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Stephenson County

OBITUARIES

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JENNIE PEARL (RUNKLE) TAFT , 64, widow of the late B.F. Taft passed away Tuesday (2 May 1939) afternoon at her home following a brief illness. Formerly Miss Jennie Pearl Runkle, she was born in Oneco township March 25, 1875 the daughter of Cyrus and Margaret Runkle. She was married to B. F. Taft who died a number of years ago. She leaves six children - Mrs. George Lorch of Battle Creek Mich; Mrs. Clifford Penniston of Argyle Wisc.; Cyrus of Kenosha; Kenneth of Winslow; Dale and Greta at home, 9 grandchildren; one sister Mrs. Wm. Van Matre of Orangeville. Services will be at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Orangeville Friday at 2 p.m. Rev. Lois McKeown pastor and Rev. George E. Price of the Assembly of God church of Monroe Wisc. officiating, burial will be in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

MARGARET JANE (HINDS) TAFT , 81, daughter of late Judge Andrew and Sarah Hinds, died this morning of a heart attack. Funeral services will be held Suday afternoon at a time and place to be announced later, and burial will be in Mount Pleasant cemetery.

Mrs. Taft, widow of L. W. Taft, was born in Oneco township Jan. 6, 1857, and was married Feb. 10, 1876. Surviving are one brother, Joseph B. Hinds, Chicago [Cook County, Illinois]; a sister, Mrs. Laura Taft, Monroe [Green County], Wis.; nine children, Joseph B. and Ben, Winslow [Oneco Township, Stephenson County, Illinois]; Mrs. Emma Hummel, Savanna [Carroll County, Illinois]; Guy, Clarno [Green County], Wis.; Mrs. Mayme Heitz and Clayton Taft, Winslow; Mrs. Hazel Clarno, Orangeville [Oneco Township, Stephenson County, Illinois]; Parker Taft, Pearl City [Stephenson County, Illinois], and Harold Taft, Elizabeth [Jo Daviess County, Illinois] high school principal.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds

AGNES TAPPE , 108, of St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged, former area schoolteacher, died Monday, July 5, 1993 at the home. The oldest retired teacher in the State of Illinois, she taught in rural Stockton schools and at Union Elementary School in Freeport. Having attended Illinois State University at Normal, she was noted for being the oldest alumna there. She received her degree from Pestalozzi-Froebel Teachers College in Chicago. Her memberships included the National Retired Teachers Associating and several educational organizations. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the Marian Society of the church. Born in Freeport April 16, 1885, she was a daughter of Ernst and Minnie (Marks) Tappe. She is survived by nieces and one nephew. Three sisters and one brother preceded her in death. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Vincent’s Chapel in Freeport. The Rev. Clarence Thennes will officiate. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at St. Vincent’s Chapel where a Scripture service will be held at 7:30 p.m. A memorial fund has been established for St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged.
Contributed by Alice Horner

E.C. TAVENNER , 70, Freeport, who served as a substitute police officer in Milledgeville, during the past several years, died Saturday in Freeport Memorial Hospital following a heart attack. Mr. Tavenner was a policeman at Highland Community College, had served as a policeman on the Freeport police force; and the Freeport Park District and Savanna Ordnance Depot. Services will be held Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home, Freeport, with burial in Chapel Hill Cemetery, Freeport. Visitation will be today (Monday) from 4 to 9 p.m. A memorial has been established. Survivors include the widow, the former Frances Kniss; a daughter in Shannon; two grandsons; one brother , and a cousin, Mrs. Ralph Allison, Milledgeville.
Cotnributed by Melva L. Taylor Daily Gazette, Sterling-Rock Falls, Illinois February 22, 1971 - Monday, pg 2

ESTHER (HERBIG) TAVENNER , 85, of 902 S. Chippewa Ave., died Friday, December 4, 1987 at Freeport Memorial Hospital. The service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Walker Mortuary with the Rev. Russell Coats, pastor of Faith United Methodist Church, Freeport officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery. Friends may call form 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the mortuary. Born June 1, 1902 in Freeport, she was the daughter of Albert and Bertha (Schmidt) Herbig. She married Theron C. Tavenner on April 26, 1921. He died April 17, 1987 in Freeport. Surviving are three daughters, June (Mrs. Ronald) Hawley, Betty C. Mielke and Patricia A. (Mrs. Jerome) Strohacker, all of Freeport; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a granddaughter, a brother, and a sister. A memorial has been established.
Contributed by Alice Horner

