Obituaries
Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory LTD. Obituaries
Local obituaries for the Rockford, IL area
Nereo Casas Villegas
September 17, 2024
Nereo Casas Villegas, 52 of Rockford passed away unexpectedly on September 17,2024 surrounded by his family. Born on September 21, 1971 in Zacatecas, Mexico, the son of Nereo Casas Trujillo and Juana Villegas Nuñez.
A strong, hard working, charismatic and loved man who worked endlessly his entire life. He dedicated his life to his family and was a cowboy at heart...
Concetta Furiani
September 16, 2024
Concetta “Connie” Furiani, 92, of Rockford, passed away on September 16, 2024. She was born on March 9, 1932, in Italy, the daughter of Raffaele and Petronilla (Scarafoni) Alessandrini. She married Renato Furiani in February of 1955, and he preceded her in death on March 19, 1997. She was devoted to her faith, a lifelong member of St. Anthony Catholic...
Roger Kenneth Myers
September 16, 2024
Roger Kenneth Myers, 92, Rockford, passed away on Monday, September 16, 2024, in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born January 11, 1932, in Rockford to Howard and Helene (Pollage) Myers, who died in 1934, after the birth of Roger’s brother, Jerry. Roger was raised in a loving home by his dad and Jeannette (Reichenbach) on farms...
Larry E. Hood
September 15, 2024
Larry E. Hood, 81, of Cherry Valley, passed away on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
Larry was born in Monroe, Michigan on January 3, 1943, the son of Lloyd and Rosemary (Nadeau) Hood. He graduated from Airport High School and went on to complete his 4-year apprenticeship for tool and die maker. Larry was employed for 38.5 dedicated years with General Motors...
William T. Sachs
September 15, 2024
William Sachs, 90, of Rockford, passed away at home on Sunday, September 15, 2024, surrounded by his family. Born in Madison, Wisconsin on May 17, 1934, to John Matthew and Frances Cecelia (Connolly) Sachs. Bill graduated from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Science and went on to become a pharmacist. He was proud of his family and his faith...
John I. Everling
September 15, 2024
John I. Everling, 72, Rockford, passed away on Sunday, September 15, 2024, he was born on April 17, 1952, the son of Ronald and Beverly (Stinemates) Everling in Fond du Lac, WI. He married Rose Mary (Freund) Everling in August of 1971.
John went to trade school where he obtained a certification. He was a machinist for Greenlee Textron until his...
Salvatore 'Sal' James Aronica
September 15, 2024
Salvatore ‘Sal’ James Aronica, 65 of Rockford, passed away at River Bluff Nursing Home on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at 11:11 a.m. Born in Rockford, Illinois on June 2, 1959, to Armando and Franchesca Aronica. Sal worked hard as a welder in fabrication since he was a teenager. On the side and in his heart, he was a musician. A...
Gary G. Omark
September 15, 2024
Gary G. Omark, 82, passed away at home surrounded by his family on September 15, 2024. He was born July 24, 1942, to Gus and Violet Omark. He graduated from East High School in 1960. Gary went on to marry his high school sweetheart, Nancy Shaver on September 15th, 1962. Gary and Nancy raised their two daughters, Marcy and Shelly...
Russell W. Paulson
September 13, 2024
Russell W. Paulson, 53, passed away surrounded by his family on September 13, 2024. Born on May 6, 1971, in Parsons, Kansas, Russell's journey took an adventurous turn when, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the delayed entry program for the U.S. Marine Corps on October 12, 1988. His commitment to serve his country was unwavering, as he...
Josephine K. Maggio Benassi
September 12, 2024
Josephine K. Maggio Benassi, 97, of Rockford, passed away on September 12, 2024. She was born on December 6, 1926, in Rockford, the daughter of Carlo and Lucy (Mirto) Adrignola. She graduated from West High School, class of 1945. She married her first husband, Salvatore Maggio in Rockford on May 7, 1949, and he preceded her in death on March...
