Obituaries

Frankie Wayne Staton

Frankie Wayne Staton

Jan 28, 2026

Frankie Wayne Staton, 65, of Plano, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, January 27th, in his home in Plano. Frankie Wayne Staton was born in Ottawa, IL to Franklin D. R. Staton and Vivian Jeanean Staton (Jent) on January 16th, 1961.

He attended school at Plano and was a part of the 1979 class, where he played football, basketball, baseball, track and...

Carol Schinzer

Carol Schinzer

Jan 23, 2026

Carol Phyllis Schinzer, 88, of West Brooklyn, passed away surrounded by her husband, children and grandchildren on January 23, 2026. Carol was born to William and Myrtle (Kessler) Theisinger on February 6, 1937, in Peru, Illinois. She went on to marry her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Gene Schinzer, and spent 70 loving years together.

Carol was a...

Rhonda Renee Peritore

Rhonda Renee Peritore

Jan 20, 2026

Rhonda Renee Peritore, 57, of Sandwich, Illinois passed away at her home on January 20, 2026, surrounded by her loved ones.

Rhonda was born to Jerry and Elena (Farthing) Rice in Marion, Illinois on January 31, 1968. She married the love of her life, Angelo Peritore, on July 4, 1987. Rhonda was a devoted, loving, and cherished wife to her husband...

Mike Hill

Mike Hill

Jan 18, 2026

Mike Hill, 78, passed away on January 18th, 2026 in his home. Mike was born January 1st, 1948 to Howard and Ruth (Alsager) Hill from Newark Illinois.

He moved with his family from the farm to the town of Sandwich when he was in grade school. Mike graduated from Sandwich high School in 1966. He enjoyed his high school years participating...

Christopher C. Bark

Christopher C. Bark

Jan 18, 2026

Christopher Charles Bark, 38, of Sandwich, passed away on January 18, 2026. 

Chris was born in Houston, Texas to Curtis and Edith Bark on March 18th, 1987. He attended Sandwich School District. He married Sarah (Crothers) Bark on July 2nd, 2016. Chris had a gifted skill in carpentry which led him to connecting with others in the community and working alongside...

Gregory Lee Brunswick

Gregory Lee Brunswick

Jan 16, 2026

Gregory Lee Brunswick was born on December 10, 1963, in Jackson, Michigan, to Carol (Thieman) and Gerald Brunswick. Greg chose to leave this life on January 16, 2026, at his home in Red Granite, Wisconsin.

The fourth of eight children, Greg grew up surrounded by family. In 1970, the Brunswick family moved to Somonauk, Illinois, where Greg attended Somonauk schools and...

Irene J. Kotecki

Irene J. Kotecki

Jan 15, 2026

Irene J. Kotecki, 95, of Plano, IL passed away on January 15, 2026. Irene was born on June 18, 1930 in Flint, MI to Richard and Sally (Wieczorek) Hyatt. Irene was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Plano. In her younger years, she volunteered at the church. She was also a devoted wife and mother. She loved spending...

Clifford Oleson Sr.

Clifford Oleson Sr.

Jan 14, 2026

Clifford A. Oleson, Sr. (Mow Daddy) 100 years old of Yorkville passed away at his home surrounded by his family on January 14, 2026.

Clifford was born to Lu Roy and Clara (Vance) Oleson on August 7th, 1925, in LeRoy, Illinois.

During his senior year of high school in 1943, he was drafted into the U. S. Army. After basic training he...

David F. Ikonen

David F. Ikonen

Jan 12, 2026

David F. Ikonen passed away January 12, 2026 after a brief battle with cancer. 

Dave attended SIU where he met his wife of 57 years, Susan. He served his country in the Vietnam War as an Engineer in the Air Force at Monkey Mountain. He eventually took his education/knowledge to Caterpillar where he retired after 35 years. While employed at CAT,...

Francia M. Wilson

Francia M. Wilson

Jan 8, 2026

Francia Wilson, age 76, of Sheridan, Illinois, passed away peacefully on January 8, 2026, after a long illness.

Francia was born on April 29, 1949, in Palmira, Colombia, to Enrique Gonzalez and Yolima Soto. She earned her law degree from the University of Santiago de Cali. Adventurous by nature, Francia traveled the world, spending time in Nicaragua before ultimately settling in...

