Elsie K. Pilgrim

Elsie K. Pilgrim, age 101, of Milledgeville, died Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at CGH Medical Center in Sterling.

Elsie was born March 2, 1909 in Milledgeville the daughter of August and Tina (Meyer) Gerdes. She married Elmer Pilgrim on September 6, 1947 in Elkorn Grove Township. He died January 21, 2002. She and Elmer owned and operated Pilgrim’s Cafe in Millegdeville for 16 years. She was a member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milledgeville. Elsie was an avid bingo player, loved to spend the winters in Florida, and enjoyed crocheting. She always looked forward to having her morning coffee with her friends and very special nieces.

Survivors include one son, Gerald H. (Donna) Pilgrim of East Dundee; three grandchildren, Blake Pilgrim, Grant Pilgrim, and Paige Goll; and seven great grandchildren, Hope Goll, Haydyn Goll, Mack Goll, William Pilgrim, Kathryn Pilgrim, Colton Pilgrim, and Holden Pilgrim.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, seven sisters, and six brothers.

Funeral services will be Monday, November 8, 2010 at 11:00 AM at the First Lutheran Church of Jordan in Sterling with Reverend Kathleen Burkheimer officiating. Visitation will be Monday from 10:00 - 11:00 AM at the church. Burial will be at Oak Knoll Memorial Park in Sterling.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milledgeville.

Online condolences may be sent to www.mcdonaldfuneralhomes.com.

Joshua R. Heeren

Joshua R. Heeren, 27, of Lanark died Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, as a result of a farm accident.

He was born on Jan. 21, 1983, in Morrison, the son of Lee E. and Deborah (Van Raden) Heeren. He was a 2001 graduate of Eastland High School, a 2003 graduate of Highland Community College, a 2005 graduate of the University of Illinois, and received his Masters Degree in Crop Science from the University of Illinois in 2008.

He was a member of Milledgville Community Baptist Church. Joshua was an Agricultural Research Manager for Monsanto. He also pursued his passion of farming on his family’s Centennial Farm.

Joshua was an FFA New Century Farmer, excelled in FFA judging contests, held chapter FFA offices, received the State FFA degree from the Illinois FFA Association, the highest award given by the state organization, the American FFA degree from the National FFA organization, the highest given by the national organization, and the Fred Clute Memorial Award in Entomology.

Surviving are his parents, Deb (John) Noordhoff of Lanark and Lee E. Heeren (Jo Fox) of Rockford; two sisters, Tonya (Nate) Wiersema of Milledgeville and Tiffany Heeren of Chicago; his girlfriend, Hannah Imlay of Champaign; his paternal grandmother, Jacqueline Heeren of Mount Carroll; his nephew, Bryson Wiersema; his niece, Brynley Wiersema; step brothers Joshua (Renea) Noordhoff and Zachary (Boramie) Noordhoff; and aunts, uncles, and cousins..

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Walter “Bud” and Kathleen Van Raden; paternal grandfather, Lloyd Heeren; and an uncle David Van Raden.

Services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 8, at Lanark United Methodist Church, 405 E. Locust, Lanark, with Pastor J. Kregg Farmer of Milledgeville Community Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be at Lanark Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the church.

Arrangements were made by Russell-Frank Funeral Home.

A memorial fund has been established in his memory. A memorial has been established for an agricultural scholarship fund in his memory.

Mary Beth Kentner

Mary Beth (Anderson) Kentner, 78, of Lanark, IL, went to the arms of Jesus on November 3, 2010.

Mary Beth was born on July 20, 1932, the daughter of Arthur Alan and Elsie Mae (Mader) Anderson in Dayton, Ohio.

She graduated from Savanna High School in 1950. She married Raymond H. Kentner in 1950.

Mary Beth belonged to the Shannon Baptist Church. She enjoyed music and song, and directed church choirs in five states. She was a Girl Scout leader in Savanna. She attended Highland Community College, took extension classes from Moody Bible Institute and attended Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music where she also worked as Financial Aid Director for six years.

She will be dearly missed by her sons David (Virginia) of Freeport, IL, and Kevin of League City, TX; and her daughter Linda (Patrick) Loxterman, Porter, TX.

Mary Beth had six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren whom she dearly loved. Keith (Lucy) Kentner of Cliffwood, NJ, Stephen Kentner of Freeport, IL; Seth Hunter, Houston, TX; Alysia, Andrea, and Michael Kentner of League City, TX; and step-grandson, Joshua Wheeler of League City, TX. Great-grandchildren are Kyle and Brennan Kentner of Cliffwood, NJ; and Annastee Kentner of Freeport, IL. She also had a special cousin, Bonnie Mader, of Lanark, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Allo Anderson.

Mary Beth had a spiritual birthday in August of 1973 and, besides Bible Study and Church, she especially enjoyed intercessory prayer for others.

Funeral Services will be held on Sat. Nov. 6, 2010 at 11:00 A.M. at the Russell-Frank Funeral Home in Lanark, with Pastor Tim Lehman of the Shannon Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in the Lanark Cemetery.

Friends may call after 9:00 A.M. on Sat. at the funeral home until the time of service. A memorial has been established in her memory.

Robert Traum

Robert Traum, 90, of Clinton, Iowa died Thursday, November 4, 2010 at Mercy Living Center South. Robert wished for there to be no services. Cremation rites have been accorded at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes and Crematory.

Robert B. Leighton

Robert B. Leighton, age 92, of Hanover, Illinois died Friday, November 5, 2010, at the Galena Stauss Nursing Home, Galena, Illinois. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at the Hanover United Methodist Church, Hanover. A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the Hanover United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery, Hanover. A memorial fund has been established in Robert’s memory