Harriett Tures Selders, 96, of Mendota went to be with the Lord on May 20, 2015.

There will be no services. Interment of ashes will be at Oakwood Memorial Park, Ottawa at a later date. Arrangements were provided by Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota.

She was born Sept. 27, 1918, in Ottawa to Albert and Vera (Beguin) Goetsch. How do you sum up a person’s life in a few paragraphs? She had a caring and fun-loving nature with a twinkling personality and was loved by her many friends and her caregivers at Mendota Lutheran Home. Her wish would be to be remembered by the times she touched someone’s life, by bringing a smile or offering them something to eat. She was famous for always being able to put a meal on the table at a moment’s notice.

She is survived by one daughter, LuAnn Lilja of Des Plaines; one granddaughter, Aimee (James) Gustafson III of Aurora; two great-grandchildren, James IV and Kristina Gustafson; one brother, Donald (Jane) Goetsch of Ottawa and one brother-inlaw, Lyle (Ellen) Hathorn of Ottawa.

Harriet is laid to rest in the GARDEN OF THE LAST SUPPER.

Margaret E. “Peggy” (Adams) Riley, 82, of Ottawa, died on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at the Ottawa Pavilion.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. David Davies, Pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

Peggy was born on June 8, 1932 in Springfield to Lee and Isabelle (Bale) Adams. She married Dean Riley on December 23, 1951 in Petersburg, Illinois. He died on January 27, 2006. She graduated from Western Illinois University and Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree. She retired from Milton Pope School as a Junior High teacher. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ottawa.

She is survived by three daughters, Robin (Tom Ellenbecker) Riley of Ottawa, Reggi (Paul) Gerding of Ottawa, Christa (Scott) Krenz of Lake Stevens, Washington; one son, Brad (Kathy) Riley of Hilliard, Ohio; 9 grandchildren, Jeff (Serena) Riley, Jenny Riley, Kristopher and Beau Kerckhove, Callie (Jared) Stringham, Max Ellenbecker, and Taylor, Tanner and Riley Krenz; and 3 great-grandchildren, Parker and Preston Riley, and Lexi Stringham.

She was preceded in death by her husband and one sister, Barbara Snyder.

Pallbearers will be Brad Riley, Paul Gerding, Tom Ellenbecker, Max Ellenbecker, Don Harris and Jim Harris.

Margaret is laid to rest in the SHRINE OF REST MAUSOLEUM, SANCTUARY OF MEMORY.

Thomas M. “Tom” Wallace, 62, of Ottawa, died on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa, with Rev. Timothy Johnson, Pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

Thomas was born on September 13, 1952, in Peoria, to Thomas E. and Helen J. (Martin) Wallace. He worked at Grainco for over 35 years. Tom married Paula A. Marten on November 13, 1976 at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa. He was a member of Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church. Tom was an avid fisherman and a loving grandfather.

He is survived by his wife, Paula, his son Bryce (Samantha) Wallace, of Ottawa his grandson Thomas William “Liam” Wallace, his sister Jean (Marc) Benjoya of Buffalo Grove, and 2 nieces, Danielle and Arielle, both of Chicago.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Tom is laid to rest in the GARDEN OF PSALMS.

William “Bill” Crawford, 91, of rural Marseilles, died on April 3, 2015 at Pleasant View in Ottawa, with his wife Helen, of 63 years, at his side. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, with Rev. Duane Kaufman, officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Memorial Park on a later date. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.

Bill was born in Ottawa on May 27, 1923, the second child of Ernest and Marie (Slewder) Crawford. He grew up in Rutland Township, in a house built by his great-grandfather Cyrus Shaver, an early settler in the area.

Bill attended the Milliken School, later he graduated from Seneca High School. Growing up on a farm, Bill became interested in tractors, and even bigger machinery from which he established his own excavating business in the early 50’s until the last few years. He was an active member of the Tractor Club and the Caterpillar Club.

He married the former Helen Fennessey of 1621 Post Street, Ottawa on August 19, 1951. They have one daughter, Melissa, who lives in Ireland.

Mr. Crawford was an avid flyer. He assembled a 1940’s Stearman biplane in the family garage. He did stunt flying amusing or terrifying those on the ground. He is fabled to have flown under the Marseilles River Bridge!

William is laid to rest in the GARDEN OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

John F. Ericzon, 74, of Ottawa, passed away Wednesday morning, May 13, 2015 at his home.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Private funeral services will be on Saturday, May 16, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa with Rev. Garry Briesacher, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottawa officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa.

Mr. Ericzon was born on May 25, 1940 in Peoria, IL to Fred and Elizabeth (Middendorf) Ericzon. He married Nancy Barker on December 22, 1961 in Peoria, IL. John received his Bachelor of Science in Business and Speech from Bradley University. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottawa.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy of Ottawa; four children, Mary Beth (Kevin) Zahn of Anthem, AZ, Holly (Kevin) Knott of Bentonville, AR, Leslie (Ed) Dougherty of Ottawa, and Jamie (Kara) Ericzon of Ottawa; and 8 grandchildren, Kyle Zahn, Matthew Ericzon, Peyton Knott, Caleb Dougherty, Tatum Dougherty, Brogan Dougherty, Caden Ericzon and Chloe Ericzon.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, John Scott Ericzon; and one granddaughter, Jessica Ericzon.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottawa.

John was laid to rest in the GARDEN OF PRAYER.

Brayden John Anderson

May 9, 2015 – May 9, 2015

Brayden John Anderson, infant son of Eric and Molly (Krug) Anderson, of Metamora, Illinois was stillborn on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. “You may be gone from our sight, but you are never gone from our heart.”

Brayden is survived by his parents; his grandparents, Roger and Glenda Krug, Darryl and Margaret Anderson all of Ottawa; his great-grandparents, Harold Boe of Ottawa, Evelyn Anderson of Phoenix, AZ, Eldon and Marian Seelig of Moorhead, MN; his aunts and uncles, Jeremy Krug, Callie and Ryan Riveland, Mallary Krug, Maren and Tommy Caproni; and his cousins Aubrie, Colin, Quinn Krug, and Katelyn Friestad.

Brayden was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Jody Boe, Harold Anderson, Merle and Mary Krug.

Private Graveside Service will be held on Saturday May 16, 2015 at Oakwood Memorial Park with Pastor John Rothfusz officiating. Ottawa Funeral Home was entrusted with his services.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for future donations in Brayden’s name.

Brayden has been laid to rest in the GARDEN OF PRAYER.

Evelyn M. Casassa, 87, of Ottawa passed away Sunday, May 3, 2015 at LaSalle County Nursing Home.

Funeral Service will be 2:00 Thursday, May 7, 2015 at Ottawa Funeral Home. Visitation will be 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM prior to her funeral Thursday at Ottawa Funeral Home. She will be buried in Oakwood Memorial Park.

Evelyn was born September 10, 1927 in Sugar Grove, Illinois to Francis Warren and Leila (Weller) Kinney. She married Robert Jackson in 1947 in St. Charles, Illinois together they raised five children; he passed away in 1987. She then married Peter Casassa September 5, 1998 in Laughlin, Nevada; he passed away April 16, 2010. She was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church and volunteered at Ottawa Hospital.

She is survived by her children, Tom Jackson, Leann McDonald, Sharon (Danny Mennie) Valdez, Jay (Susan) Jackson; ten grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; both husbands, Robert Jackson and Peter Casassa; and one daughter, Lynn Laatz.

Memorials may be directed to her family.

Evelyn is laid to rest in the GARDEN OF PRAYER.