Harold L. Dassow

Harold L. Dassow, 90, of Chatsworth passed away at 11:35 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 at Evenglow Tjardes Health Care Center in Pontiac where he was a resident for four years.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Chatsworth United Methodist Church. Rev. Ivy Silas will officiate. Visitation will be held 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday at Chatsworth United Methodist Church and one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday. Burial will follow services at Germanville Cemetery in rural Chatsworth. Memorial contributions in Harold’s name may be made to the Chatsworth Area Food Pantry or Evenglow Lodge in Pontiac. Calvert & Martin Funeral Home in Chatsworth is handling arrangements for the family.

He was born March 1, 1922 at his home in rural Chatsworth, a son of Ralph and Laura (Tanner) Dassow. He married Maxine (Wessels) Dassow on Jan. 9, 1949 at Rooks Creek. She passed away on Nov. 23, 2009. He was also preceded in death by his parents, step mother: Amanda Dassow, and one sister: Gladys Brunner.

Surviving are his two sons: Duane (Connie) Dassow and Neil (Joy) Dassow both of Chatsworth; two daughters: Diane (John) Osman of Macon and Marilyn (Jim Jones) Dassow of Chatsworth; nine grandchildren: Michelle (Dave) Kramer, John (Megan) Dassow, Joe Dassow, Ryan Dassow, Jeremy Dassow, Kent Dassow, Pete Osman, Greg Osman, and Dion Osman; three great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law: Eldon Brunner of Reddick; a sister-in-law: Ruth Wessels of Fairbury; three nephews and two nieces.

Harold was a farmer all his life in the rural Chatsworth area. He served on the Board of Directors of the Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District. In 1958 he won the Outstanding Conservation Farm Family of the Year Award. In his youth he was on the 1941 Chatsworth Softball Team who won the Livingston County Tournament and went on to win the State Softball Tournament in Champaign.

Harold was a lifelong member of the Chatsworth United Methodist Church. He served on various boards at the church and was instrumental in the building of the current church. He was also on the church Dart Ball Team.

He enjoyed going to Estate Sales and collecting various things. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and family very much. He will be greatly missed.

This obituary may be viewed and a guestbook signed at calvermartinmemorial.com.

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Mary Bernice Nix

Mary Bernice Nix, 73, of Chenoa, passed away at 10:03 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 at her residence.

Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Chenoa. Father Carl LoPresti will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Chenoa. Visitation will be 9-9:45 a.m. on Wednesday at the church. Memorials may be made to the family.

Mary was born Aug. 24, 1939 in Pike Township, Ill. the daughter of Simon and Helen Craig Heinrich. They preceded her in death. She married Henry Franklin Nix on Jan. 27, 1962 in Chenoa. He died March 19, 1993.

Surviving are her sons; Tim (Janice) Nix of Chenoa, Mike (Peggy Oneil) Nix of Grafton, and Raymond (Shawn)Nix of Chenoa; daughters; Tina (Larry) Rhoads of Chenoa and Brenda (Eric Johnson) Nix of Chenoa; grandchildren; Lynn Vanover, Bobbie Jo (Brandon) Bachman, Thomas Nix. Ashley (Andrew) Maynor, Carrie Nix, Tony Rhoads, Charles Rhoads, Kalib Dempsey, Cameron Dempsey, Michael Hendrickson, KaTonya Hendrickson; four great-grandsons; two brothers; Bob Heinrich of Bloomington and Alvin Heinrich of Pontiac; and several nieces and nephews who were a very big part of her life.

Mary was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chenoa. She gave her life to raising her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and several neighborhood children. She will be remembered for her cooking, baking and her open door kitchen where she would feed anyone that stopped by.

Condolences and tributes may be made to the family at www.duffypilsmemorialhome.com.

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Charla M. Renner

Charla M. Renner, 76, of Bloomington, died early Saturday morning, Jan. 19, 2013 at her home.

Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Evelyn Chapel on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University with Rev. Elyse Nelson Winger officiating. Private family interment will take place a later date. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington.

She was born Aug. 4, 1936 in Trezevant, Tenn. the daughter of Alex and Allie Mae Essary Elinor. She married Stanley W. Renner on Sept. 5, 1959 at Iowa City, Iowa. He survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Scott (Melynda) Renner of Herndon, Va. and Matt Renner of San Diego, Calif.; Bridget (Lon) Meltesen, who she treated as her own daughter; five grandchildren, Elinor Cate Renner, Alyssa Marie Renner, Alexander William Renner, Mark Laurence Renner and Mia Alexis Renner; two sisters, Carol (Lindy) Presson of Iowa City and Sandra (Dr. Alfred) Beasley of Knoxville; and a brother, Grant (Barbara) Elinor of McKenzie, Tenn.

Charla earned her master’s degree at the University of Illinois at Peoria and taught nursing at Mennonite School of Nursing and Illinois Wesleyan University for nearly 40 years. In 1982, a trip to Africa inspired a love of international travel and of Africa in particular. She took a sabbatical to teach nursing in Botswana for six months and enjoyed accompanying IWU students on their travel courses.

Charla was a talented gardener and a master of southern cuisine. More than anything, though, she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to World Vision. She liked giving away goats.

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Mary Louise Kerber Swailes

Mary Louise Kerber Swailes, 64, of Bloomington and formerly of Gibson City and Colfax, died at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, January 19, 2013 at Heartland Healthcare, Normal.

Service: 11:00 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Church of Merna, Bloomington, with Monsignor Gerald T. Ward officiating.

Visitation: 5-7 pm Thursday at St. Patrick Church of Merna, Bloomington and for one hour prior to services Friday at the church.

Burial: Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington.

Survivors: two daughters, Tina (Ryan) Hoyle of Normal and Beth (David Dillon) Swailes of Bloomington; four grandchildren; a brother, William (Velma) Kerber of Normal; and three sisters, Eleanor Jean Miller of Bloomington, Lillian Catherine Wade of Bloomington and Judith (Gary) Bidner of Colfax.

Memorials: St. Patrick Church of Merna 1001 N. Towanda Barnes Rd., Bloomington, IL 61704. Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington, is in charge of arrangements.
 

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