L. TERESA (MUNDE) TAVENNER , 72, passed away Sunday evening at the Katherine Shaw Bethea hospital to which she was admitted Thursday. Funeral services will be held at the Methodist church in Polo at 2:00 o’clock Wednesday afternoon, the Rev. Ralph Grieser, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen cemetery. Friends may call at the Strickler funeral home in Polo. Mrs. Tavenner, an active worker in the Polo church and a teacher in the church school until her past illness, and a member of the Polo Woman’s club, was born in Stephenson county, Feb. 15, 1874. She is survived by two sons, the Rev. Albion J. Tavenner, pastor of the Woodstock [McHenry County, Illinois] Methodist church, and Dr. J. L. Tavenner of Dixon. Her husband John B. (Valentine) Tavenner, with whom she resided on a farm near Polo until his death, preceded her to rest.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds - Dixon Evening Telegraph, January 9, 1954, page 9, column 2.
Teresa Munde/Mund was the d/o August Ernst & Christina (Schroeder) Munde. Researcher Steve Fry shows her birthday as the 5th of Feb. 1874.

Theron C. TAVENNER , 90, of 902 S. Chippewa Avenue, died Friday, April 17, 1987 at Freeport Memorial Hospital. For 46 years he was employed by the post office in Freeport and was postmaster upon retirement. An avid gunsmith, he was well known throughout the country. Born in Freeport on June 4, 1896, he was the son of Frank and Mary (Garrison) Tavenner. He married Esther L. Herbig on April 26, 1921 in Freeport. Surviving is his widow; three daughters, June (Mrs. Ronald) Hawley, Betty C. Mielke, and Patricia A. (Mrs. Jerome) Strohacker, all of Freeport; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother and a granddaughter. Service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Walker Mortuary. The Rev. George Schrader, pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. at the mortuary. A memorial fund has been established for the Freeport High Twelve Club.
Contributed by Alice Horner

FRED H. TEMPEL , 70, a lifelong resident of Freeport and for many years a well-known business man, passed away at his home, 201 West Broadway about noon on Sunday following an extended illness. (The date of his death was September 25, 1938.) For a number of years Mr. Tempel and his brothers conducted a furniture store and undertaking business on East Stephenson Street. He retired from active business several years ago. Funeral services will be conducted at the Wiese and Tempel Funeral Home, South Adams Avenue, at 2:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. Rev. Edwin A. Arends, pastor of st. John’s Evangelical Church, will conduct the services and interment will be made at Oakland Cemetery. Mr. Tempel was born in Freeport April 26, 1868, the son of August and Charlotte Tempel, pioneer settlers of this community. He received his education in Freeport schools. His marriage to Miss Helen Hendricks took place December 1, 1897. To this union four children were born, one passing away in infancy. Besides his wife, he leaves three sons, Arthur E. Tempel, Ft. Dodge, Iowa; Clarence A. Tempel, member of the undertaking firm of Wiese & Tempel, Freeport; Carl F. Tempel, Beloit, Wisconsin. There are also three brothers, Henry C. Tempel, Albert S. Tempel, and Edward H. Tempel, all of Freeport. Mr. Tempel was a member of St. John’s Evangelical Church.
Contributed by Alice Horner

GLENN R. TERHARK , 79, of Winslow, formerly of Freeport, died Sunday, June 22, 2008, in Kindred Hospital in Sycamore. Survived by wife, Elaine of Winslow; sons, James (Marianela) TerHark of Rockford and Alan TerHark of Winslow; grandchildren, Jamie, Nelly and Monserrat, all of Rockford; brother, Maurice (Corolyn) TerHark of Rockford; sister, Alice DeVries of Freeport; and dear friend, Shirley Lamm of Freeport. Predeceased by parents; brothers, Russell, Elmer, Don; and twin sister, Gladys. Service at 11 a.m. Friday, June 27, in Daughenbaugh Funeral Home, Dakota. Burial in Dakota Cemetery. Visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home. Memorial fund has been established in his name. Published in the rrstar.com from 6/24/2008 - 6/30/2008.

THOMAS TERHARK , 28, who resided at 911 South Walnut avenue, died last night at a Freeport Hospital, after a brief illness. Mr. Ter Hark was born in Ridott township April 26, 1903, and was a son of Mr, and Mrs. Thomas F. Ter Hark. He was united in marriage to Mildred Daughenbaugh, of Ridott in 1930. She survives as do decedent's father, three brothers, John, Fred and Henry, and two sisters, Mrs. Albert Voss and Mrs. Earl Daughenbaugh, all residing in or near Freeport. Mr. Ter Hark was a cement worker and had been in the employ of the firm of Deuth & Henderson, Freeport. The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 1 o'clock from the Wager funeral home, with services at 2 o'clock at the United Brethren church in Ridott. The Rev. Miles Leach, of Ridott United Brethren church in Ridott, and Rev. Jacob Elmer, of the State Road Reformed church, will officiate. Interment will be made in Ridott cemetery.
From Rootsweb Website of Dean McMakin

