Obituaries

Dec 13, 2020

Mary K. “Kathy” Raum, 83, lifelong Oregon/Byron resident, died Sunday, December 13, 2020 in her home in Oregon. Born August 17, 1937 in Afton, Iowa, the daughter of Edmund and Rose (Wollensack) Vogel. Kathy was a 1956 graduate of Byron High School and was head of the “50’s Club” for her Byron High School classmates and ran the Byron...

Dec 10, 2020

Norma I. Bymaster Hardesty, 85, of Byron, the best wife, mom, grandma & great grandma a husband could ever ask for, died Thursday, December 10, 2020 in her home. Born March 23, 1935 in Oregon, the daughter of Russell and Mary (Howard) Bymaster. Norma married her high school sweetheart, Dennis Hardesty, in Oregon on July 30, 1955 by the...

Dec 9, 2020

Oregon – Adam J. Leather, age 29, died Wednesday, December 9, 2020.  He was born January 17th, 1991 in Dixon, IL the son to Veronica Lawrence.  Adam graduated from Sterling High School in 2009.  He loved to work on cars and was an auto technician; he also was currently working at the Mexican Cheese Producers, Inc. in Darlington, Wisconsin. ...

Dec 9, 2020

Dale L. Emery, 82, lifelong Byron area resident passed away Wednesday, December 9th, 2020 at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Dale was born on Easter Sunday April 17th, 1938 at St. Anthony Hospital, Rockford, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Viola (Hoffman) Emery, his brother Donald Emery, and his best friend and business partner James (Jim) Fortune. He was raised and lived...

Dec 8, 2020

Helen M. Cramer passed away on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. She was born on the home place, Leaf River Township on may 10, 1925 to Earl and Mary Garkey Schelling. Later a brother, Donald came along.

Don has always been very special in her life. She graduated from Leaf River High School in 1943. Worked at Burgess...

Dec 6, 2020

Oregon, IL – Mary L. Sullivan, age 90, died Sunday, December 6, 2020 at the Oregon Living and Rehab Center.  She was born July 26, 1930 in Chicago the daughter to Frank and Mary (Andrews) Kulczyk.  She obtained her Associate’s degree from Wright Junior College in Chicago.  She married James M. Sullivan in January of 1950.  Mary formerly worked...

Dec 5, 2020

Alfred A. Olsen of Byron, Illinois, passed away on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at the age of 89 after a seven year battle with endocrine cancer and, more recently, dementia. He was born April 29, 1931. Al’s faith in God was strong and he was a firm believer in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Al is...

Dec 4, 2020

Oregon, IL – Rev. Carlton K. Easley, age 82, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, December 4, 2020.  He was born December 25, 1937 in Eldorado, Oklahoma the son to Gordon and Ernesteen (Shumaker) Easley.  He graduated from Eldorado High School in 1956 and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry from Southern Nazarene University...

Dec 3, 2020

Steven G. Bettner, 54, lifelong Oregon resident, died Thursday, December 3, 2020 in Serenity Hospice Home, Oregon. Born November 11, 1966 in Rockford, the son of Gary and Kathleen (Peterson) Bettner. Steve was a 1985 graduate of Oregon High School and worked many years at Wood Bros. in Oregon and then with the Village of Progress cleaning service. Stevie...

Dec 1, 2020

Billy Edward Holder, 92, of Stillman Valley Illinois passed away on September 3rd, 2020. He was born in Hoxie, Arkansas, the son of Will Henry and Leona (Spargo) Holder.

He is survived by his long time companion Madeline Simmons, sister Shirley Stults (Jim), sisters-in-law in-law Margaret Holder (Bobby) and Beverly Holder (Lonnie), children Terry Holder (Nancy), Cindy...

Nov 29, 2020

Clarence M. Morris, age 83, passed away at St. Margaret Hospital in Spring Valley, IL on Sunday November 29, 2020. He was born on July 11, 1937 the son of Charles and Viola (Engelkes) Morris. He graduated from Oregon High School where he was an outstanding track athlete. He then joined the U.S. Army where he continued running track...

Nov 28, 2020

Carol Viola Petersen Knutsen Long, Ft. Worth, Texas (formally of Oregon, Illinois) was promoted to glory on November 28, 2020. She was born November 29, 1929 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the second of three children of Roy L. and Irene (Boettcher) Petersen. She graduated valedictorian from Central High School in West Allis, WI at age 16 in 1946. She later...

Nov 26, 2020

Margaret Hess, 84, of Oregon, died Thursday, November 26, 2020 in Allure of Prophetstown. Born February 2, 1936 in Des Plaines, IL, the daughter of Walter and Anna (Reese) Smith. Married to Sydney Hess March 7, 1970 in Des Plaines; he died October 27, 1987. Margaret was a 1954 graduate of Main East High School in Park Ridge, IL....

Nov 25, 2020

Karen D. Anderson-Plum, age 80, passed away on November 25, 2020 at Generations at Neighbors in Byron. She was born on October 5, 1940 in Wilmett, IL the daughter of Harold and Violet (Christianson) Goettler. She married David Plum on May 1, 1988. Karen was driven at her career in social work starting at Marion Joy Children’s Hospital and...

Nov 25, 2020

Ralph R. Stukenberg, 81, of Pearl City and former long time Leaf River/German Valley resident, died Wednesday, November 25, 2020 in Franklin Grove Living & Rehab Center. Born September 14, 1939 in Adeline, the son of Leonard and Della (Genandt) Stukenberg. Married to Pamela Endress July 19, 1994 in Rapid City, SD. Ralph was a bindery operator at Quebcor...

Nov 25, 2020

Stillman Valley, IL – Richard E. Johann, age 87, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020.  He was born November 11, 1933 in Chicago, IL the son of Evelyn Shilling.  Dick graduated from Polo High School in 1951 and attended both Rock Valley College and Rockford College where he obtained his Associate’s degree.  He served...

Nov 24, 2020

Dianna L. Kretsinger, age 74, passed away at Oregon Living & Rehab on November 24, 2020. She was born in Rockford, IL on October 6, 1946 the daughter of Kenneth and Edna (Hastings) Miller. She married Wayne Kretsinger on December 7, 1963. Dianna loved to work with the public and worked for various locations in the area including Kable...

Nov 23, 2020

John H. Klinger, 82, an Oregon resident since 2002, died Monday, November 23, 2020 in OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford. Born March 1, 1938 in Chicago, the son of John G. and Mary (Kloc) Klinger. John was a 1955 graduate of Leyden High School in North Lake, IL, Bachelors graduate of SIU in Carbondale in 1960 and then...

Nov 23, 2020

Stillman Valley – Patricia Ann Mohr, age 84, died suddenly on Monday, November 23, 2020 at KSB Hospital in Dixon.  She was born Dec. 1, 1935 in Dundee, Iowa the daughter to Lewis and Lenore (Schreiber) Mohr.  Patricia previously worked for the Village of Progress in Oregon, IL.  She loved putting jigsaw puzzles together.  She also loved to go...

Nov 22, 2020

James “Bo” Tasso, age 67, passed away at PA Peterson at the Citadel in Rockford on November 22, 2020. He was born in Elmhurst, IL on January 27, 1953 the son of John and Helen (Talareck) Tasso. He graduated from Stillman Valley High School class of 1971. Bo married Susan Fruin on May 4, 1973. He owned and operated...