Obituaries Posted by Horner-Merritt Funeral Home

Aug 31, 2020

Loren K. Rich, 77, of Mendota passed away on Monday, August 31, 2020 at OSF St. Anthony's Medical Center, Rockford. Funeral services will be Saturday, September 5, 2020 at 11:30 a.m at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. Burial will be in Troy Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. in the funeral home. Per COVID-19 recommendations...

Aug 28, 2020

Raymond F. Schultz, Jr. 79, of LaMoille passed away Friday, August 28, 2020 at Perry Memorial Hospital, Princeton after a brief illness

Funeral services will be Wednesday September 2, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Community United Methodist Church, LaMoille with Rev. David Jungnickel officiating. Burial will be in Dewey-Worsley Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday...

Aug 25, 2020

Betty J. Sears, 74, of Mendota passed away at home on August 25, 2020. Betty was born in Aurora, Illinois on October 29,1945 to James and Sara (Eads) Miller. She grew up in Downers Grove, met her husband Dennis Sears and they married on December 8, 1969. She loved nature very much as her favorite place to visit was Boulder...

Aug 19, 2020

Bradley "Brad" Bradford, 62, of Mendota passed away at home Wednesday August 19, 2020 after a brave battle with cancer. Brad was born July 13, 1958 in Mendota to Archie and Doris (LaDene) Bradford.

Brad was a 1976 graduate of Mendota High school. He was a union carpenter most of his life and was looking forward to...

Aug 18, 2020

David A. Miller, 59, of LaMoille passed away at home August 18, 2020, surrounded by his family, after a battle with colon cancer.

Private family funeral services will be Friday, August 21, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with...

Aug 16, 2020

James, "Jim" Armstrong, 96, of Mendota passed away on Sunday, August 16, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota.

Jim was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 22, 1924 to James and Ruth (Bischoff) Armstrong. He grew up in Sparrows Point and Dundalk, Maryland. After high school, Jim earned a Bachelors Degree in Agronomy from the University of Maryland....

Aug 14, 2020

Dorothy Jean Harris, 99, of Mendota passed away August 14, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota due to COVID-19.

Dorothy Jean Parlier was born on August 26, 1920 to Carter and Minnie (Reeder) Parlier.

Growing up on a farm just northeast of Mendota, Dorothy always rode her pony to a one-room school; she also graduated from...

Aug 14, 2020

Rosalie McLaughlin, 96, of Mendota, passed away August 14, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota.

Funeral services will be Monday August 24, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with Rev. Susan Presley officiating. The service will be live streamed at www.facebook.com/fpcmendota . Visitation will be one half hour prior to the service. Face masks...

Aug 14, 2020

Mary P. (Robeson) Ferrell, 96, of Mendota passed away August 14, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota.

Public graveside services will be Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at Restland Cemetery, Mendota with Rev. Mary Bohall officiating. Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota is handling arrangements.

Mary was born September 19, 1923 on a farm west of...

Aug 10, 2020

Allen Edward Novak, 77 of Mendota passed away on Monday, August 10, 2020 in his home.

Allen was born in New Prague, MN on March 20, 1943 to Edward and Goldie (Jahn) Novak.

He grew up and attended schools in New Prague.  He...

Aug 10, 2020

Eleanor Ann Beals, 89, of Mendota passed away Monday, August 10, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota.

Ann was born May 25, 1931 in Monmouth to Herbert and Eleanor (Wichelman) Jebens.

Ann was proud to work for the Mendota Elementary School District over parts of four decades as a secretary at both Blackstone and Lincoln Schools...

Aug 10, 2020

Beverly Duitsman Bassing, 93, of Mendota passed away unexpectedly due to the COVID-19 virus on Monday, August 10, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota

Beverly was born September 1, 1926 in Waterloo Iowa to William and Marie (Ryan) Reupke. She was the loving wife of Eugene "Bing" Bassing of Mendota, married for 30 years.

She was...

Aug 10, 2020

Verna Lydia (Lindenmeyer) Gordon, 95, of Mendota, peacefully passed on Monday August 10th, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota Verna was born on July 13, 1925  in Mendota and married to Clarence John Gordon on June 6th, 1943. Together they had three children; two sons and a daughter. Verna was a selfless woman who was always around to help others first,...

Aug 8, 2020

Francis Michael Rapp, 77, a resident of the LaSalle Veteran's Home at LaSalle passed away Saturday August 8, 2020 in the Veteran's Home.

Due to Covid-19 there will not be a visitation or church service as planned. Public graveside services will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mendota on Wednesday August 12, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev....

Aug 7, 2020

Margaret "Rosalie" Russell, 101, of Mendota, passed away the morning of August 7, 2020, at Heritage Health, Mendota.

Margaret was born on January 25, 1919 in Grafton, Illinois, to George and Mattie Carey.

Her early childhood was spent in Alton, Illinois. By sixth grade the family moved to Gunnison, Mississippi. In 1937 she graduated from...

Aug 6, 2020

Ashley Jo Buchanan, 39, of LaMoille passed away August 6, 2020 in her home. Graveside services will be Friday, August 14, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at Van Orin Repose Cemetery with Rev. Mary Bohall officiating. Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota is assisting the family. Ashley was born May 20, 1981 in Salem, Indiana to William and Karen (Stone) Crook. She married...

Aug 6, 2020

Gifford "Bugs" Fordham Jr., 72, of Sublette passed away peacefully on Thursday August 6, 2020 at Heritage Health in Mendota.

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Aug 6, 2020

David "Dave" Piller, 75, of Mendota, passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at OSF St. Francis Medcial Center, Peoria, after a 15-year bout of cancer.

David was born on March 4, 1945 in Earlville to Anton and Marie (Kerchner) Piller, Jr.

David was a licensed electrical contractor who started his own electrical business, Piller...

Aug 5, 2020

Richard (Dick) L. Shotliff, 98, of Mendota passed away August 5, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota.

Mr. Shotliff was born January 25, 1922 in Beloit, Wisconsin to Edward and Lyle (Liddle) Shotliff. He spent his early years in Rockton, IL. He graduated from Hononegah High School, where he was the valedictorian for his 1940 class. He was...

Aug 5, 2020

Fay Dean Vaughn, 97, of LaMoille passed away August 5, 2020 at Heritage Health, Mendota. Graveside services will be Monday August 10, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at Greenfield Cemetery, LaMoille with Rev. Rick Wulf officiating. Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota is handling arrangements. Fay was born December 13, 1922 in McLeansboro, Illinois. She married Robert Vaughn. Fay enjoyed working at McDonalds....