Eleanor Birr

Eleanor M. Birr, 90, of Lombard, died Monday, Oct. 1, at Lexington Health Care in Lombard.
Funeral services were held Friday, Oct. 5, at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Interment was at Oakridge Cemetery in Hillside.
Ms. Birr is survived by her niece, Cynthia Birr (Charles Barnaby); and nephews, Jack Birr and Richard Birr. She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Theresa; and siblings, Alice Sandberg, Genevieve and Edmund.
Ms. Birr was born at home in Lombard, where she was a lifelong resident. She attended Lincoln School and graduated from Glenbard West High School in 1941. She worked for Continental Bank for 45 years as an executive secretary.
Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

Lois Dittus

Lois M. “Sandy” Dittus, nee Swackhamer, of Elmhurst, died Sunday, Oct. 7.
A private interment will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery in Joliet.
Mrs. Dittus was preceded in death by her her husband, Glen.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

Irene Herlache

Irene T. Herlache, nee Thinggaard, 96, of Carol Stream, formerly of Elmhurst, died Saturday, Oct. 6.
Services and interment were private.
Mrs. Herlache is survived by her children, Patricia (Roger) Hay, Thomas (Diane), Jacqueline Israel and Mark (Cher) of Lombard; 14 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry V.; daughter, Carol Gravdahl; siblings, Alice and Lawrence; and sons-in-law, Donald Gravdahl and Gerald Israel.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

John Rowley

John Miller Rowley, 92, World War II Navy veteran and beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Lombard, Ill. 
Visitation will be held today, Oct. 10, 2012, from 4-7 p.m. at Brust Funeral Home, 135 South Main St., Lombard, Ill., 60148 (630-629-0094).  The memorial service will be held on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, at the Lombard Church of the Nazarene, 536 N. Columbine Ave., Lombard, Ill. (630-627-9444), where he will lie in state from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. for visitation, with the service commencing at 10 a.m. John will be laid to rest with military honors at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, Elwood, Ill., following the church service.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary; his two daughters, Jenneine Rowley-Gilroy of Lombard, Ill., and Mary Beth Rowley of Michigan City, Ind.; as well as his twin brother, Charles Rowley of Boise, Idaho; his sister, Mary Trout Maupin of Ft. Worth, Texas; and many dearly loved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Nathan and Lillian Viola Rowley; brother, Guy Clifford Rowley; sister, Juanita Eloise Nee; and brother, Thomas Calvin Rowley.
John was born Aug. 26, 1920, in Warsaw, Ill., one of six children born to John Nathan and Lillian Viola Rowley, and grew up in Burlington, Iowa. He graduated from high school in Burlington, Iowa, and after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, he and his twin brother enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served in World War II, Pacific Theatre/Hawaii, and was honorably discharged in 1945 at the rank of Aviation Machinist Mate, Second Class.
Prior to attending college at the University of Oklahoma on the G.I. Bill, John played baseball as a pitcher for the Cubs Triple-A farm system. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. degree in journalism, earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Iowa, and completed doctoral-level courses in sociology at the University of Iowa and Northern Illinois University. 
John taught at various junior and senior high schools in both Iowa and Illinois, including Donnellson Junior High School and Senior High School, Donnellson, Iowa, and served as the sports information director at Western Illinois University before he found his niche teaching English, social studies, and journalism at Willowbrook High School, Villa Park, Ill. He also was the longtime adviser of the Willowbrook Skyline newspaper and both started and sponsored the Lombard YMCA Willowbrook High School and Glenbard East High School chapters of the YMCA Youth In Government program. 
John taught at Willowbrook for 18 years and retired in 1986. He was recognized with many honors and awards throughout his long professional career. He continued to substitute teach several years thereafter. 
John had numerous talents and interests, and led a very full and joyous life. He was a writer and substitute editor at the Lombardian, Lombard, Ill., for eight years. He was an avid gardener, keen fisherman, loved music, loved animals, volunteered with several community and charitable organizations, was a member of the American Legion, and enjoyed politics and current affairs, but most of all, John was devoted to his family and to his church home, the Lombard Church of the Nazarene. 
He participated in Bible study, Upwards Basketball, and served on the church board for several terms. John was all about his family; he and his wife, Mary, were married on June 5, 1955, in Donnellson, Iowa, and counted as one of their most treasured memories their 50th Golden Anniversary party held at Lombard Church of the Nazarene in 2005.

