Obituaries

Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory LTD. Obituaries

Local obituaries for the Rockford, IL area

Mary L. Peila

Mary L. Peila

Jan 27, 2025

Mary Louise Peila, 98, of Rockford, passed away on Monday, January 27, 2025, at Ascension St. Anne Place. 

Mary was born on January 13, 1927, in Rockford, IL, the daughter of Goerge and Opal (Horr) Cullen. She proudly graduated from St. James School and attended Muldoon High School. She married Albert Peila on August 23, 1947, at St. James Catholic Church...

Rebecca "Becky" Nelson

Rebecca "Becky" Nelson

Jan 26, 2025

Rebecca “Becky” Nelson, 66, of Rockford, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 26, 2025. Born in Rockford, IL on July 19th of 1958 to David and Betty (Jaques) Nelson, Becky was a lifelong Rockford area resident and graduated from Byron High School in 1976. She went on to attend Evangel University in Missouri, earning her bachelor’s degree. She later earned...

John Z. Szleszinski

John Z. Szleszinski

Jan 25, 2025

John Z. Szleszinski, 85, passed away at home on January 25, 2025, in Rockford, Illinois. Born on August 26, 1939, in Strickland, Wisconsin, son to Felix and Anna (Schowron) Szleszinski. He graduated from Weyerhaeuser High School in 1957, and on October 10, 1959 he married the love of his life, Ruth Peterson. Together, they built a life in Rockford, Illinois...

Janice Burkins

Janice Burkins

Jan 22, 2025

Janice “Jan” M. Burkins, 86, of Rockford, passed away Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Born to Reno and Alice (Blazis) Rigotti in Rockford, IL, on December 13, 1938. After raising her children, Jan went on to work for the Winnebago County Sherrif’s Department. She worked in work release, warrants department, and then the state attorney’s office until her retirement. Family was...

Robert M. Haney

Robert M. Haney

Jan 22, 2025

Robert “Bob” Melvin Haney, 77, of Rockford, passed away on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center. He was born on April 8, 1947, in Waukegan, IL, the son of Melvin and Wilma (Lange) Haney. Bob grew up in the Rockford and Loves Park areas.

Bob had three children from his first marriage: Andrew, Janice, and Daniel. He...

Ramona M. Peacock

Ramona M. Peacock

Jan 21, 2025

Ramona Mae Peacock, 96, of Rockford, passed away on January 21, 2025. She was born on November 27, 1928, in Hurley, South Dakota, the daughter of Soren and Mae (Olesen) Andersen. Ramona attended East High School. She married William “Bill” Peacock on May 29, 1948. She worked as a graphic arts supervisor for Testers Corporation. 

Known as the Little Old Lady...

Linda K. Grubb

Linda K. Grubb

Jan 19, 2025

Surrounded by family, Linda Grubb, 83, found eternal peace on January 19, 2025 at Angels Grace Hospice in Oconomowoc, WI. 

Born on July 25, 1941, in Kankakee, Illinois to R. Alvin and Virginia (Waitekunas) Hinze, Linda grew up in Rockford, attending Muldoon High School and St. Anthony School of Nursing. She married her beloved Gordy on January 1, 1977, sharing 39...

Jill E. Torgerson

Jill E. Torgerson

Jan 18, 2025

Jill E. Torgerson, a vibrant spirit born on February 18, 1944, in Boscobel, Wisconsin, daughter to Shelby and Eunice Proudfoot, left this world peacefully on January 18, 2025, in Rockford, Illinois. She embraced life with a remarkable passion that carried her through decades of joyous adventures and meaningful connections. For over twenty years, Jill dedicated herself to being the community...

Terry Flosi

Terry Flosi

Jan 18, 2025

Terry passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on January 18th.Terry was born December 5th, 1954, to Leo and Janet Flosi in Sterling, Illinois. He met the love of his life Kathy while working at the Post Office in Rockford, IL in 1974 and they married shortly there after. Terry went on to work as a manager for Mueller...

Frances M. Burns

Frances M. Burns

Jan 17, 2025

Frances M. Burns, born on February 14, 1954, in Dekalb, Illinois, daughter to James and Dorothy (Schyvincht) Spencer, passed away peacefully at home in Rockford, Illinois, on January 17, 2025. She was 70 years old. Frances’s education began in Kirkland, where she attended school, eventually earning a business degree from Rock Valley College. This academic foundation laid the groundwork for...

