West High School Illinois Alumni Obituaries

Nancy L. Wessel age 84 of Pittsfield IL passed away Tuesday January 6 2026 at Barry Healthcare and Senior Living in Barry IL. She was born July 20 1941 in Canton IL to Earnest and Hattie Barrett Henry. Nancy married Robert Leroy Pete Wessel December 14 1962 at the First Christian Church in Chandlerv...

Shirley M. Hainds of Jacksonville IL passed to her eternal home on October 27th 2025 at the age of 76. She was born February 1st 1949 in Macomb to Leon J. and Frances M. Alexander Davis. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 51 years Ronald L. Hainds. Together they had three children ...

Layne Hayden McGinnis 63 a longtime resident of Jacksonville Illinois passed away at Rushville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on November 3 2025. He was born on October 26 1962 at Ft. Leonard Wood MO to Carroll and Marian J. Deitrick McGinnis. He is survived by his mother Marian Deitrick McDonald...

Ronald L. Hainds of Jacksonville Illinois passed to his eternal home on Thursday January 8 2026 at the age of 78. He was born September 20 1948 in Burington IA to Russell E. and Frances M. Lox Hainds. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 51 years Shirley M. Davis Hainds. Together they had ...

Mary Ellen Carlson 75 of Geneseo passed away at home on Sunday January 11 2026. Per the familys wishes cremation rites have been accorded and a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Vandemore Funeral Homes Crematory Geneseo Chapel will be assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu...

He was born May 20 1966 in Galesburg Illinois the son of Kenneth Lee and Mary Melanie Steele Sargeant. He graduated from Galesburg High School and later joined the US Navy serving from 19851990. Jeffrey is survived by his brothers and sisters Melanie Thomas Lamb of Camp Point Illinois Theresa West o...

Edgar E Bantz 92 of Muscatine Iowa formerly of Galesburg died on Friday December 19 2025 at home. Ed was born August 15 1933 in Danville Illinois the son of Ford D. and Audrey Canaday Bantz. He married Helen M. Helander on November 3 1962 in Chicago. She preceded him in death on November 27 2018 aft...

Mr. Eugene H. Gene Mendez 88 of Galesburg Illinois passed away at 135 am Saturday December 20 2025 at Knox County Nursing Home with his wife Becky by his side. Gene was born January 8 1937 in Galesburg the son of Salvador A. and Guadalupe Martinez Mendez. He graduated from Galesburg High School in 1...

Raymond Siebold, 44, of Owatonna, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, November 27, 2025.He was born May 15, 1981, in Libertyville, Illinois, to Paul Siebold and Nancy Hogate. Ray moved to Owatonna, Minnesota, in 1984. He attended Owatonna High School and graduated in 2000. He then went on to proud...

Joanne Rago 71 of West Frankfort passed away at 451 a.m. on Tuesday January 6 2026 at her home in West Frankfort IL. She was born on June 28 1954 to Joseph F. and Adele D. Whelan Rago in Fall River MA. Joanne was a graduate of BMC Durfee High School Fall River MA. Joanne owned a beauty salon for 30 ...

Rebecca Lamb 78 of Belvidere IL passed away Monday December 22 2025 at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford IL. She was born on September 4 1947 in Chicago IL. The daughter of Robert and Regina Thornton Henrich. She graduated from Maine West High School in Des Plaines IL and then went on to ...

Mary Jane Swanson 69 of Belvidere IL passed away Wednesday December 31 2025 at UW Swedish American Hospital in Rockford IL. She was born July 5 1956 in Tacoma Washington. The daughter of James and Mary L. Rushing St. Martin. She graduated from Penncrest High School in Media PA. and then went on to s...

Lois Evelyn Gorsage age 89 of Lewistown Illinois passed away at 500 am on Sunday January 23 2022 at Clayberg Nursing Center in Cuba Illinois. She was born on July 30 1932 in Canton Illinois the daughter of Harold and Nelda Jo Smith Burgard. She married Lawrence Coleman in 1954 in Lewistown. He pr...

Phyllis M. Cornelius 89 of Industry Illinois passed away at 700 a.m. on Wednesday July 2 2025 at her home. She was born on the family farm south of Vermont Illinois on June 30 1936 the second child of three in a multigenerational farming family. She attended Freeman School through 1947 then VIT Hi...

Beverly Jean Winston Burgard age 88 of Sheldons Grove Illinois stepped into eternity at 204 am on Thursday July 12 2018 while in the company of family. Beverly was born on July 24 1929 in Sheldons Grove Illinois the daughter of Eddie and Dorothy Workman Winston. She married James Othello Burgard on...

