Roger Virgil Cavan, 87, of West Brooklyn, passed away Saturday, April 29, 2023 at his home after a long illness.

Funeral services will be Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with Rev. Mary Bohall officiating. Visitation will be Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until time of services. Cremation rites will be accorded after the funeral and private burial will be at Restland Cemetery, Mendota at a later date. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date to be determined.

Roger was born April 4, 1936 in Chicago to Charles Virgil and Elizabeth (Nagle) Cavan. He met Nancy Sills in 1961 and they were married on April 21, 1963 in Marion, Indiana. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Roger served in the United States Army with the rifle team serving in Germany. He was an auto mechanic at Gateway Chevrolet in Chicago and Celozzi-Ettleson Chevrolet in Elmhurst. After retiring in 2000, they moved from Mt. Prospect to the farm outside West Brooklyn, becoming a full-time farmer, which his father had bought in the 1940's. He worked at Del Monte seed house in Mendota and was a part time helper for the Lee Township road commissioner, the late Cliff Walter, snow plowing in the winter. Roger enjoyed hunting, gardening and planting flowers.

He is survived by his wife Nancy; his children Cheryl (Jim) Evans of Machesney Park, Linda Duke of Phoenix, Arizona and Charles Cavan of Roselle and two grandchildren Hailey Evans and Jackson Evans both of Machesney Park.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister and brother in law Patricia (Richard) Chamberlain.

Memorials may be directed to the family.