Linda Wolford
Dec 14, 2019
Linda Eloise Wolford, 63, of Rockford, died in her home surrounded by family on December 14, 2019. Born March 24, 1956 in Saginaw, Michigan; daughter of Arthur and Shirley E. (Quick) Griffin. Linda went all out to celebrate holidays and made them memorable. She enjoyed all kinds of music, including Elvis. She loved to decorate and sew and made many...
Janice Smith
Dec 7, 2019
Janice A. Smith, 68 of Rockford, passed away in the care of her family on December 7, 2019 in her home. She was born Rockford January 10, 1951. She was the daughter of Richard and Rita (O’Connor) Lund. She married Jock Smith in Rockford, September 30, 2005. She was employed by GKN in Rockford for over 40 years. Member of...
David Yerk
Dec 5, 2019
David Eugene Yerk, 64, of Rockford, died December 5, 2019 in Swedish American Hospital. Born August 13, 1955 in Rockford. David attended Lincoln Middle School and East High School. He owned Yerk Construction doing siding. He was a very hard worker but a simple man. He enjoyed attending concerts and riding his motorcycle. He was a wonderful father and loving...
Richard Mayer
Dec 5, 2019
Richard Grant Mayer, 69, of Rockford, died October 5, 2019 in Alden Debes. Born December 8, 1949 in Rockford; son of Herbert C. and Jeanne L. (Williams) Mayer. Served in the US Army. Richard lived in Montana for 18 and was a farm hand and volunteered for food banks. He was an independent spiritual Christian. He was an avid reader...
Daniel Coffman
Dec 1, 2019
Daniel Charles Coffman, 54, of Rockford, died in his home December 1, 2019 after a short battle with cancer. Born January 27, 1965 in Racine, WI; son of Edwards A. Jr. and Virginia (Salak) Coffman. Attended Harlem High School. Married Caren E. Zernechel on November 11, 2011. He is the former co-owner of B & H. Office Furniture. Dan was...
Roy Gordon
Nov 22, 2019
Roy A. Gordon, 85, of Loves Park, died November 22, 2019 in his home. Born June 19, 1934 in Evanston; son of Clifford and Ruth (Butow) Gordon. Attended Paletine High School. Married Geraldine E. Tranker on March 15, 1958. Roy worked as a brick layer and mason. He spent many hours volunteering his time building Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls and...
Barbara Orethun
Nov 18, 2019
Barbara A. Orethun, 79, of Janesville, WI, died November 18, 2019 in AGrace Center for Hospice. Born November 12, 1940 in Marshall, WI; daughter of Matthew and Agnes (Biederman) Bass. Married Arvin M. Orethun, Sr. on October 5, 1974; Arvin died September 7, 2016. Most recently Barbara worked as a food demonstrator for Carlson’s Food Demonstrations and was known as...
Russell Cochranle
Nov 18, 2019
Russell F. Cochran, 92, of Rockford Illinois passed away peacefully November 18, 2019 with family members by his side. Youngest son of Clarence Edgar and Ida Elizabeth (Ballard), he was born March 7 1927 in Smackover Arkansas. Russell spent the most of his young life in and near the Corning Arkansas area, moved to Rockford in the early 1960’s for...
Christine Talan
Nov 14, 2019
Christine J. Talan, 73, of Monroe Center, formerly of Elgin, died November 14, 2019 in her home. Born October 3, 1946 in Chicago; daughter of Leo and Bernice (Nietupski) Blatt. Graduated from Thornton Township High School and Elgin Community College. Married George A. Talan February 24, 1967; he died June 27, 2018. Christine worked as a bookkeeper for the family...
Norma Walden
Nov 6, 2019
Norma Jean Walden, 75, of Rockford, died November 6, 2019 in Swedish American Hospital. Born November 5, 1944 in Buffalo, New York; daughter of Francis V. and Shirley J. (Alexander) Sullivan. Graduated from Frontier High School in Hamburg, NY in 1962. She married Charles Jackson Walden on March 23, 1979 and he died June 18, 1982. She was of the...
