Chesley Campbell, 84, Brookfield resident
Brookfield resident Chesley Campbell, 84, died April 14, 2009 at ManorCare Health Services in Westmont.
Mr. Campbell was born in Newport, Ark., on Aug. 2, 1924 to Kirk and Ressie (Nee McDonald) Campbell. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was married to Rose Campbell (nee Darks), who preceded her husband in death. He was also preceded in death by his daughter, Dianna.
He is survived by his children, Chesley (Linda) Campbell Jr.; Ann (Frank) Donatello; Joseph (Mary) Pepitone and John (Annmarie) Pepitone; nine grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was celebrated April 18 at St. Louise de Marillac Church in LaGrange Park, followed by interment at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Stickney.
Memorial contributions were appreciated to the American Cancer Society, 7234 Ogden Ave., Suite 3 South, Riverside, Ill. 60546-2207.
Hitzeman Funeral Home, Brookfield, handled arrangements.
Ann K. Farnham, 80, Tireless volunteer
Ann Kathleen Farnham (nee Quinlisk), 80, a resident of Riverside, died April 11, 2009.
Ms. Farnham and her husband, Donald Farnham, raised six children in Riverside. For many years she volunteered at the Brookfield Zoo, with the PeopleCare organization, at St. Mary School and the Riverside-Brookfield High School library.
She is survived by her husband; her children, Mary (Roger) Catron, Therese (William) Kovacic, Donald (Laurie) Farnham Jr., Dennis (Susan) Farnham, Norah Farnham (David) and Molly (David) Scherer; 10 grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and her brother, William Quinlisk.
A funeral service was held April 18 at Ivins Funeral Home in Riverside.
Memorial contributions were appreciated to the Animal Care League, 1013 Garfield, Oak Park, Ill. 60301.
Rose K. Grzeskowiak, 90, Brookfield homemaker
Rose K. Grzeskowiak (nee Kowalski), 90, a resident of Brookfield, died April 11, 2009 at ManorCare Health Services in Westmont.
She was born in Chicago on April 3, 1919 to Joseph and Anastasia (nee Drzewiecki) Grzeskowiak. She married Leo Grzeskowiak and raised two children. Mr. Grzeskowiak preceded his wife in death.
Ms. Grzeskowiak is survived by her daughters, Bernadette (William) Maciejewski and Paulette (Lawrence) Ulrich; her brother, Joseph Kowalski; and her sister, Irene Kowalski.
Funeral services and interment were private.
Hitzeman Funeral Home, Brookfield, handled arrangements.
Mary Ann S. Kocka, 80, Former village employee
Mary Ann S. Kocka (nee Saufl), 80, died April 7, 2009 at the British Home in Brookfield.
Born on May 30, 1928 in Chicago to Charles and Anna (nee Vraney) Saufl, she married John A. Kocka and worked for many years as a clerk at the Brookfield village hall before retiring in the 1990s.
She is survived by her husband; her children, John (Jean) Kocka and David (Sandy) Kocka; her grandchildren, Jayson Kocka, John Kocka, Daniel Kocka and Dana Kocka; three great grandchildren; and her brother, Paul Saufl.
A funeral Mass was celebrated April 18 at St. Louise de Marillac Church in LaGrange Park, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.
Memorial contributions were appreciated to the St. Vincent De Paul Society, 2145 N. Halsted, Chicago, Ill. 60614; North Riverside Goodwill, 1900 Harlem Ave., North Riverside, Ill. 60546; or Carroll Catholic School, 111 4th St., Lincoln, Ill. 62656.
Hitzeman Funeral Home, Brookfield, handled arrangements.
Robert D. Miller, 91, Former Brookfield resident
Robert D. Miller, 91, a resident of Scottsdale, Ariz. And a former resident of Brookfield, died April 10, 2009 at the Eckstein Center hospice in Scottsdale.
Mr. Miller was born on June 7, 1917 in Newark, N.J. to Frank Miller Sr. and Ellen Miller (nee Gannon). His first wife, Helene Miller (nee Panenka), preceded him in death.
He is survived by his second wife, Mariangela Santo-Miller (nee Nardi), who lives in Scottsdale. Mr. Miller worked as a machinist prior to his retirement and had lived in Scottsdale since 1987.
