Virginia Barrett

Virginia M. Barrett, nee Kleine, 96, of Lombard, died Friday, April 3, at DuPage Convalescent Center in Wheaton, after a long illness.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 7, with prayers from Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard, to Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lombard. Interment was at Assumption Cemetery in Winfield.
Mrs. Barrett is survived by her son, Thomas J. (Susanne) of Lombard; three grandchildren; sister-in-law, Clare Kleine; and six nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; and siblings, Joseph J. Kleine, Howard Kleine and Mary Bartz.
Mrs. Barrett was a resident of Lombard since 1953. She was a graduate of Mercy High School in Chicago, and had worked as a secretary for an insurance company on St. Charles Road in Lombard. She had been a very active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, serving as a sacristan and Sunday collection counter. She was known as a very courageous person and had been a resident of DuPage Convalescent Center since 2000.
Memorials to the DuPage Convalescent Center Foundation, 400 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187, would be appreciated.

Charles Chelseth

Charles Robert “Bob” Chelseth, 90, of Lombard, died Friday, April 3, at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 7, with prayers from Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard, to Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lombard. Interment was at Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin.
Mr. Chelseth is survived by his wife, Joan W.; and sons, Robert (Patricia) and Charles (Norma). He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer K. and Emma S.
Mr. Chelseth was born and raised in Elgin, and was a lifelong educator. He was a graduate of Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University. He taught at Morton High School and Arlington Heights Junior High. He put his teaching career on hold during World War II when he served as a staff sergeant and aerial gunner in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942-45. After the war, he resumed his career as an educator, serving as the first principal of Lombard Junior High School.
In 1966, he was named superintendent of Lombard Elementary School District 44, a position he held until his retirement. He had been active with the Lions Club and community participation.

Norene Clark

Funeral services for Norene A. Clark, nee Addie, 75, of Crystal Lake, formerly of Villa Park, were held Friday, April 3, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Villa Park. Interment was at Glen Oak Cemetery in Hillside.
Mrs. Clark is survived by her husband, William; children, Debbie (Jim) Long, Pam (Mike) Tunison, Cheri (Steve) Tompkins, Jennifer (Terry) Eisenbraun, Victoria (Roy) Schmeissing, Tim, Billy (Alice), John (Mary Kay), Brian (Laura) Clark and Jenny (Jeff) Drooger; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sister, Diane Thompson; two nieces and one cousin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund or Vitas Hospice would be appreciated.
Arrangements were made by Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park.

Marguerite Elza

Marguerite E. “Peggy” Elza died Saturday, April 4.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 7, with prayers from Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, to Mass at St. John the Apostle Church. Interment was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.
Mrs. Elza is survived by her sons, Richard, Scott (Nikki) and Bill (Toni Ann); and three grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl.
Mrs. Elza was described as kind, generous, caring, understanding, funny and happy, and always had a smile on her face.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. John the Apostle Church would be appreciated.

William Hogan III

William J. “Bill” Hogan III, 73, of Lombard, died Tuesday, March 31, at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village.
Funeral services were held Saturday, April 4, at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Interment was Monday, April 6, at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.
Mr. Hogan is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joan; children, William Jr. (Jan) of Lombard, Daniel of Lombard, Mark (Deanna) and Michele; three grandchildren; and many other family and friends.
Mr. Hogan was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having served in England for six years. He was a past commander of the Lombard American Legion Post #391, was active with the Wheaton American Legion, and loved to golf and fish.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the American Cancer Society, 1801 S. Meyers Road, Lombard, IL 60148, would be appreciated.

Joan Kotarba

Joan M. Kotarba, nee Brock, 46, of Villa Park, died Saturday, April 4.
Funeral services will be held today, April 8, at Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park. Interment is at All Saints Cemetery.
Mrs. Kotarba is survived by her husband, Tom; children, Robert, Theresa and Ronald Brock; brothers, Richard and Thomas (Gail) Brock; and was the aunt of many.