Leon Jeffrey Miernicki

Leon Jeffrey Miernicki

Jan 7, 2026

After a well lived life, Leon Jeffrey Miernicki, age 75, died on Jan. 7, 2026, in Sandwich, IL. Leon was born during May of 1950 at Lying In Hospital, U. Of Chicago, to parents, Chester & Lorraine (Rudski) Miernicki.

He grew up in the Brighton Park & Mt. Greenwood neighborhoods of Chicago and had nineteen years of Catholic education, attending St....

Lyle R. Sword

Lyle R. Sword

Jan 6, 2026

Lyle Raymond Sword, 88, of Ashton, passed away on January 6, 2026 in Canton, GA.

Lyle Raymond Sword was born in Nachusa, Illinois to Harold & Alice (Haenitsch) Sword on September 13, 1937. He went to school in Ashton and graduated in 1956. He married his former wife, Shirley A. Lawson, mother of their children, on June 27, 1956 in Ashton.

Lyle...

Sylvia L. Madsen

Sylvia L. Madsen

Jan 5, 2026

Sylvia was born on March 21, 1934 to Roy and Otel Daniels in Bruce, WI. She was the middle of 7 children and was of the Lutheran Faith. Sylvia attended school in Bruce WI. After graduation 4 young women set off on an adventure to Yellowstone where they camped and slept under the stars. Shortly after that adventure Sylvia moved...

James M. Hagner

James M. Hagner

Jan 1, 2026

James Marshall Hagner, born January 9, 1936, in Elgin, Illinois, passed away peacefully shortly after midnight on January 1, 2026, in his home, with his wife, daughter, and best friend Ollie by his side. He made it into 2026, just shy of celebrating his 90th birthday.

Jim spent most of his working life as a truck driver, a career that suited...

David R. Seymour

David R. Seymour

Jan 1, 2026

David R. Seymour, 88 of Oswego Illinois, passed away on Thursday January 1, 2026. He was born October 18, 1937, in Hoopeston Illinois to Herbert and Leah (Schott) Seymour. He was a graduate of Illinois State University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music education. He taught music in Neponset and Beason Illinois before moving to Sandwich Illinois....

Rex C. Banta

Rex C. Banta

Dec 31, 2025

Rex Charles Banta passed away on December 31, 2025, at the age of 75, at home in Newark, Illinois. He was born on September 15, 1950 in Greensburg, Kansas, to parents Frank (Clair) and Wilda Banta. Rex married Brenda Welch on November 2nd, 1974.Rex moved to Illinois in 2013 after retiring from Eastman Kodak in Colorado. He enjoyed gardening and...

Myrna Ann Skopek

Myrna Ann Skopek

Dec 27, 2025

Myrna Ann Skopek, 84, of Sandwich, IL passed away on December 27, 2025. Myrna was born on January 27, 1941 in Minneapolis, MN to Lawrence and Mary (Parkinson) Karstad. 

Myrna enjoyed quilting as a hobby. She was also a long time employee of the Sandwich Fair and she was a member of the Lake Holiday Ladies' Club.

Myrna is survived by her...

Michal Ann Beyke

Michal Ann Beyke

Dec 22, 2025

Michal Ann Beyke, 61, of Somonauk IL, passed away on Monday December 22nd, 2025 in Dekalb IL.

Michal Ann Beyke was born in Aurora IL to Lawrence J. Beyke and Donna L. Beyke on September 23rd, 1964. She went to school at Aurora Central Catholic in Aurora IL. She worked as an engineering clerk with Nicor Gas for 42 Years.

Michal Ann...

Arlene Marie Popp

Arlene Marie Popp

Dec 21, 2025

Arlene Popp, nee Yeager, 90, of Rochelle, IL passed away on December 21, 2025. Arlene was born on the south side of Chicago to Francis and Loretta (Seamon) Yeager. Later she resided in Burbank, IL before relocating to Rochelle, IL in about 2000. She attended Gage Park High School in Chicago, but later graduated from Reavis HS in the late...

Gary Allan Beins

Gary Allan Beins

Dec 20, 2025

Gary Allan Beins of Sandwich, IL passed away on December 20, 2025, peacefully at home after a long 3 year battle with brain cancer.

Gary was born in Lexington, NE to Kenneth H. and Evelyn C. Beins on July 18, 1950.

Gary worked in the automobile business at Bob Koller Dodge, Naperville, IL for 30 years. In his later years, he worked...