March 2015

Sheila A. “Maudie” Schwarzbach, 71, of Ottawa passed away Sunday, November 30, 2014 at her home surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral Service will be 6:00 pm Thursday, December 4, 2014 at Ottawa Funeral Home with Pastor Paul Bladen officiating. Her visitation will be 3:00 to 6:00 pm Thursday prior to services at Ottawa Funeral Home. Cremation rites will be accorded after her funeral service. She will be inurned at Oakwood Memorial Park at a later date.

Sheila was born March 27, 1943 in Ottawa, Illinois to Thomas and Rose Mary (Corrigan) Varney. She married Michael “Micky” Schwarzbach March 20, 1970. She was the first female meter reader for Illinois Power where she retired after 22 years of service. She enjoyed old time movies as well as British movies. She loved lighthouses and traveling; especially Ireland.

She is survived by her three children, Charlie (Nancy) Biffany of Ottawa, Suzi (Richard) Lowe of Shepherd, MI, and Robert (Mary Luz) Stohr of Tampa, FL; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchilden; one brother, Tom (Rose) Varney; her favorite cat, Whiskey; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Loretta Varney and Colleen Herron; and one great-granddaughter, Trista Margherio.

Memorials may be directed to her family.

Shiela is laid to rest in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Seasons.

Cynthia Jeffries, 55, of Naplate passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

Visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 pm Monday, March 2, 2015 at Ottawa Funeral Home. She will be buried in Oakwood Memorial Park.

Cynthia was born August 4, 1959 in Ottawa, Illinois to Lloyd “Vic” and Mary Jane (Rudnicky) Fuller.

She is survived by her children, Richard “Nick” Jeffries and Jessica Jeffries; two grandchildren, Cheyenne and Joseph; one brother, John (Penny) Fuller; one sister, Beverly (Larry) Todd; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; and one brother, Vic Fuller Jr.

Memorials may be directed to her family.

Cindy is laid to rest in the Garden of Devotion.

Esther M. (Johnson) Boe, 98, of rural Ottawa, passed away Monday evening, February 23, 2015 at OSF St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, February 27, 2015 at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa with Rev. Timothy Johnson, pastor officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. Friday at the church. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

Mrs. Boe was born on April 23, 1916 in Chicago to J.H. Robert and Anna (Anderson) Johnson. She married Lester Boe on November 17, 1945 in Hauge Lutheran Church in Chicago. She was a homemaker and a member of Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa.

She is survived by her husband, Lester of rural Ottawa; four children, Eugene (Gudrun) Boe of Fergus Falls, MN, Ruth (Larry) Stanford of Ottawa, Russell (Nancy) Boe of Ottawa, and Judy (Kevin) Snook of Ottawa; 9 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death her parents; one sister, Laurine Johnson; and one brother, Robert Johnson.

Pallbearers will be Mark Boe, Chris Snook, Richard Snook, Joe Steffen, Tom Lamb, Ryan Erkenbrack, David Narvesen, Amir BenZvi and Matt Cunningham.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa or to the donor’s choice.

Esther is laid to rest in the Garden of the Ten Commandments.

Gina K. Hicks, 51, of Ottawa, died Saturday, February 21, 2015 at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 2015, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, with Rev. John Paul Robbins, officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, at the funeral home.

Gina was born on September 6, 1963 in Ottawa to Ronald and Donna (Reynolds) Simmons. She graduated from Ottawa Township High School.

Gina is survived by her mother, Donna, of Ottawa, 3 children, Timothy J. Stanford, Tamara L. Fouke, both of Ottawa, and Harold O. Hicks III, of Streator, 3 grandchildren, 1 brother, Robert Simmons, of Plano, and 2 sisters, Rebbecca (Tomas) Contreras, of Marseilles, and Rhonda (David) Galvan, of Zion.

She was preceded in death by her father, Ronald.

Pallbearers will be Robert A. Miskell Jr., Zachary Miskell, Robert J. Simmons Jr., Dylan Szczygiel, Jonathan Galvan, and Michael Campbell Jr.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Gina is laid to rest in the Garden of the Last Supper.