November 2017

On October 27, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. heaven gained another angel, Doris Jean Jones, 85, of Bullard, TX, formerly of Ottawa, was a blessing to all who knew her. She was a Mom, Mother-in-law, Gramma, G-Ma, Aunt Dori, sister, but most of all friend, and everyone who knew her loved her.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 3, 2017 at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa, with Rev. Tim Johnson, Pastor, officiating. Interment will follow at the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 2, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

 We rejoice knowing she has entered the gates of heaven, even though we are filled with sadness because we will miss her here on earth. She was born on April 2, 1932 in Ottawa, to Martin and Clara (Thorsen) Friestad. Doris was the 1949 Ottawa High School Home Coming Queen. She was the original owner of the beauty shop above Roxy Cinema in Ottawa from the late 50’s through the early 60’s. Doris attended Flint Baptist Church. She had been in the hotel business since 1964, owning and operating hotels in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Doris married John Alfred “Jack Jones, of August 21, 1954 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottawa. She loved her family especially her grandchildren.

 Doris was preceded in death by her husband John A. “Jack” Jones, a sister Fern Dippel, and a brother, Everett “Bud” Friestad.

 She is survived by her loving family including her children, Kip (Tammie) Jones, of Tyler, TX, Kevin (Donna) Jones, of Nacogdoches, TX, and Craig (Kim) Jones, of Pampa, TX; seven grandchildren, Ashley (Colby) West, Matt (Lindsey) Jones, Lindsey( Blake) Kelly, Dustin Jones, Clay (Lacie) Jones, Karli (Coleman) Fitzgerald, and Brady Jones, 10 great-grandchildren, two brothers, Robert (Sharon) Friestad, of Lisbon, and Dale (Florence) Friestad, of McAlister, OK, two sisters, Lois Bounds, of Morris and Darlene (George) Johnson, of Ottawa and a sister-in-law Mary Lou Friestad, of Ottawa.. Pallbearers will be Matt Jones, Dustin Jones, Clay Jones, Brady Jones, Colby West, Coleman Fitzgerald, and Blake Kelly Honorary Pallbearers will be Nick Costas and Ayden Barrett.

 Memorials may be directed to Texas Oncology in Tyler, 910 E. Houston, Suite 100, Tyler, TX 75702.

Doris has been laid to rest in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Life.

Stanley M. Boe, 90, passed away October 15, 2017 in Arizona.  Advantage Funeral and Cremation Services handled his arrangements.  Inurnment will be in Oakwood Memorial Park, Ottawa IL. Stan served his country during World War II.

Stan has been laid to rest in the Garden of the Ten Commandments.

Norma Marie Robinson, age 86, of Ottawa, Illinois passed away peacefully at Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Living Center in DeKalb, Illinois, on October 27th, 2017, after a long and full life of many blessings.

Funeral Services will be held at 2 pm, Wednesday, November 1 at Oakwood Memorial Park’s Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, in Ottawa, with Rev. Duane Kaufman officiating. Visitation will be from 1 – 2 pm, prior to the services, at the mausoleum.  Burial will be at Oakwood Memorial Park.  The family has requested no flowers or charitable donations. Ottawa Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Although Norma’s beloved husband Robert preceded her in death on May 29th, 1984, she remained his loving wife in the spiritual realm of her days for all of the years that had passed and spent timeless moments treasuring her memories of their marriage together.  Because of that strength in bond, she found the inspiration to deal with loss and move forward to each new day with dignity and grace.  With deep affection for her family and friends, she was blessed to have lived a lifetime, not defined as much by her years, but rather by understanding that her purpose and happiness were created in the connections to those that she cared about, and she stayed remarkably true to those connections until her light expired.  Norma’s spirit and love will be remembered by everyone that she touched. She would acknowledge that the entirety of one’s time here is not meant to be perfect but rather what we do with the time that we are given is how we will judge ourselves and that which becomes our legacy to others.  For those that truly knew Norma’s soul, she was perfect.

