Obituaries

Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory LTD. Obituaries

Local obituaries for the Rockford, IL area

Shirley A. Fransen

Shirley A. Fransen

March 4, 2018

Shirley A. Fransen, 74, of Rockford, went to be with her Heavenly Father, Sunday, March 4, 2018 in her home surrounded by family. Born April 27, 1943, in Caton, IL, the daughter of Edward & Lydia (Thurston) Stevenson. Graduated from Rock Valley College. Worked for Rockford Clinic for over 5 years. Married Roger Fransen on January 30, 1971. Shirley was...

Doris Mae Zimmerman

Doris Mae Zimmerman

March 4, 2018

DORIS MAE (SWENSON) ZIMMERMAN Doris Mae (Swenson) Zimmerman, 93, of Rockford, Ilinois passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at Rosewood Care Center in Rockford. She was born September 18, 1924 in Blanchardville, Wisconsin, the only daughter of Leonard and Hattie (Hendrickson) Swenson. She is survived by her son Dr. Bradley (Claudia) Ewald; her daughter Lynda Martin; step-children Janine...

Richard R.  Swanson

Richard R. Swanson

February 27, 2018

Richard R. Swanson, 90, of Rockford, passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 2018. Son of Harry and Myrtle (Larson) Swanson, Richard was born on a farm in Cambridge, MN on April 1, 1927. He moved with his family to Rockford, IL when he was 15 years old. Richard married Florence A. Stelma on June 26, 1948 in Rockford. He served...

Nancy O'Brien Myhre

Nancy O'Brien Myhre

February 27, 2018

Nancy O’Brien Myhre, 92, of Rockford, passed away February 27, 2018, at Presence St. Anne Center. Born April 9, 1925 in Rockford; she was the daughter of Frank and Frances (McNulty) O’Brien. She married Sigmund “Sig” O. Myhre on July 1, 1950 in Rockford. A Life member of the Cathedral of St. Peter, she was a teacher at St. Bernadette...

Janet  Claire  Carter

Janet Claire Carter

February 27, 2018

Janet “Jan” Claire (Hammerstrand) Carter, 84, of Rockford passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 27, 2018. She was born on July 31, 1933, in Rockford, daughter of Clarence and Linnea (Lundquist) Hammerstrand. Janet was a graduate of East High School class of 1951. She attended Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Madison WI, where she received her degree in nursing....

Michael P. Macias

Michael P. Macias

February 23, 2018

Michael “Mike” P. Macias, 48, of Rockford, passed away Friday, February 23, 2018. He was born July 14, 1969, in Rockford, Illinois, the son of Charles and Marge (Polito) Macias. Mike graduated from West High School. He worked for many years at Comcast as an engineering technician. Mike loved music and was a member of the band Pulse 18, winning...

James Fitzgerald Benjamin

James Fitzgerald Benjamin

February 22, 2018

James Fitgzerald Benjamin, 83, of Rockford passed away Thursday, February 22, 2018. Born December 8, 1934, the son of James and Mary (Fitzgerald) Benjamin. Graduated from East High School and attended Rock Valley College. He served in the Army National Guard. Jim was President of CIE & G Credit Union and retired from ComEd in 1994. Jim married Sharon Jacobs...

Richard Petersen

Richard Petersen

February 20, 2018

Richard “Dick” Petersen, 82, Loves Park, passed away Tuesday, February 20, 2018, in his home. He was born May 7, 1935, in Racine, WI, the son of Pete C. and Edna M. (Hyvalti) Petersen. Dick married Betty Jean “B.J.” West in Waukegan on June 21, 1956. She passed away on January 28, 2017. Dick was an industrial arts teacher for...

Catherine  M. Corirossi-Ksiazek

Catherine M. Corirossi-Ksiazek

February 20, 2018

Catherine M. Corirossi-Ksiazek passed away Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at Fair Oaks Rehab Center. Born April 5, 1920 in Rockford, the daughter of Dominick and Angelina (Bianchi) Corirossi. She married Casimer Ksiazek on September 25, 1943 in St. Anthony of Padua Parish. Catherine worked for several years in the cafeteria at Wilson Junior High. Catherine enjoyed traveling, gambling and her...

Robert T. Williams

Robert T. Williams

February 20, 2018

Robert T. Williams, 88, passed away on February 20, 2018, at home with family, following a private battle with cancer. He was a loving and loved husband, brother, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and uncle. He was born April 25, 1929 at Franklin Park Hospital in Chicago, Illinois to Welsh emigrant parents, Robert T. and Margaret (nee Thomas) Williams. He was married...

