April 2019

OTTAWA – Dr. Jeanne Marie (Decker) Wysocki, age 56, of Ottawa, passed away Saturday morning, January 26, 2019, at her home surrounded by family.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2019 at Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home with Dan Hennenfent, family friend, officiating.  Cremation will follow with private interment in Oakwood Memorial Park.  Visitation will be held from 3:30 p.m. till 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and one hour prior to service on Thursday at the funeral home.

Jeanne was born March 18, 1962 in Bad Cannstatt, Germany, the daughter of Doyle Kenneth and Mary Louise (Goetz) Smith.  She married Ralph Wysocki July 7, 2012 in Naperville.  Surviving are her husband, Ralph, of Ottawa; their children, Makaia, Jaxson, and Mei Mei Decker; her stepchildren, Amy (Wysocki) (Robert) Dorsett and their daughter, Cora of Waddell, AZ, Alex Wysocki of Tucson, AZ and Andrew Wysocki of Tempe, AZ; a sister, Bonnie (David “Casey”) Hayes of Ottawa; niece Kelsey (Jackson) Gardner of Naperville; nephews, Sam (Tess Audo-fiancé) Hayes and Eli Hayes, both of LeRoy, IL.  She was preceded in death by her parents and a half-brother, Doyle Smith, Jr.

Jeanne was a member of the Open Table United Church of Christ in Ottawa.  She was the former owner and founder of Crossroads Counseling Services, LLC.  She enjoyed crocheting and spending time with friends.  She cherished her time spent with family.  To find out a little more about this great lady, please go to the following link.  https://ccwmstories.weebly.com/stories-from-the-field/she-planted-a-forrest

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Little Pink Houses of Hope, www.littlepink.org or Cup of Cold Water Ministries, www.ccwm.org

Jeanne was laid to rest in the Garden of Prayer.

Doris E. Jorgenson, 82, of Marseilles, formerly of Bartonville, IL passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019 at home.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 pm, Friday, April 19, 2019 at Ottawa Funeral Home, with Rev. John Walker officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00 to 1:00, prior to services, at the funeral home. Burial will be at Oakwood Memorial Park.

Doris was born December 31, 1936, in Salem, KY., to Bertrand P. and Edith (Lillie) Wells. She married James Jorgenson on January 24, 1959 in Peoria; he passed away July 19, 1987. Doris was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church. She loved eating candy and going to card parties.

She is survived by two sons, Jay Jorgenson of Reno, Nevada and Al (Dani) Jorgenson of Marseilles; six grandchildren, Joe (Anna) Jorgenson, Eddie (Jessica) Panko, Joshua (Allie) Jorgenson, Sydney Jorgenson, Brennen (Morgan) Jorgenson, and Jimmy Jorgenson; three great-grandchildren, Joe, Mario, and Leif; one brother, Joe (Louise) Wells; and one sister, Sheila (Boyd) Kilpatrick.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and one sister, Donna Pauli.

Pallbearers will be her grandchildren.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

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

Tracy Lynn Eutis, 38, of Joliet and formerly of Grand Ridge, passed away Sunday, August 12^th, 2018 at her home.

A visitation will be held Saturday (Aug. 25^th) from 11 – 1PM at the Grand Ridge Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25^th at the Grand Ridge Funeral Home with Rev. Duane Kaufman officiating.

Tracy was born in Ottawa on May 24, 1980 to Mark and Kathy (Smith) Eutis.

She was a graduate of Ottawa High School, class of 1999.  She attended Lincoln College in Bloomington and received her certificate for cosmetology.

Tracy is survived by her son Luke Harden, daughter Zoey Harden, brother Terry (April) Eutis, nephews Nick Keefe and Jake Eutis, parents Mark and Kathy Eutis, and grandparents Mervin and Betty Eutis, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Tracy had a smile that would brighten up the room.  She had a kind and gentle heart, and she was a friend to everyone she met.  She did not know a stranger.  She was loved and cherished by all of her family and friends, and she loved them all dearly.

She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Jim and Veda Smith.

Honorary Pallbearers are Nick Keefe, Jake Eutis, Riley Gore, Nolan Swartzmiller, Philip Moe, Brad Smith, Tom Smith, and Murphy Roberts.

Tracy has been laid to rest in the Garden of the Last Supper.

Edward L. Grobe, 92, of Ottawa, died Monday night, April 1, 2019 at the Ottawa Pavilion.Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 12, 2018 at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, with Rev. John Walker, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park where full military rites will be conducted by American Legion Post 33 Veteran Group Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, at the funeral home.

