, in 1839, she was nearly seventy-six years old. When she was ten years old she left her mother country, and Quebec was her home for a short time. She passed three years in the state of New York and soon after came west and lived in Dixon, Ill., where in 1855 she was married to Patrick Flannery, a worthy and honorable man, who died June 20, 1909, on the farm northeast of Fulton which they located on in 1865. Soon after their marriage they went to Camanche, Iowa, where they were residents when it was destroyed by the tornado of June 2, 1860, which left the town in ruins and caused the death of many people. They lost about everything in the way of personal property and decided to go to Minnesota, but soon returned to Iowa and were residents of Clinton county until their removal to Fulton in 1865. The funeral was held Saturday morning and the respect and esteem in which Mrs. Flannery was held was evidenced by the large number that attended the services from a distance., Among those that were from other towns were the following: Mr. and Mrs. Micheal Rafter of Spring Valley, the latter being a sister of Mrs. Flannery: Mr. and Mrs. Ed Flannigan of Streator; Mr. and Mrs. John Barrett and Patrick Ryan of Sterling; Miss Lizzie and James Mulholland of Malone, Iowa; Thomas Reed and daughter Ella, Mr. and Mrs. John McDevitt and son, John, Misses Carmen and Irene Flannery of DeWitt, Iowa; John Coffey of Welton, Iowa. The church services were impressive and the large auditorium was filled. Rev. J.J. Clancy solemnized a mass, preaching an appropriate sermon. There were upwards of thirty automobiles that formed the cortege to the Catholic cemetery and the body was reverently deposited in the final resting place, six grandsons, acting as pall-bearers. They were Thomas Ralph and Harold Flannery, William Kustes, George Stanger and John P. Hook, Jr. To Mr. and Mrs. Flannery twelve children were born, six sons and six daughters. The sons are Thomas of Santa Cruz, Calif, Michael, William, James, Edward and John, all of Fulton. The daughters- Ellen who married George H. Kustes, died November 4, 1908; Mary who married John P. Hook, and whose death occurred February 19, 1891; Mrs. Cahterine Stanger of Fulton; Margaret, who died in 1870, aged three years; Mrs. Anna Hoxsie of Fulton; Mrs. Margaret Calahan of Gardenplain. The aged Edward Coffey of Newton is a brother of the deceased, and there are three sisters who survive her, namely, Mrs. Mary Folliard of Fulton, Mrs. Michael Rafter of Spring Valley, Ill., and Mrs. Margaret Murphy of Oglesby, Ill.; also twenty-five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Mrs. Flannery for the past six years made her home in Fulton with her daughter, Mrs. Arthur B. Hoxsie, and was dearly loved by the large number of relatives and highly esteemed of friends everywhere she was known. A woman of gentle address, kind and sympathizing and of noble character and generous and charitable deeds, she was, in a word the dear old-fashioned, tender-hearted, gentle-voiced mother, always ready to sacrifice herself for the comfort and happiness of her children and friends. Her memory will be revered by them through all the years of their lives. When they think that mother is gone, that her life work is finished, may they also reflect that her sleep will be tranquil and the awakening glorious.
Contributed by Mary Mahoney - Found in Morrison Library,

JOHN FORD , a resident of Deer Grove, passed away late Monday at his home, death being caused by dropsey and heart trouble, from which he had suffered for the past few years. He was seventy-five years of age and was one of the oldest settlers in Deer Grove, having lived there nearly all his life. Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning at ten o'clock from St. Mary's Church at Tampico.
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois August 26, 1919 - Tuesday

JANET E. (PLUMMER) FOSSETT , 41, Route 2, Sterling, died suddenly Sunday morning at Community General Hospital, Sterling. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Allen-Woodin Funeral Home in Milledgeville. The Rev. H. C. Hatton, pastor of the First Church of the Nazarene, Sterling, will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Knoll Memorial Park, Sterling. There will be no visitation. Mrs. Fossett was born on May 31, 1941 in Sterling, the daughter of Neal and Evelyn (Wolf) Plumer. She married Lanny F. Fossett. She was employed as a secretary at Hazelhurst Elevator 2, and a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Milledgeville. Survivors include her husband, Lanny; one son, Korey and one daughter, Kristy, both at home; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Neal Plumer, Milledgeville; two sisters, Mrs. James (Judy) Mahr, Sugar Grove; and Mrs. Sam (Jill) Miller, Lanark. She was preceded in death by one son, Kirby.
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois November 15, 1982- Monday, page A4

STEPHEN DALE FULKERSON JR.
, 30, of St. Petersburg, Fla., formerly of Rock Falls, died Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2002 in St. Petersburg, Fla. He was employed in construction and by H & R Block Co., as a tax preparer. The Celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial is at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 90, 2002 at St. Mary Church, Sterling, with Rev. Uriel Lopez, celebrant, officiating. Burial is at Calvary Cemetery, Sterling. Visitation is from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at McDonald Funeral Home, Rock Falls. Stephen Dale Fulkerson Jr., was born on July 19, 1972 in Sterling, the son of Stephen D. and Nora J. (Rodriguez) Fulkerson Sr. He married Jana Bassett on June 16, 2001 in Las Vegas. He enjoyed playing the drums and guitar and was an avid pool player. Surviving is his wife, Jana; one daughter, Chelsea Jean Wiederaenders Fulkerson of Denver; his stepmother, Leslie (Tim) Fulkerson Brumbly of Rock Falls; one brother, Michael Rodriguez of Sterling; and two sisters, Stacy Chatfield of Las Vegas and Amber L. Fulkerson of Rock Falls. He was preceded in death by his parents. (picture in obituary).
Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - The Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois September 8, 2002 - Sunday, pg A5