Norman Thomas Welker age 82 of Macomb IL passed away Friday March 12 2021 at St. Johns Hospital in Springfield IL. He was born on October 15 1938 in Canton IL the son of Don and Jeanette Angelo Welker. On July 18 1959 Norman married Virginia Kingery at the First Christian Church in Ipava IL. She ...

Dale Phillip Martin 84 of Beardstown IL formerly of Athens IL passed away on Monday June 12 2023 at Heritage Health in Beardstown IL. He was born on September 27 1938 in Barry IL the son of Arthur and Mary Dehart Martin. He married Judith Kay Hunsley on April 22 1993. She preceded him in death on Ja...

Gail E. McLeran 82 of Macomb IL formerly of Bushnell IL passed away at 904 am on Tuesday January 8 2019 at Heartland Health Care Center in Macomb. She was born on November 16 1936 in Table Grove IL the daughter of William and Dorothy Lannery Gorsage. Survivors include her daughter Pamela S. Conner o...

Phyllis Ann Huff Lyons age 80 passed away at 130 am Wednesday February 4 2015 at her apartment at Tipton Place Huntington IN. She was under hospice care at the time of her death. She was born on August 27 1934 near Ipava IL a daughter of Russell and Wanda Lawver Huff. Raised on the family farm Phy...

Maurice Francis "Maurie" Cox age 83 of Vermont IL passed away at 858 pm Thursday May 23 2019 at Graham Hospital in Canton IL. He was born on February 11 1936 on the family farm in Eldorado Township McDonough County just west of Vermont the son of Arthur and Twila Ruth Cox. Maurie married Kathy Coz...

Don DeWees age 82 of Macomb Illinois formerly of Astoria Illinois passed away at 558 am Tuesday November 3 2020 at his home. He was born on October 27 1938 in Cleveland Tennessee the son of Willard and Mary Gilliland DeWees. On June 19 1960 Don married Betty Ann Cufaude in Mason City Illinois. Sh...

Ernestine Bulmer Conley was born in Detroit Michigan on November 9 1939 to Wilfred and Elaine Bulmer. Her parents welcomed two daughters that day mom and her twin sister Emily. The family moved to Ipava Illinois where she was raised with her 9 siblings. Arthur Millie Johnson William Sonia Bulmer Ela...

Eris Betty Clayton was born at home to Helen Catherine and Herschel Edward Burgard on January 2 1926 in Schuyler Country. Her childhood was spent following her two older brothers at work and play and attending school. She boarded in Rushville in order to attend Rushville High School. During World Wa...

Marvin Delano White was born on October 27 1936 in Fulton County District 6541 2 miles east of the Temple Cemetery. He was the son of Sterling Cornelius and Ruth May Hendee White. Marvin was born on the Heimgardner place and upon his fathers death on July 3 1940 moved 3 miles west to another farm a...

Robert Bobby Eugene Blickenstaff of Astoria went peacefully home to be with Jesus while surrounded by his wife and family at 1020 am on Tuesday August 23 2022 at his home. He was born on December 15 1965 to Elma Darlene Cassel and Robert Bob Blickenstaff. He was raised by his parents Gary and Darle...

Walter C. Raudabaugh Jr. 69 of Vermont passed away at 730 am on Wednesday January 11 2017 at his home. He was born on January 19 1947 in Macomb the son of Walter and Betty Crayden Raudabaugh Sr. Walter married Donna Umphryes on February 19 1992 in Rushville. She survives. Also surviving are his 2 s...

Frances Louise McVaigh ne Coale formerly Briggs 97 passed away on November 23 2025. She is survived by her daughter Joyce Gawthorp Ron of Lexington South Carolina her son Jim Briggs Jean Ann of Bone Gap her sister Wanda Fennell Bill of Highland her brother Don Coale of Carterville three granddaughte...

Jean was born to Willis B. Kilpatrick and Wilda Law Kilpatrick in Oneonta New York on August 1 1923. Willis was a Presbyterian minister and Wilda an at home mom and elementary school Math teacher. The family moved to Greenfield Ohio in the mid1920s where Willis became the pastor of the First Presbyt...

Norma Jean Horak 84 daughter of Frank Jr. and Mildred Stach Pelican was born in Wilber Nebraska on January 26 1941. She passed away at the Wilber Care Center on November 28 2025. Norma grew up on a farm west of Wilber. She attended Wilber High School graduating with the class of 1958. On April 9 196...