MILDRED (DAUGHENBAUGH) TERHARK , 92, of Jacksonville, formerly of Freeport. died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville. She was born Aug. 13, 1908, in Ridott to Lettie S. Daughenbaugh. She married Thomas TerHark on June 6, 1929. He died in 1932. She was employed in the housekeeping department of the Dunlap Hotel in Jacksonville for many years. Surviving are two sons, Eugene (Cheryl) TerHark of Jacksonville and Ronnie (Cleta) TerHark of Franklin, and three grandchildren, Lee (Dana) TerHark, Kelly TerHark and Shauna TerHark. She was preceded in death by her husband and one brother Melvin (Sam) Daughenbaugh. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Daughenbaugh Funeral Home in Dakota with the Rev. Dennis Buss officiating. Burial will be at Ridott Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to time of service Saturday at the funeral home.
From the Rootsweb website of Dean McMakin

FREDERICK CARL THIELE , 89, of 825 E. Illinois St., died this morning, Aug. 9, 1986 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Madison, Wis., after a long illness. Thiele, who was employed by the Henney Motor Company until retiring in 1954, was a member of Faith United Methodist Church. A veteran of World War I, he also was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the Eagles Club. Born in Lena on June 6, 1897, he was the son of Frederick C. and Amelia (Wagner) Thiele. He married Iola DeWall on July 21, 1928 in Freeport. Surviving are his widow; three daughters, Mrs. Janice (Richard) Lehmann and Jeanette Grimes, both of Freeport, and Mrs. Shirley (Donald) Marcum of St. Charles; two sons, Roger and Roland, both of Freeport; two sisters, Margaret Haugh of Polo and Elsie Davis of Harrisburg, Pa., two brothers, Lester and Nelson Stein, both of German Valley; 19 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, one sister and two brothers. Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Walker Mortuary. The Rev. Russell Coats, pastor of Faith United Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the mortuary where the Eagles Club will conduct a service at 7:30 p.m.
Contributed by Alice Horner

BEULAH LAVERNE THOMPSON , 45, passed away at her home, 1337 South Walnut Ave, Saturday at 3 p.m. At the age of 12 years, she suffered a heart affection and never fully regained her health. Saturday evening, Sept. 16, she was stricken with paralysis and never regained full consciousness. Beulah LaVerne, youngest daughter of D.F. and Fianna Eunice Thompson, was born March 1, 1894 in Kent, Ill. She lived there until the death of her mother five years ago, when she and her sister, Elta, moved to Freeport. Her father passed away 16 years ago. A sister, Lottie May, passed away in infancy. The following brothers and sisters survive: R. R. Thompson of Kent; Harriet Thompson, of Fresno, Calif.; Mrs. W. L. Auman, Orangeville; Wilson E. Thompson, Seattle, Wash.; H. P. S. Thompson, San Pedro, Calif.; Mrs. Ralph Woker, Pearl City, Ill.; Elta Thompson, Freeport. Funeral services will be held at First Presbyterian Church, of which she was a member, at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Dr. D. L. McNary. Internment will be made in Yellow Creek Union Cemetery at Kent.
Contributed by Alice Horner

ELTA A. THOMPSON died Friday night in Freeport Memorial Hospital after being a patient in Sunnyside Nursing Home, Warren. She was born in Kent, March 11, 1889, the daughter of David F. and Fianna (Erwin) Thompson. (The Social Security Death Index gives the date as May 1967.) For 28 years she was employed at St. Francis Hospital and retired in 1962. Miss Thompson was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Freeport. Surviving are two brothers, L. Fred, Fresno, Calif., and Wilson E., Santa Cruz, Calif.; and a sister, Mrs. Ralph (Daisy) Woker, Pearl City. Her parents, four sisters, and two brothers preceded her in death. Funeral service will be Monday at 2 p.m. Schwarz Funeral Home. Rev. Louis Michaelson, pastor of Pearl City Methodist Larger Parish, will officiate. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Cemetery. There will be no visitation
Contributed by Alice Horner

