Obituaries

Jan 10, 2021

Rodney R. Rapp Sr., age 74, lifelong Byron resident, passed away on Sunday January 10th, 2021. Born February 2, 1946, the son of Russell and Carol (Nelson) Rapp. Survived by sons; Rod Rap Jr., Bob Rapp, and Tom Rapp; daughter, Jessica Rapp; sisters, Nancy Hillman and Mary Ann Swanson; and great grandchildren Draven Collazo and Fallon Marcoux. He is...

Jan 9, 2021

Brenda J. “BJ” Messenger, 66, of Chana and formerly of Oregon, died Saturday, January 9, 2021 in KSB Hospital, Dixon. Born November 29, 1954 in Oregon, the daughter of Kenneth and Shirley (Good) Marth. Married to Lawrence L. “Tim” Messenger December 7, 1974 in Oregon; he died October 15, 2008. Brenda was a lifelong Oregon area resident, a 1973...

Jan 6, 2021

Dawson C. Rowland, 83, of Amboy and formerly of Oregon, passed away Wednesday, January 6, 2021 in his home; his family lost a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Born November 16, 1937 in Haldane, the son of Floyd and Geraldine (Martz) Rowland. Married to Marie Sanford July 25, 1964 in Oregon. Dawson enjoyed family time, camping at...

Jan 6, 2021

Rockford, IL – Maureen L. Rekemeyer, age 73, died Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, IL.  She was born August 30, 1947 in Rockford the daughter of David and Lelah (Knott) Wetherell.  She graduated from Stillman Valley High School in 1965.  Maureen married Joe Rekemeyer on May 24, 1991 in Rockford. She worked...

Jan 5, 2021

Marina L. Spitzer, age 56, passed away at home on January 5, 2021. She was born on July 29, 1964 in Rockford the daughter of Wayne and Dianna Kretsinger. She married Douglas Spitzer on June 21, 1986. Marina was devout in her faith to God. She was a loving and caring wife, mother, and gigi. Family was always of...

Jan 4, 2021

Byron – David A. Manering, age 59, died Monday, January 4, 2021 at Generations at Neighbor’s in Byron, IL.  He was born Sept. 23, 1961 in LaPorte, Indiana the son to Harrison and Crystal Manering..  He graduated from Valparaiso High School in 1979.  David worked at Quality Metal in Byron for over 10 years.  He loved to spend time...

Dec 30, 2020

Donald E. Ebens, 87, lifelong Oregon resident, died Wednesday, December 30, 2020 in his home. Born September 29, 1933 in Oregon, the son of John and Mildred (Tillett) Ebens. Don was a 1951 graduate of Oregon High School and served in the US Army in the Korean War. Married to Leatha Huffman June 16, 1957 in Oregon. He was...

Dec 30, 2020

Denise Anne Hamer, age 52, passed away after a sudden illness on December 30, 2020. She was born on September 23, 1968 in Aurora the daughter of John and Joanne Hamer. After graduating high school, Denise went on to attain two Master’s degrees. She taught many years at Sherlock Elementary School and Morton College. She loved music, children, and had...

Dec 26, 2020

Jean E. Bolthouse, 91, lifelong Oregon resident, died Saturday, December 26, 2020 in KSB Hospital, Dixon. Born April 28, 1929 in Oregon, the daughter of Irvin “Kappy” and Elizabeth “Betty”  (DeMurray) Kappenman. Jean was a graduate of Oregon High School. Married to Henry “Hank” Bolthouse July 31, 1955 in Oregon; he died July 1, 2002. Jean, with her father...

Dec 19, 2020

Doyle D. King, age 71, passed away on Saturday December 19, 2020 at 3:54 a.m. at Generations at Neighbors nursing home in Byron, IL with his daughter Sylvia by his side; after he was very recently put into hospice care with Serenity Hospice. Doyle had Alzheimer's and recently Covid-19. Born March 2, 1949 in Holcomb, Missouri to Delbert and...

Dec 18, 2020

Marilyn S. Borden, age 71, passed away on December 18, 2020 at Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford. She was born on April 1, 1949 in Chicago, IL to Louis and Georgiana (Butler) Walker. She worked for many years as a legal secretary and office manager in Byron. In her spare time, Marilyn enjoyed arts and crafts; especially quilting. Marilyn also enjoyed gardening....

Dec 17, 2020

Oregon, IL – Harry L. Early, age 65, died Thursday, December 17, 2020 at KSB Hospital in Dixon.  He was born April 4, 1955 in Iowa City, Iowa the son of Robert E. and Barbara J. (Castell) Early.  He graduated from Oregon High School in 1974.  Harry served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1974-1978 serving in Sicily,...

Dec 14, 2020

Marie E. Cole, 63, of Oregon died Monday, December 14, 2020 in Oregon Living & Rehabilitation Center following an extremely long battle with early onset Alzheimers. Born June 30, 1957 in Aurora, the daughter of Henry and Margaret (Sullivan) Brummel.  Marie was a 1975 graduate of Hiawatha High School in Kirkland. Married to Douglas Cole June 7, 2001 in...

Dec 14, 2020

Martha A. Schneider, 89, of Byron, IL passed away on December 14th, 2020 into the loving arms of God surrounded by family. Martha was born at home in Pine Rock Twp. Oregon, IL on August 12, 1931 the daughter of Martin and Gertrude (Zell) Engelkes, last child of 13, her nickname was Babe. On December 19, 1953 Martha married...

Dec 14, 2020

Daniel James Buchanan, age 82, passed away on December 14, 2020 at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford , IL .  He was born on October 4, 1938 , to Thomas and Mary (Koza) Buchanan.   He pursued an art degree at Arizona State University, which served him well later on in life when he established an advertising agency.  While...

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...