Rosemae Swanson

Rosemae Swanson

February 19, 2018

RoseMae A. Swanson, 93, of Rockford, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 19, 2018. She was born November 16, 1924 in Rockford, to Albin and Lillian (Young) Carlson. RoseMae graduated from Stillman Valley High School and went on to college to earn her Bachelors of Science degree. She would later marry Dr. Armer Swanson her loving companion of 61 years....

Joseph Russo James

Joseph Russo James

February 18, 2018

Joseph Russo James, 26 years old, was born in Rockford, Illinois, to his loving parents, Andria Russo and John James. He passed away suddenly on Sunday, February 18th in Plainfield, Illinois. He graduated from St. Peter Grade School and graduated from Boylan High School in 2009. Also, in 2009 he proudly received his Eagle Scout Award. He was a gentle...

Louise  Marie  Canciamille

Louise Marie Canciamille

February 17, 2018

Louise Marie Canciamille, 84, of Cherry Valley, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 17, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on March 14, 1933, in Rockford, the proud daughter of Emilio and Maria (Callegari) Colusso. Louise went on to marry the love of her life, Joseph Canciamille, her companion of 61 years. She was a social butterfly...

Matthew J.  Bacino

Matthew J. Bacino

February 17, 2018

Matthew J. Bacino, 81, of Rockford, passed away February 17, 2018 at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center. Born October 5, 1936, in Rockford, the son of Joseph & Mary (Spinello) Bacino. Graduated from West High School, class of 1954. Married his best friend and true love Pat Ritter in Rockford on May 5, 1956. Matt retired from Sundstrand as a...

James Butitta

James Butitta

February 16, 2018

James Butitta, 87, Rockford, was called home on February 16, 2018 surrounded by his loving wife Julie of 65 years and children. He was born December 26, 1930 in Streator,IL to Peter & Stella Butitta. He attended West High School and graduated from St. Thomas High School in 1948 and attended Brown’s Business College. On March 22, 1952 he married...

Eugene "Gene" H. Johnson Jr.

Eugene "Gene" H. Johnson Jr.

February 15, 2018

Eugene “Gene” Howes Johnson Jr., 54, of Dixon, passed away February 15, 2018 in his home. Born August 8, 1963 in Rockford; he was the son of Eugene H. and Diane (Grosvenor) Johnson. He married Susan Lawson on April 11, 1998 in Dixon. He was employed with Local 23, Plumbers & Pipe-fitters for 35 years. Gene was a very proud,...

Pietro "Pete" Salamone

Pietro "Pete" Salamone

February 15, 2018

Pietro “Pete” Salamone, 76, of Winnebago passed away Thursday, February 15, 2018 in his home. Born August 14, 1941, in Aragona, Sicily, the son of Francesco and Teresa (Cannistraro) Salamone. Pete married Paola Seminerio on September 26, 1964 in Aragona, Sicily. He attended college in Sicily for Industrial Chemical Engineering before coming to the United States in 1973 and was...

Lena "Lee" M. Benesh

Lena "Lee" M. Benesh

February 15, 2018

Lena “Lee” M. (Buttacavoli) Benesh died peacefully on February 15, 2018 at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, IL at the age of 96. Lena Buttacavoli was born on March 19, 1921 in Rockford, IL to Sicilian parents, Vincenzo and Maria (Caliva) Buttacavoli. Lena’s mother was a great influence in her life, as well as her older sister, Mary...

William Junior Nelson

William Junior Nelson

February 15, 2018

William “Bill” Junior Nelson, 92, Rockford, died Thursday, February 15, 2018, at Fairhaven Christian Health Center. He was born July 14, 1925, on a farm near Alpha, IL, the son of William and Edna (Blomquist) Nelson. He graduated from Oxford Township High School, Alpha, in 1943, and from Augustana College in 1948, with a BA in Chemistry and from Oklahoma...

Elizabeth "Liz" Ann Bertolotto

Elizabeth "Liz" Ann Bertolotto

February 14, 2018

Elizabeth “Liz” Ann Bertolotto, 73, passed away Wednesday, February 14, 2018, at Presence St. Anne Center surrounded by her daughters and husband of 51 years after suffering from complications of Parkinson ’s disease and related falls. She was born April 1, 1944, in Deadwood, SD, the daughter of Theodore and Kathryn Oates. Liz was a graduate of Lead High School...