Bernice M. Laboda
May 11, 2023
Bernice M. Laboda, 110, of LaMoille, passed away, Thursday, May 11, 2023 in her home. Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with Rev. Bill Clark officiating. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mendota. Visitation will be Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services. Bernice was born February...
Alfred George Vickery
May 6, 2023
Alfred George Vickery (aka "Bic Carrol"), 85, of Mendota, passed away Saturday, May 6, 2023 at Heritage Health, Mendota. Alfred was born June 5, 1937, in Chicago to George and Ursula (Nolan) Vickery. Alfred was a 1956 graduate of Mendota High School. Under the stage name Bic Carrol, Al built a career as a renowned revue producer, performer, choreographer,...
Brandon Lee Hopps
May 1, 2023
Brandon Lee Hopps, 28, of LaMoille, passed away unexpectedly, Monday, May 1, 2023 at his home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at Bache Chapel in Van Orin, Illinois at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Justin Bullington officiating. Burial will be at Greenfield Cemetery, LaMoille. Visitation will be held Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services....
Roger V. Cavan
Apr 29, 2023
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...
James A. Whildin
Apr 27, 2023
James A. Whildin, 37, of West Brooklyn, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at OSF St. Paul Medical Center, Mendota. James was born July 1, 1985 in Naples, Florida to Thomas and Marlene (Jagla) Whildin. James was a 2004 graduate of Lehigh Senior High School in Florida. He received his bachelor's degree in game design from Full Sail...
James R. Johnson
Apr 24, 2023
James (Jim) Ronald Johnson, 85, of Mendota, passed away Monday, April 24, 2023 at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford while surrounded by his daughter and four grandsons. Funeral services will be Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, Mendota with Rev. Mary Bohall officiating. Burial will be in Restland Cemetery, Mendota. Visitation will be...
James E. Walters
Apr 21, 2023
James E. "Smoke" Walters, 78, of Port Charlotte, FL, and formerly of Mendota, passed away on April 21, 2023, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 4-8 p.m. at the Mendota VFW Lodge 4079 (610 Sixth St). Burial will be held at a later date at Restland Cemetery, Mendota with...
Susie Belle Ambler-Tracy
Apr 21, 2023
Susie Belle Ambler-Tracy, 73, of Mendota, passed away Friday, April 21, 2023 at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rockford. Private family only services will be held Wednesday April 26, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with Vicar Anthony Windau officiating. Burial will be at Restland Cemetery, Mendota. Susie was born June 19, 1949 in Sandwich to...
David A. Ganther
Apr 17, 2023
David A. Ganther, 67, of Adams, Wisconsin and formerly of Mendota, passed away April 17, 2023 in Springville, Wisconsin. Visitation will be held Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. A service will be held at 12:30 p.m. with Rev. Jay LeRette officiating. David was born September 2, 1955 in...
James E. Poisel
Apr 17, 2023
James E. Poisel, 82, of Mendota passed away Monday, April 17, 2023 at OSF St. Paul Medical Center Mendota. Mass of Christian burial will be Friday, April 21, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, Mendota with Father Jeff Windy officiating. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Mendota with military honors by Mendota VFW Post 4079. Visitation will...
Matilda L. Holbrook
Apr 15, 2023
Matilda L. Holbrook, 82, of Mendota, passed away Saturday, April 15, 2023 at Heritage Health, Peru surrounded by her family. There will be no local services. A private family service will be held at a later date on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation in Sells, Arizona. Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota is assisting the family. Matilda was born May 30, 1940...
Donald W. Sterchi, Sr.
Apr 13, 2023
Donald W. Sterchi, Sr., 94, of Mendota, passed away Thursday, April 13, 2023 at his home surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with Father Jeff Windy officiating. Burial will be at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, LaSalle. Visitation will be Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until time...
Stephen M. Mueller
Apr 13, 2023
Stephen M. Mueller, 72, of Mendota, passed away Thursday, April 13, 2023 at his home with his family by his side. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. A memorial service will be held at 7:00 p.m. with Rev. Bill Clark officiating. Mendota VFW Post 4079 will have a flag presentation....
Celeste Faber
Apr 9, 2023
Celeste Faber, 74, of LaMoille, passed away, April 9, 2023 in her home after battling Parkinson's Disease for over 20 years. She was surrounded by her husband, children and her caregiver of 7 years, Carla Schlesinger. Funeral services will be Friday, April 14, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church (Church on the Hill), Princeton with Rev....
Patricia Schrader
Apr 6, 2023
Patricia M. Schrader, 74, of Mendota, passed away unexpectedly at her home on April 6, 2023. Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, Mendota with Vicar Anthony Windau officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery, Mendota. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. Pat was...
Trudy K. Lara
Apr 2, 2023
Trudy Lara, 60, of Spring Valley, passed away Sunday, April 2, 2023 at Aperion Care Center, Spring Valley. Visitation will be Friday, April 14, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. Trudy was born January 3, 1963 in Aurora to John and Clarice (Harmon) Hickman. She married Hector Lara on April 27, 1979. Trudy was a homemaker...
Catherine A. Howell
Apr 1, 2023
Catherine A. Howell, 82, of Rockford, passed away Saturday, April 1, 2023 at Amberwood Care Center, Rockford.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, Mendota with Father Jeff Windy officiating. Private burial will be at St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Amboy at a later date. Visitation will be...
Jerrene L. Gray
Mar 23, 2023
Jerrene L. Gray, 91, of Peru and formerly of Mendota, passed away Thursday, March 23, 2023 at Henry Rehabilitation and Nursing. Services will be Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, Mendota with Vicar Anthony Windau officiating. Burial will be in Restland Cemetery, Mendota. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services in the...
Connie M. Kimrey
Mar 17, 2023
Constance "Connie" M. Kimrey, 87, of Mendota passed away Friday, March 17, 2023 at Oregon Living and Rehabilitation in Oregon, Illinois. Private family only services will be held Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with Susan Jones Schneider officiating. Connie was born July 27, 1935 in Taylorville, Illinois to Thomas and Helen (McCormick)...
Michael A. Castiglia
Mar 16, 2023
Michael "Mike" A. Castiglia, 87, of Mendota, passed away peacefully March 16, 2023 at Stonecroft Village in Mendota surrounded by family. Michael was born August 7, 1935 in Spring Valley, Illinois to Mike and Theresa (Venturelli) Castiglia. He graduated from LaSalle-Peru High School in 1953. He then went to Illinois State University graduating in August, 1957 with a degree in...