Albert Mayer

Visitation for Albert Mayer, 89, of Lombard, will be Thursday, April 9, at Knollcrest Funeral Home, 1500 S. Meyers Road, Lombard.
Funeral services will be held Friday, April 10, at the Rhodes Charapata Funeral Home in Crivitz, Wis. Interment will be at St. Mary Cemetery in Crivitz.
Mr. Mayer is survived by his wife of 66 years, Helma; children, Nancy (Daniel) Hess, Sally (Dale) Reed and Lisa (Frank) Wright; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and sisters-in-law, Clara Nieland and Hazel White.
Mr. Mayer grew up on a farm outside of Pound, Wis., and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served during World War II in Seattle, Wash. He had worked as a machinist at Chicago Roto Print.
He was an amateur inventor who told everyone he could fix anything but a broken heart; enjoyed playing cards; treasured time spent with his children and grandchildren; and was know as a hard-working, honest man.
Memorials to the Neuropathy Association would be appreciated.

Vicenta Rios

Funeral services for Vicenta Hernandez Rios, 104, of Villa Park, were held Saturday, April 4, with prayers from Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, to Mass at St. John the Apostle Church in Villa Park. Interment was at Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
Mrs. Rios is survived by her children, Robert (Christine) and Alexandria (Edward); 13 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ramon; and grandson, Raymond Luna.

Louise Smith

Louise J. Smith, nee Audi, 81, of Wheaton, died Sunday, April 5, in Longmont, Colo.
Visitation will be Thursday, April 9, at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard.
Funeral services will be held Friday, April 10, at the funeral home. Interment is private at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.
Mrs. Smith is survived by her sons, Robert (Diane), Frank, Joseph (JoAnne) and Jack (Katy) of Lombard; 12 grandchildren; and siblings, Ronald Audi and Dolores Chrisos. She was preceded in death by her husband, John “Jack,” to whom she was married since 1946; and parents, Dominic and Florence Audi.
Mrs. Smith was born and grew up in Gillespie, Ill., and moved to Chicago with her family during World War II. After raising her four boys, she worked as an administration assistant with the Jewel Tea Co. She enjoyed dancing, skiing, reading and playing poker. She moved to Longmont in March 2009 from Wheaton.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to a favorite charity would be appreciated.

John Ventura

John Ventura, 88, of Addison, died Wednesday, March 25, at Church Creek in Arlington Heights.
Visitation and funeral services will be held Saturday, April 11, at Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park. Interment is at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Hillside.
Mr. Ventura is survived by his wife, Rose; children, Vincent (Joyce), Thora (the late David), and Roselyn (Ronald) Ristich; five grandchildren; sister, Anne (the late Joseph) Marino; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by three sisters and seven brothers.

Dorothy Vollmer

Dorothy L. Vollmer, nee Boostrom, 87, of Villa Park, died Friday, April 3, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.
Funeral services will be held today, April 8, at Brust Villa Park Funeral Home, 305 S. Princeton. Interment is at Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery in Oakbrook Terrace.
Mrs. Vollmer is survived by her husband, George; children, William (Marianne) and Donna (Jurij “George”) Donchenko of Villa Park; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and siblings, Ethel West, Hazel Stone and Roy Boostrom. She was preceded in death by her sister, Ruth Liddl.
Mrs. Vollmer was a resident of Villa Park since 1968.

John Woodruff

John A. Woodruff, 87, of Ladylake, Fla., formerly of Villa Park, died Thursday, April 2, at Sunrise Assisted Living in Glen Ellyn.
Funeral services were private. Interment was at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Fla.
Mr. Woodruff is survived by his children, John R. (Nancy) and Jim (Mary); sisters, Dorothy, Virginia, Geraldine and Joann; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret.
Mr. Woodruff was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during World War II.
Arrangements were made by Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park.