James Graefen
James Graefen, age 64, a 40-year resident of Lombard, died Tuesday, Jan. 19 at his home.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Jan. 23, at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Interment was at Elmwood Cemetery, River Grove, Ill.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Info: 888-629-0094 or www.brustfuneralhome.com.
Robert E. Grass
Longtime Lombard resident Robert E. Grass. Beloved father of Robert A. and Jennifer D’Agostino. Beloved grandfather of Taylor, Tyler, Jake and John D’Agostino. Beloved brother of Loretta, LuAnn Collin, Roland and MaryJo. Beloved uncle of many nieces and nephews.
Donations to cancer research are appreciated.
Anne R. McGoldrick
Anne R. McGoldrick, age 81, of Batavia, formerly of Lombard, died Friday, Jan, 22, at The Grove of Fox Valley, Aurora, Ill.
A memorial gathering was held Tuesday, Jan. 26, from Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard, to Mass at Christ The King Church, Lombard. Interment was private.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Info: 888-629-0094 or www.brustfuneralhome.com.
Joanne R. Meissner
Joanne R. Meissner, age 80, of Wood Dale, formerly of Villa Park, Ill. Beloved wife of Wally; loving mother of Linda (Greg) Higgins, Wally (the late Laurie), Mike (Denise), Robert, Kurt (Janice) and Jodi Ann (Christopher) Leonardo; dearest grandmother of 17; great-grandmother of nine.
Memorial visitation on Thursday, Jan, 28, 2016, 3-8 p.m. with a 7 p.m. Memorial Service at Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, Ill. Interment is private.
Joanne was a member of the ladies auxiliary, Addison VFW Post #7446.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to uso.org are appreciated. For info: 630-832-4161 or www.steuerlefh.com.
Andrew M. Mientus
Andrew M. Mientus, 29, of Villa Park, Ill., passed away on Sunday, Jan. 24.
Visitation is Friday, Jan. 29, from 3-8 p.m. with a 7 p.m. funeral service at Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, Ill. Interment is private. Call. 630-832-4161.
Mary Lou Rada
Mary Lou (Johnson) Rada was born June 12, 1931, in her home at 217 S. Brewster in Lombard to parents Luther August and Zelma (Sue) Pearl Johnson. She was the first of four children. After the birth of brothers Don and Bill, the Johnsons moved to 337 S. Edson Ave. in 1936. Brother Tom rounded out the family. Mary’s mother Zelma (Sue) lived there until 2013.
Mary attended Sacred Heart School for kindergarten and first grade as her father did not want her to cross the Northwestern tracks at such a young age. When it was time for Don to start school, they went to Lincoln School and older sister Mary would guide them safely across the tracks. Mary graduated from Glenbard High School in 1949.
After high school, Mary would work in downtown Chicago catching the Aurora & Elgin electric commuter tracks every morning. This later became the Prairie Path where Mary took many long bike rides. Her good friend, Bob Freund, would often yell to the conductor to hold the train as his friend Mary, in her high heels, would be running to catch it.
In 1952, the building in which Mary worked in Chicago burned to the ground. She decided that since she would no longer have a job, she would enlist in the service. She became a member of the Women’s Air Force (WAF) where she served two years during the Korean War. Mary was trained as a cook at Lackland AFB in San Antonio and was then stationed in Omaha, Neb.
Mary played basketball on the Air Force Team. She recalled the first time the team had to travel to another base they climbed aboard a plane. Seated face to face with her teammates on benches along each side, Mary was handed a parachute. She later shared that had she known about the transportation situation, she might not have joined the basketball team.
In early 1954, Mary returned home to Lombard. After a night of bowling with her friend Caroline (Hightower) Reed at Lombard Lanes located in the Recreation Center basement of the Deicke Building on Ash and Main, they went across the street to Sheridan’s Drug Store (which had the old fashioned soda fountain counter) to meet Caroline’s husband, Al Reed, a Villa Park police officer. He was there with his close friend Bob Rada. A few months later, Mary and Bob were married Sept. 4, 1954, at Community Congregational Church of Villa Park.
