December 2020

Mary Giacomini, 99, of Ottawa, IL passed away Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at Ottawa Pavilion and went to be with her husband in heaven.

Due to current Covid restrictions, private funeral services will be held. A live video of the service will be held at 2pm Tuesday, December 8, via zoom. Meeting ID: 839 3792 7383 Meeting password: Giacomini. A video of the committal service will also be posted on the Ottawa Funeral Home website Tuesday afternoon. Entombment will be in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum at Oakwood Memorial Park.

Mary was born December 9, 1920 in South Standard, Illinois to Frank and Edith (Borghetti) Perino. She married Libaro “Harpo” Giacomini on April 25, 1941. He preceded her in death on May 4, 1990. Mary was a member of St. Mary’s church in Naplate. Mary was a stay at home mom until her children were raised and left the nest. She then went to work at the Times in the circulation department for 19 years.

Mary is survived by her three children, Darren (Bonnie) Giacomini of Minneapolis, MN, Karolynn Giacomini of Elgin, and Daniel Giacomini of Ottawa; her eight grandchildren, Jeff (Min) Duckworth, Lisa (Shaun) Healy, Tim Duckworth, Ryan (Megan) Giacomini, Robi (Selena) Giacomini, and Dominic, Nina, and Mario Giacomini; her five great grandchildren, Alex, Aiden, Nolan, Enzo, and Brax; and her very dear friends Ruth and Barney Sesto, they were her rock.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband of 48 years; her two brothers, Frank and Andy Perino; her dear sister-in-law, Josephine Perino; her sister-in-law, Esther Crawford; and her brother-in-law, Richard Crawford.

Mary was a great mom and a good friend; she will be greatly missed.

She was laid to rest in the Sanctuary of Hope.

Elsie F. Stone, 97, of Ottawa, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at the Ottawa Pavilion Nursing and Rehab Center.

Due to COVID restrictions a private family funeral will be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. Burial will be at Oakwood Memorial Park. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

Elsie was born on November 20, 1923 in Oglesby, to Frank and Sophie (Perschuk) Frank. She was a graduate of Oglesby Public Grade School, L-P High School, and Brown Business School. She was employed at L-P High School as a bookkeeper until her retirement. Elsie married Ken Peacock in 1966. He passed away on December 9, 1979. She married Harold O. Stone on December 16, 1981. He passed away on May 11, 2004. She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Church, St. Francis Altar and Rosary, Holy Family Altar and Rosary, The Daughters of Isabella, The Catholic Daughters of America, and The Dayton Homemakers.

Elsie is survived by two step daughters: Janice (Ed) Goetz, Debbie (Russ) Kleckner, step son Michael (Lori) Stone, all of Ottawa, two sisters, Frances (Doug) Hunter, of Huntington Beach, CA, and Darlene Wasielewski, of Oglesby, seven grandchildren, Eric (Pam) Kleckner, Kurt (Jen) Kleckner, Kayla (Mike) Linden, Jeff (Billie Jo) Goetz, Patrick (Katie) Goetz, Joe (Shari) Stone, and Pam (Dain) Twait, twenty-one great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband’s Ken Peacock and Harold Stone, two brothers Frank “Tush” Frank and Charles “Chuck” Frank, and a sister Marian “Mitzi” July.

She was laid to rest in the Garden of Prayer.

Debra Lucille (Camplin) Eskew, 64, of Sheridan passed away Saturday, November 28, 2020 at her home.

Due to COVID restrictions, private family services will be held. She will be entombed in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum at Oakwood Memorial Park. Ottawa Funeral Home & Crematory has been entrusted with cremation rites.

Debra was born September 15, 1956 in Ottawa to Cloyd and Betty Lucille (Duffy) Camplin. She married Randy Eskew in Sandwich, IL. Debra retired from Plano Molding Company and enjoyed knitting and sewing. She loved spending her time outside by the river. Debra will be remembered for her positivity and friendly smile.

She is survived by her husband, Randy; her son, Stanley “Rick” (Janice Yanko) Wawerski, IV; and two grandchildren, Stanley Wawerski, V and Devyn Yanko. She was preceded in death by her parents.

She was laid to rest in Shrine of rest in the Sanctuary of Love.