Ed was born on March 22, 1927, in Ottawa to George and Bess (Modesitt) Grobe. He was a U. S. Army Air Corps veteran of WW II, serving in Occupied Japan.  He married Audrey Kilgore on June 28, 1947 at the First Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, the late Dr. CC McClelland, officiated. He retired as a Journeyman Mechanic.  Ed was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 960, and American Legion Post 33.

He is survived by two children, Deborah (Glenn) Nanouski, of Ottawa, and Daniel (Cathi) Grobe, of Williamsburg, IA, 3 grandchildren, Lisa (Adam) Lemke, Jon (Janelle) Grobe, and Meghan (Daniel) Menzel, and 6 great-grandchildren, Payton Lemke, Kaiden Lemke, Keegan Grobe, Kara Grobe, Kinnick Grobe, and Arlette Menzel, and one sister, Velma Swartz, of Ottawa and one brother Bill (Zelpha) Grobe, of Ottawa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Audrey, on February 28, 2018. Pallbearers will be Jon Grobe, Adam Lemke, Daniel Menzel, Lisa Lemke, Meghan Menzel, and Janelle Grobe; his great grandchildren will be honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church or OSF Hospice.

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

Harlow Emmett Thurow, 87, of Sandwich, formerly of Big Rock and Hinckley, passed away April 4, 2019. He was born on January 26, 1932 to Emmett and Albertine (Meyer) Thurow in Big Rock Township. He married Barbara A. Thorson April 21, 1951 in Hinckley by her uncle Rev. Jesse Thorson.

Harlow is survived by his children, Susan Metcalf of Sycamore, IL, Dale (Donna) Thurow of California, Ann (Brian) Scofield of Serena, IL, and Keith Thurow of Tennessee; 7 grandchildren, Darrick (Lisa), Dawn (Russ), Julie (Ken), Hillary, Ryan, Kevin and Kelly; and 6 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, on January 16, 2019; his parents; and his brother Leon.

Memorials may be made to the Donor’s choice.

Visitation will be held on April 11, 2019 from 10:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. at Beverage Family Funeral Home, 104 Terry St. Sandwich, IL 60548. Funeral services will follow at 12:00 P.M. Interment will be private to family at a later time at Oakwood Memorial Park, Ottawa. Funeral services were entrusted to Beverage Family Funeral Homes. www.beveragefamilyfh.com

Harlow has been laid to rest in the Garden of the Last Supper.

Claudine Elizabeth “Claudia” Boyle, 88, of Peru, formerly of Ottawa, died April 6, 2019, at Illinois Valley Community Hospital, Peru.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Columba Church, Ottawa, with the Rev. David Kipfer officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park.

Mrs. Boyle was born Feb. 7, 1931, in Chicago to Claude Boothe and Ruth Elizabeth Browne. She was raised by her grandparents, George and Katherine Browne. She married Vincent Boyle on June 25, 1951, at St. Columba Church; he preceded her in death March 20, 1995.

She was a homemaker and, in the 1970s, a volunteer art instructor at St. Columba School. She was a member of St. Columba Church and AARP.

Survivors are two daughters, Linda (Donald) Price of Sun City West, Ariz. and Carol (Thomas) Collins of La Salle.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her grandparents.

Mrs. Boyle has been laid to rest in the Garden of Inspiration.

Robin B. Forsyth, 67, of Ottawa passed away on January 15, 2019, with his wife at his side, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.  Services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 30, in the Chapel at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa with the Rev. Duane Kaufman, officiating.  Burial will follow.  Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

Robin was born on November 23, 1951 in Pittsburg, KS to Robert and Patricia (Kennedy) Forsyth. He married Rene Andersen on June 14, 1975 in Ottawa. Robin was a retired correctional officer of 20 years, from Sheridan Correctional Center. After his retirement, he enjoyed landscaping, yard work, and reading about history and the Knights Templar.

He is survived by his wife, Rene, two sons, Ryan (Jeana) Forsyth and Ron (Ashley) Forsyth, his beloved grandchildren, Ayden, Kenna, Megan, Kyron, Paisley, Rylee, and Savannah, and a sister Dawn (Mark) Parisot. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Christopher Forsyth, a brother, Scott Forsyth, a sister Sherry, in infancy, his in laws Walter and Barbara Andersen, and a brother in law Troy Andersen.

Memorials may be directed to the family or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

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