Mary and Bob promptly started a family while living briefly in Villa Park. After Jeff was born, they bought their first home on West Madison Street in Lombard. While on Madison they had two more sons, (Mark) Luther and Jim. In January 1962 they moved to West Harding Road just in time for the birth of their fourth child, a daughter, Robin. In February 2001, Bob passed away. Mary remained in the house until October 2015.
Mary immersed herself in her children’s school and extra-curricular activities as room mother, den mother and Girl Scout leader. She went to every Little League, football, basketball and softball game. She attended countless junior high and high school concerts, pep band rallies, football halftime programs and musicals.
In 1969, Mary began working at JCPenney’s as a clerk in the notions department. A couple years later she would begin her tenure at McDade and Company in Carol Stream where she would work her way from store clerk to sporting goods manager. When a department was failing, they would put Mary in charge to “straighten it out.” Eventually she would become assistant store manager.
Having “service” in her blood (her mom Sue Johnson set a strong example of community service and being a good neighbor) Mary was an active member of the Lombard Service League, the Lombard Historical Society, the Elmhurst Hospital Guild, York Township Meals on Wheels and Martha’s Circle. Mary loved to send cards to make sure folks knew they were remembered.
Mary was an avid bowler. For many years she belonged to leagues at Lombard Lanes on Roosevelt Road. Her team often took first place as proven by shelves in the basement lined with trophies. She continued to bowl for many years with the Congress Knowles Ladies.
Mary loved gardening and the beauty of her flower beds and yard showed it. Her climbing rose bush always bloomed on her birthday.
A lifelong Cubs fan, Mary would go to Cubs games every summer. She loved Ron Santo and would listen daily to the game like clockwork. (Hopefully she will have some influence this year, perhaps providing a little help from above).
Go Cubbies!
Memorials to the Lombard Service League, Illinois Prairie Path, Community Congregational Church or the Lombard Historical Society would be appreciated.
Dorothy T. Schreiber
Dorothy T. Schreiber, nee Tempenar, age 88, of Lombard, died Jan. 24 at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Dorothy will be lying in state Friday, Jan, 29, from 10 a.m. until time of Funeral Service at 11:30 a.m. at the Maple Street Chapel, 220 S. Main St., Lombard. Interment will be at Chapel Hill Gardens West, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.
Dorothy is survived by three children, Bob (Rosanne) of Lombard, Patricia L. Caravella of Lombard and Rich of Lombard. She was the fond grandmother of Kristen (Mark) Kroemer of Oswego and great-grandmother of Ian Kroemer of Oswego.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; son-in-law, John Caravella; and a sister, Helen Planz.
Dorothy had lived in Lombard for 64 years. She graduated from Steinmetz High School and was a member of the National Honor Society. Her husband was a plumber in town and Dorothy was the office manager at Elmhurst Ford where she worked for 31 years until her retirement in 1994. She was a member of the choir at First Church of Lombard for more than 50 years and was a member of the Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Maple Street Chapel, 220 S. Main St., Lombard, IL 60148, are appreciated.
Info: www.brustfuneralhome or 888-629-0094.
Salvatore J. Sperandeo Sr.
Salvatore J. Sperandeo Sr., age 88, formerly of Villa Park, Ill. Beloved husband of the late Connie; loving father of Michael (Yvonne), Carmelita (Frank) Chavez, Salvatore Jr. (Gary Luehr) and the late Barbara Sperandeo Burns, (Jeff Burns survives); dearest grandfather of seven, great-grandfather of 10, great-great-grandfather of two; and dear uncle of many.
Visitation is Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, from 9 a.m. until time of service, 11 a.m., at Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, Ill. Private entombment is at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
For info: 630-832-4161 or www.steuerlefh.com.
Jeffrey Robert Stehle
Jeffrey Robert Stehle, 47, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, at Loyola University Medical Center after courageously battling a three-month illness.
Visitation will be held Friday, Jan. 29, from 4-7 p.m. at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard.
