Fairy Mae Derrer

Fairy Mae Derrer, 81 yrs. old, of Lanark passed way Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012 at Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Mt. Carroll from complications from Polio, which she was diagnosed with in 1945.

She was born on April 28, 1931 near Lanark, the daughter of Lewis and Vinnie (Shidler) Brunner. Fairy attended the Georgetown country school and was a 1948 Graduate of Lanark High School. She was employed by the Mt. Carroll Mutual Ins. Co. until her marriage. On Jan. 31, 1954 she and Wayne Derrer were married at the Cherry Grove Church of The Brethren. They have farmed near Lanark ever since.

She was a very active member of the Cherry Grove Church of the Brethren, where served as a deacon, was on various committees, served as the church secretary, and was the church organist and pianist for sixty years.

Fairy was a volunteer for the Shannon-Lanark Food Pantry and at the Thrift Store in Savanna. She served as an election judge for many years.

Surviving are her husband, Wayne; one son, Allen(Judy) Derrer; one daughter, Linda (Duane) Simler of Lena; her grandchildren: Jeff Derrer (Amy Slick) of Baileyville, Justin Derrer of Shannon, Brenda(Randall) Westfall of Rodney, MI, Beth Simler of Jacksonville, Il. and Brittany Simler of Madison, WI., her great grandchildren: Alexia Derrer and Abigail Derrer.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Services will at 10:00 AM. on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012 at the Cherry Grove Church of The Bretnren with Pastor Rodney Caldwell officiating. Interment will be in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Freeport. Friends may call on Wed. from four to seven pm. at the Russell-Frank Funeral Home in Lanark.

A Memorial has been established in her memory.

Private condolences and online guestbook may be signed at www.schwarzfh.com

Cheryl Lee Lartz

Cheryl Lee Lartz, 64, died Sunday, October 14, 2012 at her home. She was the owner of Breakables and Playables and The Ceramic Cellar for 27 years.

Cheryl was born December 16, 1947 in Sterling, the daughter of Franklin and LaVon (Deets) Smith. She married Ronald Lartz on May 6, 1967 in Milledgeville. Cheryl was a member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milledgeville.

Survivors include her husband, Ronald; two daughters, Antoinette “Toni” (Korey) Fossett, of Chadwick, and Trisha (Zachary) Renji, of Elkhorn, WI; one son, Trent (Amy) Lartz, of Shippensburg, PA; one sister, Judith “Judy” (Richard) Petersen, of Clinton, IA; two granddaughters, Allison Fossett and Brianna Lartz.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter in infancy, Tanya Lartz; and two brothers, David Smith, in infancy and Gary Smith.

Services will be held at 10 AM, Thursday, October 18, 2012 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milledgeville with Pastor Rick Koch and Pastor Kathleen Burkheimer, co-officiating. Burial will be at the Bethel Cemetery, Milledgeville. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM, Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at the Church.

A memorial has been established for her granddaughters’ college education.

Condolences may be sent to www.schillingfuneralhome.com.

Mary Lou Landis

Mary Lou Landis of Polo passed away peacefully Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, at Serenity Hospice & Home in Oregon. Mary had suffered a brain aneurysm on Sept. 20, but until that time had been a very active and vibrant member of the community.

Mary was born Feb. 25, 1924, in Kewanee, to Elmer E. and Elizabeth (Bennison) Anderson. She graduated from Geneseo High School in 1942, and enjoyed her 70th class reunion this summer. Mary attended the University of Iowa for 2 1/2 years, leaving school when she married Garland Grace. Her first marriage produced four children, Georgena (Martin) Hartlieb of Rockford, Terry (Judy) Grace of Oak Park, and Gloria (Rich) Osmer and Mary Beth (Tim) Oswalt, both of Dixon.

After being divorced in 1966, Mary went back to school and completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Mary was employed by Singer Mental Health Center for 14 years, and following that, by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois for 14 years. She was a community outreach worker until her retirement in 1997 at the age of 73.

She added five more children to her family when she married widower Kenesaw Mountains Landis in 1973. They were married for 38 years before his passing in 2010. Surviving stepchildren are Kay (Bill) Abner of Rock Falls, Carla (Jim) Rowe of Garland, Texas, Jeanne Landis of Lanark, Lana (Bill) Haydary of Rockford and Randy (Donna) Landis of Milledgeville. Also surviving are 21 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Arliss L. Andresen

Arliss L. Andresen, age 82, of Fulton, Illinois, died Tuesday, October 16, 2012, at Genesis East Hospital in Davenport, Iowa. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 20, 2012, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chadwick, Illinois. Burial will follow in Chadwick Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 20, prior to the funeral at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chadwick.

Lynn Ann Mantua

Lynn Ann Mantua, age 48 of Moline, Illinois, previously of Savanna, Illinois died Saturday October 13, 2012 at The University of Illinois Hospital, Chicago. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, October 20, 2012 at Law-Jones Funeral Home, Savanna. A visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Lynn’s memory.

Jerry Lee Garner

Jerry Lee Garner, age 70, of Hanover, Illinois, died Thursday, October 18, 2012, at Midwest Medical Center in Galena, Illinois. Cremation rites will be accorded. Arrangements where made with Law-Jones Funeral Home, Hanover.