Kenneth Wayne Cunningham
September 12, 2024
Kenneth “Ken” W. Cunningham, 80, of Rockford, passed away on September 12, 2024. He was born on February 27, 1944, in Sheffield, Alabama, the son of Paul and Fannie Belle (Duncan) Cunningham. Ken graduated from West High School, class of 1962. He married Barbara “Barb” J. Hammond on April 25, 1964, and was blessed with 60 years of marriage. Ken...
Jeannie Gilley
September 11, 2024
Virginia "Jeannie" Gilley, at the age 77, of Rockford, IL, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, surrounded by loved ones, after a short illness.
Jeannie was born July 18, 1947, daughter of Joseph and Virginia Mannone of Rockford. She married Danny Gilley of Rockford on February 3, 1972, after meeting each other working as cosmetologists at W Bergner's Hair...
Frank C. Gibler
September 11, 2024
Loving Father, Grandfather (Bobo), Uncle and Friend
Frank Gibler passed away on September 11, 2024 at Alden Debes Nursing Facility. Born on December 14, 1936 in Mattoon, IL, the son of Frank C Sr and Marjorie (Dougherty) Gibler. Graduated West High school in 1954 and is a veteran of the United States Air Force. Married the love of his life, Rita...
Carole Sue Hurd
September 11, 2024
Carole Sue Hurd, 81, passed away September 11th. She was born June 12, 1943, to Earl and Ivy “Polly” (Perrett) Hurd. She graduated from West High School in 1961 and North Central College in 1965. She then went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Spanish from Illinois State University and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from Indiana...
Christopher Anthon
September 10, 2024
Chris Anthon of Rockford, Illinois, died on Sept. 10, after a brief battle with leukemia. Chris was a longtime research librarian, ceramics artist, and intellectual polymath who had an insatiable curiosity about the world that ranged effortlessly from art and literature to science and history. Chris never met a stranger and was as likely to engage a grocery store clerk...
Vana Rae Mitchell
September 8, 2024
Vana McVay Mitchell, age 89, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday September 8, 2024. Vana was born on October 9, 1934, in Corning, Arkansas the youngest child of Asie and Myrtle Porter. She lived there for 13 years before moving with her family to Rockford. Vana attended Rockford schools and received her GED at a...
Joseph P. Palmero
September 8, 2024
Joseph “Joe” Paul Palmero, 96, of Rockford, passed away on September 8, 2024. He was born on December 26, 1927, in Rockford, the son of Anthony and Mary (Arduino) Palmero. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Joe married Joan L. Bruneni on September 12, 1953, in Rockford, and she preceded him in death on August 29, 1979. He worked...
John Robert Lofton
September 2, 2024
John Robert Murphy, known to most as Bob, was born on March 2nd, 1932 to John and Elsie Murphy. As a toddler, Bob’s dad passed away and Elsie remarried Joe Lofton who adopted Bob. Bob, also known as Bockey to his loving family, passed away on September 2nd, 2024 in the beautiful home he designed and built for his wife...
Randall Lee Brand
September 2, 2024
Randall Lee Brand, known to family and friends as Randy, was born on February 6, 1960, in Harvey, Illinois. The son of Eileen (Vandenberg) Brand passed away peacefully on September 2, 2024, in Rockford, Illinois.
Randy was an extreme sports enthusiast who took immense joy in watching his daughters and grandsons play sports whether it be in-person or virtually; he was...
Charles P. Smith Jr. M.D. "Buddy"
September 2, 2024
Charles P. Smith Jr., MD, “Buddy” 88, of Rockford, IL passed away Monday, September 2, 2024, surrounded by his family. Born October 16, 1935, in Washington, D.C. to Charles P. Smith Sr., and Jane Arloa Smith. Wed to Roberta “Bobbi” Rush Smith February 2, 1967, in Toledo, OH, he and Bobbi raised their children on the east side of Rockford.
In...
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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.







