Obituaries

Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory LTD. Obituaries

Local obituaries for the Rockford, IL area

Jean F. Ewaldz

Jean F. Ewaldz

Feb 2, 2025

Jean Frederick Ewaldz, 88, of Rockford, passed away February 2, 2025, in his home, surrounded by his loving family. Born August 22, 1936, in Rockford, the son of Harold E. & Carolyn “Pat” (DeCamp) Ewaldz. He graduated from West High School, class of 1954. Jean enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he proudly served as a SP5 missile guidance systems...

Linda June Palmer

Linda June Palmer

Feb 1, 2025

Linda June Palmer, 81, Rockford, passed away on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center. She was born on June 5, 1943, in Orange, CA, the daughter of Allan and Carmen Ruth (Berkner) Carstensen. Linda married Keith Palmer in March 1963, in California.

Survived by her loving husband of almost 62 years, Keith; her sons, Keith (JoAnne) Palmer,...

Lance R. Jacobsen

Lance R. Jacobsen

Jan 31, 2025

Lance R. Jacobsen, 84, passed away at home on January 31, 2025 in Rockford, Illinois. Born in Chicago, Illinois on April 10, 1940, son to Richard and Irma (Beilstin) Jacobsen. He went on to attend Scammon Grammer School and graduate from Lane Technical High School. He spent two years at Wright Junior College in Chicago before going to the U.S....

Mark R. Culhane

Mark R. Culhane

Jan 30, 2025

 Mark Robidoux Culhane (1949 to 2025) 

Mark Culhane was an incredible storyteller, musician, and actor who loved poetry, film, and history. He was also a beloved speech teacher at Rock Valley College. Mark Culhane died at home on January 30th, 2025, in Machesney Park, Illinois. 

Mark Culhane was a native son of Rockford, Illinois. He was born at Rockford Memorial Hospital in...

Verlee M. Kassel

Verlee M. Kassel

Jan 29, 2025

Verlee Kassel, 83, of Rockford, IL, passed away on January 29, 2025 at Alpine Fireside Health Center. 

She was born on September 4, 1941, in Elizabeth IL, the daughter of Ralph and Violet (Winter) Hesselbacher. She graduated from Freeport High School in1959. Verlee always wanted to be a nurse and obtained her Nursing Degree from Freeport Memorial Hospital in 1962. She...

Kent R. Bradle

Kent R. Bradle

Jan 28, 2025

Kent “Doc” R. Bradle, 74, of Stillman Valley, passed away on January 28, 2025. He was born on December 12, 1950, in Rockford, the son of Raymond and Myrtle (Taylor) Bradle. Kent had a lifelong career at ComEd. He had a passion for riding motorcycles and worked as a manager in the parts department at Kegel Harley Davidson for over...

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...

Thomas "Tom" J. Guschl

Thomas "Tom" J. Guschl

Jan 18, 2025

Thomas John Guschl died peacefully on January 18, 2025. He was born June 24, 1944 in Milwaukee, WI to parents Roswell and Lucille (Zabel) Guschl. Tom graduated from Wauwatosa East High School where he met the love of his life, Carol Studer. They were married in 1968.

After high school, Tom earned his Associates Degree in Photography from the Milwaukee Institute...

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...

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