Obituaries

Lanark

Kevin Lee Kniss, 64

Kevin Lee Kniss, age 64 and a lifelong resident of Lanark, Illinois, passed away Monday, December 14, 2020, unexpectedly of natural causes at MercyOne Medical Center, Clinton, Iowa.

A private family funeral service was held Friday, December 18, 2020, at the Lanark Church of the Brethren with burial in the Lanark Cemetery. You may watch from home on the Law Jones Facebook Group at 11:00 a.m. Friday, or thereafter. A public visitation will be held 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 17, 2020, at the Law-Jones Funeral Home in Mt. Carroll. Social distancing and face masks will be required. Friends are invited to share in Kevin’s life at lawjonesfuneralhome.com.

Kevin was born August 7, 1956 in Freeport, the son of Keith and Roma (Sturtevant) Kniss. He is a 1974 graduate of Lanark High School, where he played football and wrestled, and a 1976 graduate of Highland Community College. Throughout high school, he worked as a farm-hand for several area farmers. After graduating, he farmed his grandfather’s land and worked for Handel Implement in Chadwick from 1978-1980. On November 25, 1978, Kevin married Nancy Lynne Byers at the Lanark Church of the Brethren. They celebrated 42 years of marriage and raised three daughters.

Kevin was a self-employed truck driver most of his life, operating Kniss Trucking since 1980. He served local farmers for 40 years and worked closely with Eastland Feed and Grain in Shannon. He enjoyed chatting with his customers and other truckers. His family knew he was dedicated and had a strong work ethic, providing them with a great example. Kevin loved when they were all together.

Kevin was a member of the Lanark Church of the Brethren and the Midwest Truckers Association. He loved air shows, tractor pulls, antique tractors (International Harvester), watching car auctions and car repair shows on TV, and attending trucking conventions.

Kevin will be dearly missed by his wife, Nancy of Lanark; his three daughters, Katie (Bret) Martin of Columbia, Illinois; Kirsten Kniss of Freeport, Illinois; and Karoline Kniss of Willowbrook, Illinois; parents, Keith and Roma Kniss of Lanark; granddaughters Gabrielle Martin and Eve Martin of Columbia; brother, Kraig (Tami) Kniss of Warrenville, Illinois; sister, Amy Hamilton (Ward (Sam) Rouse) of Clive, Iowa; brother-in-law Phil (Linda) Byers of Shannon; and several nieces and nephews.

Kevin gave the gift of life through organ and tissue donation. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for the Lanark Church of the Brethren and the American Heart Association.

Pearl City

Lois Kathryn (Keltner) Wiele, 94

Lois Kathryn (Keltner) Wiele passed away December 12, 2020 at the Lena Living Center at the age of 94.

Lois was born on August 14, 1926 to Perry and Bessie (Wolfe) Keltner in rural Pearl City. She and Sherril “Whitey” Wiele were united in marriage on June 25, 1950 in Lena.

She was a 1943 graduate of Pearl City High School and a 1947 graduate of Manchester College with a Degree in Home Economics. After graduation she taught at Durand High School and Lena High School.

She left teaching to raise her two children and began performing alterations for a clothing store in Lena. She continued her work as the town seamstress; making and altering anything you could imagine for over 60 years until she gave up the sewing machine three years ago. Also, her tradition of making and delivering cookies to her family every Saturday led to her being affectionately known as “Cookie Grandma” by her grandkids and great-grandkids.

In 1971 she and her husband developed the Lena KOA for which they ran until 1995.

She was a childhood member of the Lena Church of the Brethren until the late 1990’s and then joined St. John’s Lutheran church in Lena. For years she was the church organist, sang in the choir, and played for residents at the Lena nursing home. She was also a member of the Lena Home Bureau group. For twenty years she and her daughter organized the costumes for the Lena Winslow Musicals. In her later years she worked as a volunteer at My Friend’s Closet in Lena.