Milton Anthony Cropp

Milton Anthony Cropp

Jan 15, 2025

Milton “Milt” Anthony Cropp, 89, of Machesney Park, passed away at home surrounded by his family on January 15, 2025. He was born on February 25, 1935, in Rockford, the son of Ortho and Kathleen (Beetle) Cropp. He married Ann M. Ritter on February 5, 1966, in Rockford, and she preceded him in death on July 25, 2016. He proudly...

Larry C. Griesman

Larry C. Griesman

Jan 13, 2025

Larry C. Griesman, 73, of Loves Park, IL passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by those he loved. Larry was born December 7, 1951, in Beloit, Wisconsin, the son to Walter and Marian (Newkirk) Griesman. Larry attended Beloit Memorial High School, class of 1970. Larry graduated from Beloit Memorial Hospital school of radiography and went on to obtain his...

Richard A. Haase

Richard A. Haase

Jan 12, 2025

Rich was born to Arthur L. Haase and Katherine (Farrell) Haase on April 19, 1943. Rich’s father was one of the first casualties on Iwo Jima, during WWII.During Rich’s childhood, he traveled with his mother and step-father, brothers and sister to many US Air Force bases in the US, until the family settled in Villa Park, IL. It is there...

John G. Kraman

John G. Kraman

Jan 12, 2025

John Kraman, 68, of Rockford passed away on January 12, 2025, at home after a brief illness.

John’s illustrious career path began in auto mechanics, morphed into car sales for Anderson Nissan Mazda, then transitioned to airplane sales for Courtesy Aircraft where he was employed while he was raising his family. 

His knowledge, focus, ambition and magical timing intersected when he landed...

Loretta Dame Turner

Loretta Dame Turner

Jan 10, 2025

Loretta Dame Turner, 88, of Rockford, IL, passed away peacefully at home on January 10, 2025, surrounded by her loving husband and family.

Loretta was born in Walnut Ridge, AR in 1936 to Jim and Fannie Dame and was the youngest of 11 children. She worked at Steak N’ Shake as a roller-skating waitress when she was 16 years old and...

DeAnne C. Kudzma

DeAnne C. Kudzma

Jan 10, 2025

DeAnne “Dee” C. Kudzma, 84, of Rockford, passed away on January 10, 2025. She was born on August 7, 1940, in Rockford, the daughter of Folke and Lucille (Drake) Lind. She married Gerald “Jerry” Kudzma on August 6, 1960, and he preceded her in death on June 24, 2022. Dee enjoyed gardening, bowling around the Rockford area for many years,...

Patrick Henry Mulcahey

Patrick Henry Mulcahey

Jan 8, 2025

Patrick “Pat” Henry Mulcahey, age 91, passed away on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. 

Pat was born in Rockford on January 20, 1933, the son of Henry Edward and Helen Marie (Coffey) Mulcahey. After graduating from high school, Pat served our country in the United States Army. Shortly after, he began working as a machinist with the Rockford Register Star. Pat then...

Rosella J. Rondone

Rosella J. Rondone

Jan 7, 2025

Rosella “Rose” J. Rondone, 95, passed away on January 7, 2025, in Rockford, Illinois. She was born on December 13, 1929, in Freeport, Illinois and was raised by Leonna and Walter Renken. She went on to marry the love of her life, Ignatius “Iggy” Rondone on May 17, 1952. She was employed with Illinois Bell, later being AT&T, later she...

James F. "Jim" McGee

James F. "Jim" McGee

Jan 2, 2025

James F. McGee, 82, of Rockford, Illinois, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Born on December 22, 1942, in Peoria, Illinois, to the late James W. McGee and Charlotte McGee, Jim was the oldest of four brothers, preceded in death by Jerome, Michael, and Patrick.

Jim is survived by his devoted wife of nearly 60...

Rick A. Panzer

Rick A. Panzer

Jan 2, 2025

Rick Arthur Panzer, 68, of Rockford, passed away on January 2, 2025, at home surrounded by his family. He was born on February 24, 1956, in Minnesota, the son of Herman and Lillian (Wilkin) Panzer. 

In his younger years, Rick enjoyed riding motorcycles and fast cars. He enjoyed traveling across the States, specifically to the Smokey Mountains, both for his honeymoon...

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