Mr. Miller is also survived by his children, Robert (Elaine) Miller of Scottsdale and Jean (Richard) Straka of Scottsdale; his step-children, William Santo, Francine Santo, Terese (Scott Phorson) Corn and Rachelle (Brad) Boyce; 12 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his son, Dennis (Sharon) Miller.
A funeral Mass was celebrated April 18 at St. Barbara Church in Brookfield, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.
Hitzeman Funeral Home, Brookfield, handled arrangements.
Maxine Nielsen, 94, Lived in Riverside 70 years
Longtime former Riverside resident Maxine Nielsen, 94, died April 10, 2009 at Farmer City Rehab and Health Center in Farmer City, Ill.
Born in Chicago on July 15, 1914, she married Harold E. Nielsen on the day after Christmas 1937 and moved to Nielsen’s hometown of Riverside. Mr. Nielsen’s father, Hans, owned a painting and decorating business in the village, which Harold Nielsen eventually took over and operated until his death in 1986.
Ms. Nielsen was an active member of the Riverside United Methodist Church for 65 years and was active in the Infant Welfare Society. She lived in Riverside for 70 years, leaving the village only in October 2008 due to illness.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters and one brother. She is survived by her daughters, Judy L. Nielsen of Longmont, Colo., and Pamela Nielsen Wallin of Urbana; her son, Phillip E. Nielsen of Tampa; four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Donations may be made to the American Heart Association or a charity of choice.
William H. Perkins, 87, Lobbyist
Former Riverside resident William H. Perkins, 87, died April 19, 2009.
Mr. Perkins was a native of Rushville, Ill. and was a resident of LaGrange Park at the time of his death. For over 30 years, Mr. Perkins was a lobbyist for CAN Insurance and operated the lobbying firm of Howlett & Perkins Associates along with former Illinois Secretary of State Michael Howlett.
During his long career, Mr. Perkins met with presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Bill Clinton. His lobbying peers selected him speaker of the Illinois Third House in 1967 and in 2004 was recognized with that organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
After his death, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a resolution mourning his passing.
Mr. Perkins is survived by his wife of 60 years, Eileen M. Perkins (nee Nelson); his son, Gary D. (Romina) Perkins; his grandchildren, Jeanette (Dan) Gallup, John William Perkins, Michelle Eileen Perkins (fiancée Josh McGuire) and Matthew Douglas Perkins; his great grandchildren, Cameron and Daysi; and his sister, Lucy Beth Tarzwell.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Sam Perkins.
Funeral services were held April 23 at Ivins Funeral Home in Riverside. Interment was at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Stickney.
David J. Rogala, 44, Court reporter
David J. Rogala, 44, a resident of Fairfax, Va., and a former resident of Brookfield, died April 14, 2009 at his home.
Born in Berwyn to Robert and Susan (nee Stajenka) Rogala, he served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of sergeant. While in the service, Mr. Rogala worked as a paralegal and court reporter for the Judge Advocate General in Germany and Virginia, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal among many other awards.
After leaving the Army, Mr. Rogala was a freelance stenographer and verbatim court reporter in Chicago, Boston and Fairfax, with certifications of CCR, CSR and CVR-CM. He was published in the journals of the National Court Reporters Association and the National Verbatim Reporters Association as well as Intersteno’s print and electronic journals.
Mr. Rogala is survived by his parents; his siblings, Robert Rogala, Cara (Anthony) Spalla, Leanne (Ed) Digan and Susan (Steve) Ciangi; his aunts, Vivian Rogala and Charlotte Cox; and his nephews, Sean, Anthony, Frankie and Sammy.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Alex Rogala.
A funeral service was held April 22 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Berwyn. Interment was private.
Hitzeman Funeral Home, Brookfield, handled arrangements.
Memorial Mass for Eleanore Simek
A memorial Mass for Eleanore A. Simek (nee Zdarsky), who died at the age of 89 on Dec. 25, 2008, will be celebrated Saturday, May 2 at 9 a.m. at Mater Christi Church, 2431 10th Ave. in North Riverside.
A resident of Vista, Calif., at the time of her death, Ms. Simek was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur, and her sister, Gladys.
She is survived by her son, Arthur (Maureen) Simek; her daughter, Marilyn (Robert) Schmalfeldt; her brother, George (Pat) Zdarsky and many nieces and nephews.
Interment will be at Queen of Heaven Cemetery following the Mass.