J. Howard Kellogg, 97, of Ottawa, IL passed away Saturday, August 15, 2020.

Howard was born in 1923 in Harding IL to John and Nettie (Malaise) Kellogg. He graduated from Serena High School in 1943. He enlisted in the Army in 1943, serving in World War II. He was stationed in Cherbourg, France and Antwerp, Belgium until 1946. Employed by Caterpillar Tractor Co., in Joliet and Aurora for 30 years. He married LuEtta Clauson in February 1951 in Stavanger, IL.

He is survived by his daughters, Laurie Kellogg and Leslie Buell (David); his grandchildren, Ryan Brown, Erik Brown and Kristen (Guy Paul) Nuckles and great-granddaughter, Alyssa Brown.

He loved spending time with his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Lylla Peterson, brothers William and Kenneth Kellogg.

Burial will be private at a later date.

He was laid to rest in the Garden of Inspiration.

Shirlee Jane Hitter passed away on November 9, 2020. “Jane” was born April 24, 1943 in Ottawa, Illinois to Elmer and Jean Hitter. She graduated from Ottawa Township High School, then attended and graduated with a degree in Education from University of Illinois where she played the saxophone in the U of I marching band. Jane started her teaching career at Midlothian, IL, and moved to Rockford to continue teaching in Rockford Public Schools District 205 at Church School and West Middle School. She served many years as a volunteer at Contact and SwedishAmerican Hospital.

Jane loved to take car rides to both Starved Rock State Park and the Mississippi River to watch the eagles soar. Her favorite memories were visiting Walt Disney World, carving pumpkins each Halloween, and spending time with her extended family through the years.

Jane is survived by her sister, Joy Nordberg; nieces, Debbi (Bruce) Herrielers, Jeanann (Ken) Whitmore; nephews, Doug Kirk and Phil Nordberg; grand-nephews, Steven (Sarah) Whitmore, Jonathan (Melissa) Whitmore, and Michael (Katie) Whitmore as well as great-grand nieces and nephews and other extended family members. Jane is predeceased by her father, Elmer Hitter, mother Jean (Zenor) Hitter, and sister Joan Kirk and brother-in-laws B. Walter Nordberg and Walt Kirk.

She was laid to rest in the Garden of Devotion.

Charles L. “Chuck” Clairmont, 76, of Marseilles passed away Thursday, November 26, 2020 at Ottawa Pavilion.

Due to COVID restrictions, a memorial service will be held at a later date. He will be buried at Oakwood Memorial Park. Ottawa Funeral Home & Crematory has been entrusted with cremation rites.

Chuck was born June 16, 1944 in Ottawa to Howard F. and Marjorie L. (Tures) Clairmont. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1963-1967. On September 8, 1965, Chuck married Ruby Gustafson, and together they had four children. He retired from Caterpillar in 2008. He married Gladys Sanders on July 9, 1996 in Ottawa; she passed away June 24, 2015.

He is survived by his four sons, Brian (Marilyn), Craig, Kevin (Julie), and Jason (Crystal) Clairmont; fourteen grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and one brother, Jon (Shirley) Clairmont. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his brother, Frank; and his granddaughter, Rachel.

He was laid to rest in the Garden of the Last Supper.

Ralph W. Nelson, 85, of Ottawa passed away Saturday, November 28, 2020 at his home.

Due to state regulations and guidelines, social distancing and masks will be required. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 am, Thursday, December 3 at Cross Bridge Community Church. We will be limiting the number of people at a time entering the building. Private family services will follow. He will be buried at Oakwood Memorial Park. Ottawa Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Ralph was born February 23, 1935 in Chicago to his mother, Sadie Nelson. He was raised in Ottawa and graduated from Ottawa Township High School in 1953. He attended University of Illinois and graduated in 1957. He received his Masters Degree from Southern Illinois University before returning to U of I for his advanced degrees. During his time at U of I, he played football for four years and played on the 1953 Big 10 Champion team.