Norma’s window to the world was interrupted in recent years by severe glaucoma and her mobility indignantly taken by the complications of a stroke in May of this year. It was the latter that revoked her physical independence in life.  Those that visited or called her until she passed were blessed with a remembrance of her wit and reciprocation of caring.

Norma was born in Standard, IL, on April 10th, 1931, as the third child of Maria Assunta Catterina (Battistini) and Domenico Giuseppe Nozzi, and preceded in death by her parents, her husband Robert, her siblings, Emma (Nozzi) Constantine, Dean Nozzi, a step brother Arthur Ferrari, and a  granddaughter, Jessica Robinson. She proudly served her marriage early in life as a stay-at-home mother for two sons who survive her and one who did not.  Norma is survived by her sons, Russell (Kay) Robinson, Sycamore Illinois, and Ronald (Angie) Robinson, Ottawa, IL.  Her first child, Robert Gene Robinson died after a brief illness following childbirth.  Also surviving Norma are two granddaughters, Kristen (Dan) Guerrero and Ashley (Jake) Lemmer. Norma is also survived by two great granddaughters, Carmen Guerrero and Kaylee Lemmer, and two great grandsons, Cayden Lemmer, and Landon Lemmer.

Norma has been laid to rest in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Memory.

John T Farrell, 61, of Florida, passed away August 17, 2017.  John was the son of John and Glenda (Hawk) Farrell.  Cremation Tribute Center in St. Petersburg, FL was entrusted with arrangements.  Burial will be at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa IL.

John has been laid to rest in the Garden of Psalms.

Doyle Serby, 91, of Ottawa, died Thursday morning, October 19, 2017 at the Ottawa Pavilion.  Funeral Services will be at 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, Oct. 24, in the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa with the Rev. Carolyn Lukasick, Pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church, officiating.  Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the services.  Interment in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa will be private.

Doyle was born on Nov. 22, 1925 in Rutland Twp. to Newton and Nina (Armstrong) Serby.   He married Doris Nordtvedt on August 14, 1948 in Ottawa.   He worked at L.O.F. for 34 years, retiring in 1986. He was a member of Glassworkers Local 19, Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 960, Anderson Fields Golf Club in Streator, and bowled in the L.O.F. League at Carretto’s for more than 50 years.  He enjoyed playing euchre and fishing, and loved horses and his pets, Bandit and Bummer.

He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Doris, three children, Richard (Deborah) Serby, of Colorado Springs, Karen (William) Kline, of Ottawa, and Diana (Patrick) O’Connor, of Magnolia; 6 grandchildren: Jessica (Ty) Touchard, Kevin (Jennifer) O’Connor, Kerry (Valerie) O’Connor,  Jason (Joanna) Serby, Emily Kline,, and Stephen (Sheila) Kline; 7 great-grandchildren,  a sister, Marie Murdoch, of Bemidji, MN, and a brother, Clare (Yvonne) Serby, of Ottawa.

He was preceded in death by brothers, Vernon, Kenneth, and Leo, and sisters, Ruth Behrens, Lona  Stanford.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Doyle has been laid to rest in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Seasons.

Eugene Feely, 84, of Ottawa died on Tuesday, September 26, at the Ottawa Pavilion.  Private services will be held at the Mueller Funeral Home with Rev. Cheri Stewart, Pastor of the First United Methodist Church, officiating.  Interment will be in Oakwood Memorial Park.

Gene was born on March 23, 1933 in Joliet to Frank and Alvena (Drauden) Feely.  He was a 1951 graduate of Ottawa Township High School.    He served in the United States Army from 1953 – 1955. He married Betty Bixler on June 5, 1955 at the First United Methodist Church in Ottawa.  Gene was the manager of the Silverfross Drive-In for 20 years, later worked at Glenwood Farms for 15 years, and Farm & Fleet for 3 years.