The Funeral Service will be held Saturday, Jan. 30, with prayers at 9:30 a.m. from Brust Funeral Home to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Lombard, for 10 a.m. Mass.
Private Interment is at St. Joseph Cemetery, River Grove, Ill.
Jeff was born to James and Karen, nee Kuehn, Stehle on Nov. 14, 1968. He was a kind-hearted son; a loving, younger brother to Tim (Denise) Stehle; a devoted husband to Michelle, nee Galfano, for 19 years; and a proud father to Jeffrey (J.J.) and Jeremy. Jeff was also a caring uncle to T.J., Crystal, Courtney and Eric; and a great-uncle to Mariah. He was a thoughtful son-in-law to Joseph and Ann Galfano; and a fun loving brother-in-law to Rick (Sheila) Galfano. Jeff was preceded in death by his grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Jeff grew up in Lombard and attended Pleasant Lane School during his elementary years where he was a Cub Scout and also enjoyed playing baseball. Later, Jeff attended Glenbard East High School, where he played basketball and enjoyed lifting weights. It was here where Jeff and Michelle met. He graduated in 1987 and looked forward to attending Western Illinois University in Macomb. After a serious car accident, Jeff was forced to finish his education at the University of Illinois in Chicago where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in his specialty area of Criminal Justice.
This degree led him to what he did best, being a Public Safety Officer. Jeff worked 19 years at Northwest Community Hospital and continued there when ODS took over. Jeff was thrilled when Edward Hospital contacted him for a Public Safety Officer position in Naperville near his home. Jeff was a quick learner and also a dedicated, hard-working employee. He was truthful and knowledgeable, but enjoyed having fun with others.
Jeff loved watching football with his boys. He was an avid Broncos’ fan and spent many nights cheering on the Chicago Bulls, too. Jeff enjoyed basketball so much, he helped coach Jeremy’s basketball team for two years at Bethany Lutheran School. Over the summer, he would go to the courts and play basketball and tennis with the boys.
Although he will be missed, we do not say “good-bye” but rather “good night” for we will all be reunited with him and all the saints again…
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going” (John 14:1-4).
In lieu of flowers, memorials for his sons c/o his wife would be appreciated.
Arrangements were made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Info: 888-629-0094 or www.brustfuneralhome.com.
Barbara A. Was
Barbara A. Was, nee Nemecek, age 79, of Lombard, died Saturday, Jan. 23, at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Visitation will be held today, Jan. 27, from 4-8 p.m. at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard.
Funeral services will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Brust Funeral Home. Interment will be at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside, Ill.
Call 888-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com for more information.
Sherry Williamson
Sherry Williamson died peacefully of melanoma in her home on Jan. 14, 2016. She was 74. A native of Lombard, Ill., she attended Miami (Ohio) University. While working at a college summer job on Trout Lake Wisconsin in 1961, she met her future husband of 50-plus years, John Williamson. After graduation and marriage in 1963, Sherry and John settled in Madison Wis., raising three children in the Indian Hills neighborhood house where she has lived since 1970.
Sherry will be remembered for her kindness and her devotion to family and friends. She had many close social circles, including her friends from Shorewood pool, her Harbor Athletic Club water aerobics class, the Madison Curling Club, her Bridge Club and Glenbard High School.
She also helped organize regular fish dinners at restaurants throughout southern Wisconsin with a group of good friends she referred to as her Friday night “fishing crew.” She was an avid swimmer and tennis player and she supported the Wisconsin Badgers and Madison youth sports, including soccer and basketball.
She is survived by her loving husband, John; children, Bradd, Ginger and Trent; close cousin, Polly; daughter-in-law, Amerika; son-in-law, Aubrey; sister-in-law, Judy; brother-in-law, Mark; and grandchildren, Cooper, Whit and Mac.
A celebration of Sherry’s life was held for friends and family on Friday, Jan. 22, at Porta Bella Restaurant, 425 N. Frances St.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross, 4860 Sheboygan Ave., Madison, WI 53705; or the Dane County Humane Society, 5132 Voges Road, Madison, WI 53718. Please share your memories at www.CressFuneralService.com.