After graduation from U of I, he taught and coached at East Peoria High School from 1957-1960 and then for one year at Ridgewood High School until 1961. In 1961, he moved to Ottawa where he would teach and coach for the remainder of his career, when he retired in 1991. Ralph was Captain of the Ottawa Pirates football team for two years. He was inducted into the Ottawa Hall of Fame in 2011, and four of the teams he coached were inducted into the Hall of Fame. He loved the Chicago White Sox and Bears, U of I Fighting Illini, and Ottawa Pirates. Ralph enjoyed coffee groups at the Bee Hive and was a member of Cross Bridge Community Church.

He married Ellen Park on April 4, 1958, who survives. Also surviving are his children, Joellyn (Andrew) Groesch of Glen Ellyn, Scott (Susan) Nelson of Hinsdale, and Stephen (Julia) Nelson of Western Springs. One of Ralph’s five wishes after retirement was to be blessed with a grandchild. Ralph received the love of ten grandchildren, Jenna Sheingold, Andrew Jr. and Samuel (Katie) Groesch, Amanda (Wesley) Giacobbe, Peter, Elizabeth, and Sarah Nelson, and McHale, Lucas, and Jacob Nelson; and two great-grandchildren, William and a baby girl expected in the spring. He is also survived by his siblings, Robert (Donna) Nelson, Janice Vandervort, and Cheryl (Les) LaRette.

Pallbearers will be his ten grandchildren.

He was laid to rest in the Garden of Inspiration.

Helen Marten, 92, of Rural Ottawa died on November 25, at OSF at Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa, with Pastor Randy Mortenson, officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church. Because of State of Illinois guidelines, capacity, social distancing and face covering restrictions will be in place. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

Helen was born on April 8, 1928 in Ophir Twp., to J. Andrew and Kristine (Myre) Eltrevoog. She was a dental assistant, and later worked at Carson Pirie Scott and Company in Ottawa.

She is survived by two daughters, Glenda (William) Meyer, and Paula Wallace, both of rural Ottawa, 3 grandchildren, Melinda Meyer, Jillian Meyer, and Bryce (Samantha) Wallace, and 2 great-grandchildren, Thomas “Liam” Wallace and Avery Wallace, and two brothers, Truman Eltrevoog, of Dwight, and Orville (Delores) Eltrevoog, of Ottawa.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn, on Oct. 6, 2017, a sister in infancy, and 5 brothers: Ebert, Lawrence, Bjarne, Arthur and Howard, her son-in-law, Thomas Wallace, and two grandchildren in infancy, Gilda Anne Meyer and William Joseph Meyer.

Memorials may be directed to: Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church, or the Tell it Again Radio Program.

She was laid to rest in the Garden of Psalms.

Helen E. Shallhorn, 93, of Ottawa passed away Thursday, November 26, 2020 at her home.

Due to COVID restrictions, private family services will be held. She will be buried at Oakwood Memorial Park. Ottawa Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Helen was born September 21, 1927 in Spring Valley, to Peter and Lenora (Frey) Raineri. She married Charles Shallhorn on February 3, 1946; he passed away June 3, 1994. For many years, Helen worked as a bookkeeper at the LaSalle County Nursing Home until her retirement in 1993. It suited her compassionate nature. She greatly enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She also loved to cook and entertain. Helen enjoyed Thanksgiving and would always create everyone’s favorite dishes. She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Church.

She is survived by two sons, Daniel (Carol) Shallhorn and Fred Shallhorn, both of Ottawa; her daughter, Wendy (Rick) Navarro Smith of Ottawa; one brother, Walter (Pat) Raineri of Spring Valley; nine grandchildren, Kaela (Michael) Bokus, Tara (Chawn) Huffaker, Terry Navarro, Nick Navarro, Jason (Lori) Shallhorn, Melissa Shallhorn, Shelley (Bryan) Bartz, and Sonya and Stacey Strand; and her great-grandchildren, Anna and Lily Bokus, Elizabeth and Emma Huffaker, Matthew and Bradley Koster, Miranda Shallhorn, Breanna (Ryan) Springer, Brendin Rogers, Bailey Rumreich, and Levi Bartz.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Charles in 1994; her son, Larry in 1975; and most recently her precious great-grandson, Benjamin Bokus in 2019.

Pallbearers will be Terry Navarro, Nicholas Navarro, Michael Bokus, Chawn Huffaker, and Jason Shallhorn. Honorary pallbearers will be Don Raineri and Dan Raineri.

She was laid to rest in the Garden of the Last Supper.