 He is survived by 3 children Gene Feely, Jr., Nancy (Scott) Stevenson, and James Feely, all of Ottawa, 4 grandchildren: Kilene (Alex) Spicer, Jennifer Stevenson, Joshua (Stacy) Stevenson, and Justine Stevenson, and 3 great-grandchildren.

 He was preceded in death by his parents, and his step-father Abraham Kent, and his wife, Betty, on Dec. 14, 2014.

Gene has been laid to rest in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Seasons.

Pearl G. Ott, of Lombard IL, passed away July 1, 2017.  She was the daughter of Benjamin and Viola (Emrich) Johnson.

Inurnment will take place at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa IL.

Pearl has been laid to rest in the Garden of Psalms.

Dylan Joyce, age 26, of Ottawa was called home Thursday, September 21, 2017.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 4 – 7 p.m. followed by services at 7 p.m. at Ottawa Funeral Home and Crematory with Rev. Duane Kaufman officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in Oakwood Memorial Park.

Dylan Joyce was born July 5, 1991 in Ottawa. Growing up, Dylan loved to play baseball. He was especially talented at hitting home runs for the 10-12 y/o Ottawa National Little League All Stars. He also loved to ride dirt bikes and was drawn by the speed, power and agility. Mostly, Dylan loved his family and many friends, especially his beloved son Grant James Robinson. They spent countless hours at local racing venues, and he took great pride in sharing that passion with his son. Dylan had a magnetic personality, and he loved to be with people and make them laugh.

Surviving are his parents, Raymond Joyce, Jr., (Cynthia Pope) and Susan Prall Grady (Jerry Weber); Emily Robinson and their son Grant James Robinson; one brother, Raymond Joyce III and his daughter Olivia Kay Joyce; extended family Kendra Sanders, Julia Sanders, Sharon Verucchi, Brandon Pope, Sonya Galassi, and Cade and Tyler Weber; his paternal grandmother, Joan Martinez; his very close aunt, Marsha Yeck; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Preceding him in death are his maternal grandparents John Jr. and Betty Laurance McConnell Prall; his paternal grandfather Raymond Joyce Sr.; and step-brother Michael Grady.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Dylan has been laid to rest in the Garden of Psalms.

OTTAWA – Robert T. “Bob” Trosper, age 86, of Ottawa, passed away Saturday, October 14, 2017 at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at Gladfelter Funeral Home.  Burial will follow in Oakwood Memorial Park.   Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. till service time on Tuesday at the funeral home.  Pallbearers will be Adam and Brian Brate, David P. Trosper, Bob Donahue, Charles Magistro, and Rick Schomas.  Honorary pallbearer will be Randy Schomas.

Bob was born October 23, 1930 in Grand Ridge, the son of Theodore and Lillian (Keller) Trosper.  He married Martha Schomas April 23, 1950 in Hot Springs, North Carolina.  She preceded him in death April 26, 2016.  Bob is survived by his children, Kay (Charles) Magistro of Ottawa and David (Deb) Trosper of Normal, IL; his grandchildren, Adam (Melissa) Brate of McHenry, Brian (Boo) Brate of Nashville, TN, Tara (Bob) Donahue of Denver, CO, and David (Shana) Trosper of Windsor, CO; four great grandchildren, Elizabeth Trosper of Windsor, CO and Webb, Emerson, and Parker Brate, all of Nashville, TN; three sisters in-law, Mrs. Ronald (Mary Lou) Schomas, Mrs. Sonny (Mary Lou) Schomas, both of Ottawa and Ann (Wright) Rasmusson of London, Ontario; as well as many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Tiffany Trosper, and a sister in infancy.

Bob was a member of the First United Methodist Church.  He was a very talented woodworker, creating cabinets, furniture, and even a gumball machine.  He also enjoyed gardening, golfing, and bowling.  Bob was devoted to his family and was always there for them.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Starved Rock Regional Center, formerly Easter Seals of Ottawa

To share a memory or light a candle, please visit www.gladfelterfuneralhome.com or Gladfelter Funeral Home on Facebook.

Bob has been laid to rest in the Garden of Inspiration.