Classmate Dan McCarthy Has Passed at 82
(posted 5/30/24) FALL BRANCH, TENNESSEE— Daniel Ross McCarthy passed away April 24, 2024 at the age of 82.
He attended Roosevelt Junior High, and all three years at West High graduating in 1959. He also served in the National Guard.
Dan was predeceased by his wife Shirley and leaves behind two children.
See Dan's obituary link for more details.
Husband of Phyllis Budd has Passed at Age 88
(posted 5/22/24) ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS — Edward J. Konopa of Sun City, AZ and Rockford, IL has passed at age 88. Edward was the husband of Phyllis (Budd) Konopa.
Cremation rites have been accorded. A funeral mass will be held in Rockford at a later date.
See Edward's obituary link for more details.
Classmate John Laurenson Has Passed at 82
(posted 5/10/24) ABILENE, TEXAS — John Emerson Laurenson Jr. passed away May 1, 2024 at the age of 82.
He attended Roosevelt Junior High, and all three years at West High graduating in 1959.
John leaves his wife Yvonne Laurenson having been married close to 26 years. He had three children, four grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild.
John and Yvonne had much excitement in their life as they spent two years exploring the Caribbean and Trinidad living on their sailboat. Then continued for several years exploring and working along the East Coast from North Carolina to Florida.
See John's obituary link for more details.
Classmate Nancy Conrads Passed Away at Age 82
(posted 4/30/24) ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS — Nancy Alice Conrads has passed April 14, 2024 at age 82.
She attended Roosevelt Junior High and all three years at West and graduated in 1959.
Nancy was the sister to our school nurse Mrs. Schuster which explains why Nancy was active with the Junior Red Cross at West. She went on to work in social work after receiving a Master's degree from the University of Illinois.
After earning her ecumenical degree, she became a Deacon at St. Anskar Episcopal Church in Rockford.
Services will be held Sunday, May 5th 2024 at St. Anskar’s Church, 4801 Springcreek Road, Rockford, Illinois. Visitation will be from 11:00 am until the service at 12 pm.
See Nancy's obituary link for more details.
Classmate Harold Nelson Has Passed at 84
(posted 4/16/24) ROCKTON, ILLINOIS — Harold Chester Nelson passed away April 15, 2024 at the age of 84.
He graduated from West High in 1959 and in 1963 married Lynnette La Marca who was a West High 1961 graduate. They were married for over 60 years and had 4 children and 3 grandchildren.
Harold served in the Marine Corps from 1961-1965. He specialized in Aviation Electronics and later worked in Rockford as an electrician at Barber Colman, Motorola, Wilson Electric, and Rockford Sanitary District, with entrepreneurial ventures mixed in between.
Funeral mass will be held on Friday, April 19, 2024, at St. Bridget Catholic Church, 600 Clifford Ave., Loves Park, IL 61111, at 11:00 A.M. with a visitation starting at 9:30 A.M. until time of mass.
See Harold's obituary link for more details.
Classmate Eddie Hoelyfield Passed Away at Age 83
(posted 3/18/24) ELKHART, INDIANA — We just learned that Eddie Joe Hoelyfield, Sr. had passed January 10, 2024 at age 83.
Eddie attended Roosevelt Junior High and all three years at West where he was very active in school sports mainly basketball, football, and especially track where he led West's jumping contingent of pole vaulters, broad and high jumpers. He proved to be one of the best pole vaulters in the Rockford area.
Eddie was married to LaDonne Hoelyfield who passed February 1, 2021 as posted on this website below 1/15/22. They were married for 59 years.
See Eddie's obituary link for more details.
Classmate Jim Harter Has Passed at 83
(posted 3/5/24) SAINT CHARLES, ILLINOIS — James Andrew Harter has passed February 23, 2024 at age 83 from complications of several diseases.
He attended Welsh Grade School, Roosevelt Junior High, and all three years at West High graduating in 1959. He also attended Elgin Community College.
Jim is survived by his wife Roberta of 59 years and two children. Jim and Roberta are well known to reunion attendees as they loved to visit with the high school class in the summer and they spent their winters in Mesa Arizona.
A visitation will be held on Friday, March 8, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. with a funeral service to begin at 2:00 p.m. at Advantage Funeral Home, 7000 W. State St, Rockford, IL 61102. Burial at Willwood Burial Park.
See Jim's obituary link for photos and more details.
Classmate Esther Wetterholm Has Passed at 82
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(posted 1/26/24) CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA — Esther Eileen (Wetterholm) Prentice has passed January 21, 2024 at age 82.
She attended Roosevelt Junior High and all three years at West High graduating in 1959.
Esther is survived by her husband George Prentice and six children.
See Esther's obituary link for photos and more details.
Classmate Jack Oberg Has Passed at 82
(posted 1/24/24) ROCKTON, ILLINOIS — John "Jack" Carl Oberg has passed January 19, 2024 at age 82 from complications of Parkinson's Disease.
He attended Roosevelt Junior High and all three years at West High graduating in 1959. He also got his bachelor's degree in Biology from NIU.
Jack is survived by his wife Sandra of 60 years and three children
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2024. Visitation begins at 11:00 a.m. followed by a Memorial Ceremony at noon at Hope Church, 5656 Elevator Road, Roscoe, IL 61073 with a luncheon to follow. Cremation Rites were Accorded.
See Jack's obituary link for photos and more details.
Classmate Sandra Colbert Passed Away at Age 81
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(posted 1/24/24) PALOS PARK, ILLINOIS — We just learned that Sandra Jo (Colbert) Carlson had passed October 29, 2023 at age 81.
Sandra attended Roosevelt Junior High and all three years at West graduating in 1959.
She was very active in school activities including Pep Club, GAA, Glee Club, and "Great Daze".
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Robert Clarence Carlson and two children.
Rememberences can be made in the form of charitable donations to Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County IL.
See Sandra's obituary link for more details.
Classmate Jim Lindstedt Has Passed at 82
(posted 1/13/24) ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS — James Leonard Lindstedt has passed at age 82.
Jim attended Washington Junior High and all three years at West High graduating in 1959. He worked at Eagle Foods in Rockford for 40+ years.
Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1969. He is survived by his wife Judy of 55 years and three children
Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00am. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 1243 N. Church St. Rockford, IL. with Reverend Carl Beekman officiating. Visitation will be 9:00am until the time of Mass at the church on Tuesday. Arrangements by Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd. Rockford. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. give.michaeljfox.org. Express online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com.
See Jim's obituary link for photos and more details.
Rememberance from classmate Terry Gagnoni:
WOW!! DOUBLE WOW!! This HITS RIGHT CLOSE TO HOME…Jim and I grew
Up together with his parents house right up the road from ours. We went to 2 different one room schools together during those early years. After I moved to California and Colorado we lost touch. A PRAYER OF MANY FOR MY FRIEND JIM.
Classmate Earlene Trotter Passed Away at Age 82
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(posted 1/9/24) BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS — Earlene Ann (Trotter) Gradozzi has passed January 5, 2024 at age 82.
Earlene attended Roosevelt Junior High and all three years at West graduating in 1959.
She can be remembered playing the Clarinet in the Orchestra at both Roosevelt and West.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Dominic Gradozzi and three children.
A visitation will take place for Earlene on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 1010 Ferguson Street, Rockford, Illinois 61102 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with Memorial Mass to follow at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family. To send online condolences or share memories, please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com.
See Earlene's obituary link for more details.