February 2023

David J. Rabideau, age 48, of Ottawa, passed away unexpectedly on May 17, 2022.

Memorial services will be held 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 24th at Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home with Tammy Okma officiating. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.

David was born on March 29, 1974, the son of James Joseph Rabideau and Kathleen Marie (Burke) McCallister. He is survived by his daughter, Rita Claire Rabideau; sister, Laurie (Rick) Persson; brother, Chris Rabideau; niece, Jordan Persson; nephew Joe Persson; uncle, Jim (Melanie) Burke; cousins, Kevin Burke and Michelle (Tony) Brown; and his longtime girlfriend, Samantha Lee. David was preceded in death by his parents.

David was a proud parent who was very involved in his daughter’s life. He coached her soccer team for three seasons and was even a part of the Seneca Soccer Board. David was also active in the 4-H club with his daughter showing horses and was pursuing a spot on the 4-H Horse and Pony Committee. David was very involved in his community. He served on the Ottawa Historic Preservation Committee and was a member of the Ottawa Noon Rotary Club. He was the owner of Madison Street Living as well as Noah’s Ark Carpentry. He loved and collected anything John Deere. David will be missed by his many friends and family.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Francis Field Youth Foundation, P.O. Box 113, New Lenox, IL 60451. To share a memory or sign the guestbook, please visit www.gladfelter-roetker.com or Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home on Facebook.

David has been laid to rest in the Garden of Tranquility at Oakwood Memorial Park.

Randy Biffany, 55, passed away on December 19th, 2022 in Clearwater, Florida. His cremains have been entrusted to Mueller Funeral Home. Private services will be held at a later date.

Randy was born March 19th, 1967 in Ottawa to Gino and Kay (Chevalier) Biffany. He was a graduate of Ottawa High School Class of 1985. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Public Education/Psychology from Illinois State University in 1990.

Randy worked for many years successfully in his chosen public relations profession. He had a great love of freelance writing and he was a wonderfully creative writer and illustrator. And music…how he loved playing his guitar. From the time he was ten years old until he left this world his love for music never dwindled. Randy also was a nature enthusiast and loved hiking at Starved Rock and fishing the Illinois River with his dad. Then came the struggling years of a dual diagnosis of anxiety and depression with that came the additional disease of alcoholism. Randy fought for 25 years to help himself and overcome the demons that haunted him. May he now rest in peace.

He is survived by his mother, Kay; a sister Amy (Michael) Soenksen; a half-brother Charles (Nancy) Biffany; several nieces and nephews and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Gino; his brother, Thomas Biffany; his maternal grandparents Victor and Helen Chevalier; and his paternal grandparents Charles and Mary Biffany. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Please remember when you see someone struggling in life, say a prayer for them. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has a family that loved them.

You may sign the online guestbook and share remembrances at www.MuellerFH.com. Mueller Funeral Home and Crematory 800 First Avenue, Ottawa, IL 61350 815-434-4433

Randy has been laid to rest in the Garden of Psalms at Oakwood Memorial Park.

Opal P. “Polly” (Simpson) Smith, 83, of Ottawa, passed away Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at the Ottawa Pavilion.

Funeral services will be 12:00 noon, Saturday, January 28, 2023 at Prey-Mueller Funeral Home, Oglesby. Burial to follow in Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, Ottawa. Visitation will be held 10:00-12:00 Saturday at the funeral home.

Polly was born July 31, 1939 in Churchill, TN to Hobart “Sherman” and Fannie (Klepper) Simpson. She married Arthur L. Smith, Sr. in Ottawa in 1991. She worked at Borg Warner Distributing, Ottawa until retirement after 20 years of service. She was a member of Lighthouse Baptist Church, LaSalle.

Polly enjoyed to crochet, collecting knick knacks and dolls and loved Elvis. She loved her family and traveling to Ohio for family holidays.

Survivors include her children, Terry Smith of LaSalle, Art Smith, Jr. of Peru, Shawn Smith of Colorado and Deena Smith of Colorado; nine grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Arthur; a son, Jamey Smith; a brother, Dudley Simpson and a sister, Louise Morelock.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family.

The online guestbook may be viewed and remembrances shared at www.MuellerFH.com.

Polly has been laid to rest in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum in the Sanctuary of Faith at Oakwood Memorial Park.