Obituaries
Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory LTD. Obituaries
Local obituaries for the Rockford, IL area
Thomas Keith Patefield
February 5, 2025
Thomas Keith Patefield, 64, of Rockford, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in Zihuatanejo de Azueta, Guerrero, Mexico while savoring life.
Tom was born on February 28, 1960, in Kenosha, WI, the son of Keith and Ruth (Erickson) Patefield. He earned his associate degree in construction. Tom worked for Chrysler of Belvidere and Kenosha and was a proud Union...
Kathleen "Katie" Marie Floetl-Malooly
February 5, 2025
Kathleen “Katie” M. Floetl-Malooly, 37, of Pecatonica, passed away on February 5, 2025, in Rockford. She was born on July 4, 1987, in Evanston IL, the daughter of Jack and Mary (LaBelle) Malooly. She married Corey Floetl-Malooly on June 21, 2014, in Pecatonica.
Katie's dedication to education was evident through her role as a teacher at Montessori Private Academy. While she...
Rose J Novak
February 4, 2025
Rose J. (Ippolito) Novak, age 90, passed away on February 4, 2025. Loving wife of Dr. Richard (Dick) Novak together for 68 years, Rose was the loving mother of Catherine, Richard Jr, and James. A true matriarch of her family, children, and great grandchildren, they always came first in her life. She was our rock. Born in Gary, IN where...
Sharon D. Scheer
February 3, 2025
Sharon D. Scheer, 71, of Rockford, passed away at Serenity Hospice and Home on February 3, 2025 after a brief and challenging battle with cancer. Sharon was born on February 6, 1953 in Rockford, Illinois to Wendell and Helen (Peterson) Court. Sharon was a 1971 graduate of Guilford High School. She graduated in 1975 with a bachelors degree from Southern...
Jean F. Ewaldz
February 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
February 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
January 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
January 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...
Ginny Lee Baxter
January 29, 2025
Ginny Lee Baxter
June 2, 1943 – January 29, 2025
Ginny Lee Baxter, age 81, of Loves Park, Illinois passed away peacefully on January 29, 2025, at Maple Crest Care Center. She was born on June 2, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois to Dorothy and Ralph “Buck” Baxter. She was a gifted and caring English teacher at Jefferson High School in Rockford, Illinois,...
Verlee M. Kassel
January 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 in 1959. Verlee always wanted to be a nurse and obtained her Nursing Degree from Freeport Memorial Hospital in 1962....
Kent R. Bradle
January 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
January 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
January 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
January 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
January 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
January 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
January 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
January 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
January 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
January 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...
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Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory LTD. offers a collection of obituaries for Rockford, IL & Winnebago County. With services throughout Illinois that are updated regularly. Find local Rockford, Illinois obituaries and join us in celebrating memories and honoring their lives and legacies.