James Davidson
Nov 6, 2019
James Guy Davidson, 86 of Belvidere, died November 6, 2019 in Park Place Nursing Home. Born September 25, 1933 in Brainerd, Minnesota; son of Guy and Evelyn (Peterson) Davidson. Served in the US Army 1950-1951 and 1956-1958. Was married to Jeanne Cornwell; she died December 25, 2009. James worked for the Belvidere Park District during the ‘80’s. He was a...
Betty Grispino
Nov 3, 2019
Betty D. Grispino, 77, of Belvidere, died November 3, 2019 in Swedish American Belvidere Campus. Born March 21, 1942 in Wallace, North Carolina; daughter of Kenneth and Lindell (Fairbanks) West. Married James Grispino on April 23, 1960. Betty was a kind and loving person. She loved to bake and sew for everyone. She was known for giving away “Betty Dolls”...
Robert King
Oct 24, 2019
Robert M. “Bob” King of Winnebago died peacefully on October 24th, 2019 at home surrounded by his family, following a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia. Born December 18, 1938 to Kenneth & Mildred (Morse) King. Bob graduated from Winnebago High school in 1956. He married Susan Bolthouse on January 18, 1980. He proudly worked as an IBEW Local 364...
William Yankaitis
Oct 23, 2019
William Jay Yankaitis, known by his friends as Billy, 62, of Machesney Park, died October 23, 2019 in his home, following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Born the second of four siblings on June 16, 1957 in Rockford to Thomas Johin and Mary Lou (Liebich) Yankaitis. ? Bill was a mischievous and energetic child, always preferring to be outside...
Sean Martin
Oct 22, 2019
Sean David Martin, 49, of Machesney Park, died October 22, 2019 in his home. Born April 8, 1970 in Columbus, Ohio; son of Allen and Linda (Fisher) Martin. Graduated from Westland High School, Galloway, OH, class of 1988. Sean worked as a DJ at the Office Night Club in Rockford back in the ‘90’s. He also, more recently, volunteered at...
Gregory Verkuilen
Oct 16, 2019
Gregory Lee “Big G” VerKuilen, 67, of Davis, died at 5:40 am, October 16, 2019 surrounded by his wife and children after suffering from Cancer. Born June 21, 1952 in Rockford, IL; son of Hazel Mae and Edward VerKuilen. He lived most of his life in the Rockford, Pecatonica, and Davis, IL areas. Gregory and his wife Cheryl were together...
William Wood
Oct 7, 2019
William S. Wood, Sr., 83, of Rockford, died October 7, 2019 in his home. Born February 24, 1936 in Farmington Hills, Michigan; son of William E. and Kathleen (Summerville) Wood. He served in the US Army during the Korean Conflict. Married Sharon (Nichols) Williams on June 19, 1972 in Las Vegas. During his lifetime he worked at Youngberg Industries, Arntzen...
Michael Bowers
Oct 7, 2019
Michael James Bowers, 68, of South Beloit, died October 7, 2019 in his home. Born May 16, 1951 in Freeport, IL; son of James and Marjorie (Fitzgerald) Bowers. Graduated from Freeport High School in 1969 and served in the National Guard. Married Micki (Caldwell) Bietau on January 23, 2010. He earned patents for cabinet hinges while working for Amrock. He...
Patricia Ruggiero
Oct 7, 2019
Patricia “Patti” M. Ruggiero, 63, of Rockford, died October 7, 2019 in Javon Bea Hospital, Rockton Campus. Born October 8, 1955 in Evanston, IL; daughter of Harold and Eileen (Kolodzik) Fields. Patti worked in the kitchen and laundry at Asta Care Nursing Home and was a teacher’s aide at Ellis Arts Academy. She was known for her famous “Patticakes” and...
Yasar Nusret
Oct 6, 2019
Yasar “Yash” Nusret, 71, of Belvidere, lost his long battle to cancer on October 6, 2019. Born September 7, 1948 in Cairo, Egypt. He was the son of Ali and Anna (Amarosa) Nusret. Yash grew up in Istanbul, Turkey and immigrated to the United States at age 15. He met Irma Dorner, his loving wife of 53 years in Chicago....