WILLIAM F.G. THRILL , 96, died March 9, 1999 at Lena Continental Manor Nursing Home. William was born May 19, 1902 in Clayton , Wisconsin to Peter Breyer and Bertha (Bergmann) Thill. He married Ruth E. Bruss on August 14, 1927 in Panola , Minnesota . William graduated from the German Grammar School near Clayton , Wisconsin . He later attended the University of Wisconsin course of American cheese making. William was a cheesemaker at a number of different locations in Illinois and Iowa in his lifetime. He relocated the Excelsior Cheese Factory to Lena , Illinois , now known as the Torkelson Cheese. William retired at the age of 80 years of age. He was a member of Stockton Church of the Nazarene. He was an avid Chicago Bulls fan. Survivors include: 6 sons; Wesley (Betty) of Lena, David (Patricia) of Freeport, Marvin (Betty) of Stockton, Ronald (Harriett) of Mount Gilead, Ohio, Lowell (Sonja) of Rockville, Indiana, Carlyle (Clarissa) of North Vernon, Indiana; 16 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren; 2 sister: Dora Dietrich of Clayton, Wisconsin, and Frances Kalland of Minneapolis, Minn. Preceding him in death was his wife; 4 brothers; Clarence, Alfred, George, and Edward; 3 sisters; Laura Salkeld, Emma Marschall, and Leona Dietrich. Arrangements were made through Leamon Funeral Home in Lena . A memorial was made to Nazarene Missionary Society. Transcriber's Note: This obituary gives no indication of where this man is buried.
Contributed by Alice Horner

JOHN CHARLES TOBIN , 7, son of Joseph and Anna (Sieferman) Tobin, of 329 W. Chestnut Street, passed away at a local hospital early Sunday morning (February 16, 1941) following a brief illness. He ws known to his classmates as “Jackie.” Funeral services will be conducted at the house at 9 o’clock Tuesday morning with a requiem mass in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at 9:30 o’clock. Rev. N. J. Berg will celebrate the mass and interment will be made in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Jackie was born in Freeport July 24, 1933. He attended St. Joseph’s parochial school, being a pupil of the second grade. Besides his parents he leaves two sisters, Joanna, aged 10, and Marian, aged 4. His maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sieferman, reside in Freeport, while his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Josephine Tobin, resides in Davenport, Iowa. His maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Martha Minnick, resides in Clarno, Wisconsin.
Contributed by Alice Horner

PHILLIP N. TOWNSEND , 91, of Hanover , died Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007, at Grandview Estates Assisted Living, Elizabeth. Arrangements are being completed by Law-Jones Funeral Home, Hanover.
Contributed by Pat Esterday - The Dixon Telegraph, Sunday, September 16, 2007, Page A2 – Col 1 – 2

MINA TREZONA , 1115 S. Oak Ave. , Freeport , who taught at First Ward School for many years before retiring in 1962, died Wednesday night, February 15, 1974, in a Stoughton ( Wis. ) nursing home following an extended illness. She was a charter member of the United Methodist Women and a member of the First United Methodist Church , Freeport Women’s Club, Retired Teachers Association, and Delta Kappa Gamma. Born May 1, 1900 in Scales Mound, she was the daughter of William and Emma (Wharton) Trezona. Surviving are a brother, William of Beloit, Wis.; and two sisters, Mrs. Oscar (Naomi) Gusloff of Stoughton and Mrs. Frank (Dora) Tippett of Elizabeth. She was preceded in death by her parents. Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church . The Rev. David Tracy, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Citizens Cemetery , Scales Mound.
Contributed by Alice Horner

EDWIN J. TRUNK , 79, of 1450 S. Park Blvd., died after a brief illness Thursday, December 25, 1986 in Naples Community Hospital, Naples, Florida where he had a winter home for the past 13 years. The former owner and president of Intercity Box Company in Freeport and Rockford, he started as a salesman in the printing and plastic business and worked his way up to owner and president of the company until retiring in 1974. A member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, he was active in many parish and diocese charitable and fund raising projects. Trunck was a 1925 graduate of Freeport High School and member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), Freeport Country Club, and Freeport Rotary Club. During the Joe Shelly city administration, he served on the Water and Sewer Commission. He also was an active member of the Republican Party and served on the election committee for former Cong. John B. Anderson. Born in Freeport on January 16, 1907, he was the son of John F. and Lucy A. (Grattelo) Trunck. He married Blanche Breyer in 1943. She died in 1961. In 1973, he married Dorothy Anderson in Freeport. Surviving are his widow; a son, James P. of Naperville; two stepsons, William Anderson of Lenoxville, Quebec, Canada, and Donald Anderson of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; and a sister, Margurite Malone Webster of Denver, Colorado. In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by two brothers. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home and 10:30 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. The Rev. Thomas Dzielak, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, where the scripture will be read at 5 p.m. The family requests that all remembrances be directed to the memorial funds established for the American Cancer Society and the Kidney Foundation.
Contributed by Alice Horner

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