She is survived by her two children, Susan Anderson of Orangeville and David (Sandi) Wiele of Grand Junction, Colorado; three grandchildren, Brett (Becky) Anderson of Lena, Dayne (Christina) Anderson of Elmhurst and Randi (Carter) Napier of Casper, Wyoming; as well as eight great-grandchildren, Adelynn, Elsa, Brynna and Owen Anderson and Dallon, Hailee, Mason and Ainslee Napier. She is also survived by her Sister-in-Law Ruth Keltner of Lena and Brother-in-Law Dale Cocklin of Soldotna, Alaska, as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Sherril, her parents, Sherril’s parents Milo and Vivian Wiele, Son-in-law Elwyn Anderson, Brother Carl Keltner, Sister-in-Laws Barbara Cocklin and Marlys Sue Eggenburg.

A private family service will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lena. Officiating will be Rev. Rick Bader. Interment will take place at Lena Burial Park.

The family would like to thank the Lena Living Center and FHN Hospice for the care they gave Lois. A memorial has been established in her name.

Hanover

Zachary G. Marcotte, 32

Zachary G. Marcotte, age 32, of Hanover, IL, passed away Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at Midwest Medical Center, in Galena, IL. A private funeral mass will be held in Zach’s honor, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, in Elizabeth, IL, with burial to follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to share in Zach’s life at lawjonesfuneralhome.com.

Zach was born December 5, 1988, in Olympia Fields, IL, the son of Arthur and Donna (Phillips) Marcotte. He grew up in Elizabeth and graduated from River Ridge High School.

Zach will forever be remembered as a loving father and a family man. He deeply loved his son, Ronan, and his fiancé, Amber, and placed his family, both immediate and extended, above all else. His favorite event of the year was always the annual family picnic. He was blessed with a large family and cherished this time spent with his cousins, aunts, and uncles.

In his free time, Zach loved to cook. His chili cheese dip was a fixture at those family outings. He had a love for animals, and was drawn to music, photography, and poetry. Perhaps these artistic pleasures were his way of finding that sometimes elusive beauty in the world around him.

Zach will be forever loved and missed by his parents, Arthur and Donna, of Elizabeth, IL; son, Ronan; fiancé, Amber Tala Sanders, of Hanover, IL; sister, Jamie Marcotte, of Hanover, IL; brothers, Phillip (Courtney) Marcotte, of Tinley Park, IL and Stuart Marcotte, of Soldatna, AK; nieces and nephews, Wendy, Alex and Esmeralda, PJ, and Ben and Hannah; as well and many beloved cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Zach is preceded in death by his grandparents, David and Mildred Phillips and Betty and Emil Marcotte; uncles, Tracy M. and Dan P .; and cousin, Tim P.

Stockton

Mary L. Martz, 90

Mary L. Martz, age 90, of Stockton, IL passed away Monday, December 14, 2020 at Waverly Place of Stockton.

She was born July 29, 1930 to the late Paul and Mildred (Hines) Hubbard. Mary married Everette Martz on August 3, 1948.

They started farming in rural Shannon, then moved to Brookville area until moving to Loran area in 1972 where they farmed until retiring in 1990. There was nothing more Mary loved then spending time with her family. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were the light of her life. She also enjoyed spending time with her church family, they were very important and comforting to her. In her spare time, she enjoyed doing word search puzzles.

Mary is survived by her sons, Randy and Tim of Stockton; her daughter, Kathy (Mike) Davis of Keokuk, IA; her two granddaughters, Laura Haage of Keokuk and Katrina Martz of Elizabeth Town, KY; her three great grandchildren, Gage Stice, Cassidy Stice and Dorian Stice of Keokuk, IA; her brother, Lawrence Hubbard of Lanark, IL; and her sisters-in-law, Alvera Smith of Lanark and Pat Diffenderfer of Lena. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

The funeral service was held on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at Hermann Funeral Home in Stockton at 11:00 a.m. There was a visitation before the service beginning at 10:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Ladies Union Cemetery in Stockton.

A memorial fund has been established. Condolences may be shared at http://www.hermannfuneralhome.com.