Obituaries Posted by Horner-Merritt Funeral Home

May 11, 2025

Francis (Joe) Miller, of Mendota, age 82, passed away on Sunday, May 11, at Allure in Mendota. Joe was born in Amboy, IL, May 6, 1943, to Lawrence and Charlotte (Bradley) Miller. He graduated from LaMoille High School in 1961, and married Judith Sylvius on February 1, 1964. Joe was a hard worker from an early age. He spent...

May 3, 2025

Richard A. King, 84, of Mendota, IL, passed away on May 3, due to heart failure. Richard was the son of the late L. Rae and Catherine L. King of Mendota. He attended and graduated from Mendota schools, was an Eagle Scout, and pitched a no hitter as a young man. He enlisted in the Navy and became a...

Apr 19, 2025

Robert E. Lewis (Bobby, Bobby-lou, Bob), 68, of Amboy, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Goldwater Care of Princeton. He was born the oldest of four siblings in Mendota Community Hospital on February 6, 1957, to John R. and Carol R. (Ossman) Lewis.

Many who knew him called...

Apr 15, 2025

Rhonda Lynn Westenfelt, 57, of Van Orin, IL passed away Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at her home in Van Orin.  Rhonda was born April 13, 1968 in Aurora IL the daughter of Doris J. Westenfelt, but was raised by her grandmother Elizabeth Westenfelt and her grandfather Ralph Westenfelt, Over the years she worked as a CNA at Macaulay Manor...

Apr 9, 2025

Carolyn Marie Downey, 85, peacefully passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at her daughter's home in Earlville, Illinois.  Carolyn was born in Michigan City, Indiana to William C. and Dorothy D. (Sampson) Kuszmaul on February 19, 1940, number eight out of nine children.  On May 5th, 1961, she married Kenneth L. Downey in Michigan City, Indiana.

Carolyn...

Apr 6, 2025

On April 6, 2025, Norma Jean Schultz got her wings and went to walk with the angels after a hard fought 10-year battle with breast cancer. She passed peacefully surrounded by her four daughters.  She was 78 years old.

She was born on January 31, 1947 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Vernon and Elvira (Simoens) Schmidt and...

Apr 4, 2025

Betty J. Phalen, 92, of Mendota, passed away Friday, April 4, 2025, at OSF St. Paul Medical Center in Mendota. She was born August 31, 1932, the daughter of Elmer and Marian (Deaner) Brown. She married Harry Phalen on September 1, 1951, in Mendota.

Betty's life was centered around her family. She raised five boys and was...

Apr 1, 2025

James R. Bond, affectionately known as Jim, 81, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2025. Born on July 29, 1943, in Sandwich, Illinois, he spent his early years on the farm in Paw Paw, before moving to the towns of Mendota and La Moille. He was a smart man, blessed with a resilient spirit and a compassionate heart. He...

Mar 30, 2025

Jan Henry Schuster, 87, of Mendota, passed away Sunday, March 30, 2025, at Allure of Mendota. He was born October 31, 1937, in Earlville, the son of John Henry and Antonia (Still) Schuster. He married Judith Ann Cioni on September 1, 1962, in Spring Valley.

Jan proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps.  He...

Mar 30, 2025

Colleen Zinke, 96, passed away March 30, 2025 at Stonecroft Village, Mendota, Illinois.

Funeral Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 4, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Compton, with Jeff Schlesinger officiating. Visitation will be at 9:00 prior to the service.   Burial will be at Restland Cemetery, Mendota.

Colleen was born September 24, 1928, in...

Mar 22, 2025

On Saturday, March 22, 2025 Wilma Jean Jacobs, our loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother passed away at OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Peru.

Visitation will be Thursday, March 27th from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. with funeral services following at 12:30 p.m. at Horner-Merritt Funeral Home, 800 Monroe Street in Mendota. Burial will follow...

Mar 18, 2025

Eugene "Gene" Politsch, 89, passed away on March 18, 2025, just two days shy of his 90th birthday at OSF St. Paul, surrounded by his family.

Gene was born in Mendota on March 20, 1935, to Fred and Ruth (Hurst) Politsch. He married the love of his life, Carolyn (Taylor) on June 21, 1959. Gene and Carolyn...

Mar 10, 2025

Ruth C. Delhotal, 90, of Mendota, passed away Monday, March 10, 2025, at Allure of Mendota surrounded by her loving family. She was born May 9, 1934, in Mendota, the daughter of Homer and Edith (Martin) Schmidt. She was raised by her aunt, Eunice (Virgil) Gorrell

Ruth is survived by her children, Edie (Bob Dellinger) Thompson, Kelly...

Mar 8, 2025

Pamela Sue Yost-Herrera, 74, of Mendota, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family in her home on Saturday March 8th, 2025 in Mendota, Illinois.

Pamela was born in Mendota on December 16th, 1950, to Ralph and Helen Yost. She grew up in Mendota and graduated from Mendota High School in 1969. Pamela proudly worked for Y.O.U....

Mar 1, 2025

Barbara R. Christopher, 90, of Mendota, passed away Saturday, March 1, 2025 at Allure of Peru. Barbara was born December 12, 1934, to Edward and Ruth (Clement) Geil of Troy Grove. She married Everett J. Christopher on May 4, 1957, in the Waltham Presbyterian Church.

Barbara attended Troy Grove Grade School and graduated from Mendota High School...

Feb 22, 2025

Marian E. Neal, 78, of Shabbona, passed away Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Prairie Crossing Healthcare and Rehab after a long battle with illness. Marian was born July 24, 1946, in Mendota, IL the daughter of Edward and Hilda (Winter) Hoelzer.

Marian lived the majority of her life in Compton. She worked at Swensen Spreader in Lindenwood...

Feb 21, 2025

Harold "Punk" Nurnberg, Jr., age 88 of Mendota, passed away on Friday, February 21, 2025. Harold was born in Mendota, IL to Harold, Sr. and Marie (Kaufman) Nurnberg and had five siblings.

He grew up helping his dad on the farm just north of Mendota. After graduating from  Mendota High School in 1955, Harold joined the U.S....

Feb 18, 2025

Jeremy John Donnelly, 43, of Mendota, passed away Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Jeremy was born November 28, 1981, in Ottawa, the son of Glen and Lisa (Rosenfelder) Donnelly. He married Lisa Peterson on June 3, 2017, at his father's home in Oglesby.

Jeremy graduated from LaMoille High School in 2000. He worked as an operator for Operating...

Feb 17, 2025

Helen Joyce (Dierwechter) Burright, 99, passed into eternal rest on February 17, 2025, at Stonecroft Village.

Joyce was born December 19, 1925 on the family farm near Troy Grove to parents Henry A. and Helen (Stewart) Dierwechter. She graduated from Mendota High School in 1943 and from Iowa State University in 1947 with a degree in Dietetics....

Feb 15, 2025

Dora R. Planthaber, 80, passed away on February 15, 2025, in Spring Valley, Illinois. Born on June 15, 1944, in Ottawa, Illinois, she lived a life filled with love, faith, and devotion to her family.

Dora was a woman of deep faith and unwavering kindness. A lifelong Christian, she found great joy in prayer and gospel music,...