Beverly Rutkowski

Funeral services for Beverly F. Rutkowski, nee Ferlicka, 81, of Lombard, formerly of Villa Park, were held Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park. Entombment was private.
Mrs. Rutkowski is survived by her son, Wayne (Patricia); brother, Donald Ferlicka; and was the aunt of many. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thaddeus “Ted.”
Mrs. Rutkowski was the past president of the Elmhurst American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Post #187.
For more information, call 630-832-4161 or visit www.steuerlefh.com.

Diane Sergi

Diane L. Sergi, nee Sorensen, 56, of Glen Ellyn, died Tuesday, Oct. 2, at Central DuPage Hospital.
Funeral services were held Monday, Oct. 8, at First Church of Lombard. Interment was at Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery in Oakbrook Terrace.
Diane is survived by her son, Justin D. Sergi of Chicago; daughter, Jenelle M. Sergi of Chicago; two sisters, Lynda M. (Lynn) Stone of St. Charles and Katherine A. (Bob) Palm of Villa Park; nephew and godson, Gregory J. Fowler of Kentucky; niece, Brittany A. (Roni) Schmidt of St. Charles; and many other nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert L. and Alyce I. Sorensen.
Diane was a resident of Glen Ellyn since 2007. She grew up in Lombard and attended Pleasant Lane Grade School, Lombard Junior High School and was a 1973 graduate of Glenbard East High School. She was a 1977 graduate of Western Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Development.
Diane was a resident of Geneva from 1983 to 2007, where she was a former member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. She had been active as a room mom and with Market Day, and was a Boy Scout leader and a Girl Scout leader. She was a former member of First Church of Lombard and had been a volunteer for First Things First at the Outreach House.
Dedicated to her family, Mrs. Sergi also enjoyed traveling, history and reading. She loved entertaining and particularly enjoyed pairing up a good wine with lively conversation. She was an excellent seamstress and was passionate about scrapbooking.
She enjoyed being part of “the Breakfast Group” as well as a “Texas Hold ’Em Card Group.”
Memorials may be made to www.dianesergifoundation.org.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

Glenn Shannon

Glenn R. “Murph” Shannon, 93, of Glen Ellyn, formerly of Lombard, died Saturday, Oct. 6, in Glen Ellyn.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Interment was private.
Mr. Shannon is survived by his wife, Louise A.; children, Glenda (Charles) Wilson and Teri (Thomas) Althoff; four grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and was the uncle of Arlene Irmen and Ronald Sanders.
Mr. Shannon was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during World War II.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 350 E. Madison St., Lombard, IL 60148, would be appreciated.
Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.

Lorraine Sindelar

Lorraine R. Sindelar, nee Will, 87, of Lombard, died Monday, Oct. 1, in Naperville.
Funeral services were held at Community Congregational Church in Villa Park, with the Rev. Sue Detterman officiating. Interment was at Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery.
Mrs. Sindelar is survived by her children, Linda J. (Jack L.) Tollefson, Diane J. and Carol J. (Bruce P.) Fisher; and three grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph H.; and siblings, Ralph F. Will, Donald H. Will, Fred W. Will and Loretta C. Will.
Mrs. Sindelar was a homemaker and a charter member of the Busy Bees organization.
Memorials to Seguin Retarded Citizens Association (SRCA), 6223 W. Ogden Ave., Berwyn, IL 60402, or Community Congregational Church, 410 S. Cornell Ave., Villa Park, IL 60181, would be appreciated.
For more information, call 630-932-1500.

Kathryn Spera

Kathryn V. Spera, nee Vasilovich, 87, of Elmhurst, died Monday, Oct. 1, at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services were held Thursday, Oct. 4, at St. John United Church of Christ in Melrose Park. Interment was at Elm Lawn Cemetery in Elmhurst.
Mrs. Spera is survived by her sons, Richard E. of Lombard and Scott A.; one grandson; sister, Mary Miner; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carmine; daughter-in-law, Linda M.; siblings, Carolyn and Emil; sister-in-law, Angie; and brothers-in-law, Fred Miner and John Hinz.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard.Call 630-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.