18 minute read
State Police
from Mt. Morris Times
by Shaw Media
Polo Police Chief Tim Rockwood released the following information.
Jan. 14
Thomas Mathew, 24, of Mt. Morris, was arrested on an outstanding Whiteside County warrant. He was transported to the Ogle County Jail.
General Calls for Service for the weeks of Dec. 28 through Jan. 10
Citizen Complaints/
Assist ......................................14
Juvenile.....................................2
Animal Complaint ...................3
Disturbance-
Domestic ..................................2
Fire-Medical Assist............... 12
Lock Out-Motorist
Assist ........................................9
Traffic Stops ............................9
County Assists ........................4
PROPERTY TRANSFERS
Troopers responded to 9,836 incidents during 2020
Illinois State Police District 1 Commander, Captain Matthew Hodgdon, has announced activity and enforcement figures for 2020.
Troopers in District 1, which includes Carroll, Lee, Ogle and Whiteside Counties, recorded 9,836 incidents during the year.
In addition, enforcement figures totaled 4,313 citations and 3,686 written warnings, including 2,529 speeding citations, 51 DUI arrests, 303 occupant restraint citations, 201 distracted driving citations, 48 move over (Scott’s Law) citations,
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Ogle County Clerk Laura Cook has issued the following marriage licenses.
Dec. 23
Danny Joe Linley and Meghan Lynn Wilcox, both of Rochelle. 1,015 written warnings for speeding, and 142 criminal arrests.
Troopers conducted 628 Motor Carrier Safety Inspections with 74 being placed out of service for safety violations.
Additionally, troopers conducted 78 portable scale details, which resulted in 70 overweight citations and 86 overweight warnings being issued. District 1 handled 233 traffic crashes and assisted 1,253 motorists.
During the year, 3,084 citations were issued for “Fatal Four” violations. These violations are most associated with fatal traffic crashes and include speeding, DUI, failure to wear a seat belt and distracted
Dec. 30
Trevor William Ehlers and Kaitlyn Jo Litow, both of Franklin, Wisconsin.
Jan. 5
Eric Miles Whalen and Shelby Louise
Monthly Activity for December
Illinois State Police District 1 Troopers issued 212 citations, 289 written warnings, and made 13 criminal arrests during the month of December.
Speeding accounted for 117 citations, and seven citations were issued for distracted driving violations.
Troopers investigated 27 traffic crashes, assisted 106 motorists, and conducted 54 commercial vehicle inspections, 13 of which were placed out-of-service for safety reasons. There were 3 arrests for driving while under the influence.
Ploch, both of Oregon.
Jan. 7
Spencer Joseph Short and Patricia Rubi
Romero Espinoza, both of Rockford.
Ogle County property transfers recorded week of Jan. 1-7.
Warranty Deeds
The late Pamela J. Taylor by heirs to William J. Taylor, 5985 N. Marrill Road, Stillman Valley, $0.
Tebala Shrine Building Corp. to Jordan D. and Meredith M. Chance, 6469 E. McCormick Road, Byron, $120,000.
Christopher H. Hall to Catherine A. and Gregory A. Stoddard, 17264 E. Base Line Road, Davis Junction, $25,000.
Jack Heidelmeier Declaration Trust, Heidelmeier Investments LP and Heidl Corp., Midland States Bank, trustee, to Christopher J. Person, one parcel in Eagle Point Township, $578,335.
J-Heid Inc. to Gregory R. Statler Revocable Trust 1, Gregory R. Statler, trustee, one parcel in Pine Creek Township, $345,918.
J-Heid Inc. to Tate J. Statler, one parcel in Pine Creek Township, $540,000.
J-Heid Inc. to Casey R. and Lindsay E. Reuter, 10421 W. Judson Road and one parcel in Buffalo Township, Polo, $967,564.
Kayla Haub to Jacob H. and Karrissa M. Huffman, 304 Sunset Lane, Mt. Morris, $100,000.
John M. and Barbara A. Beck to Michael Patrick Casey Jr., 337 Rosalind Road, Rochelle, $130,900.
Joe E. and Norma R. Thiele to John M. and Barbara A. Beck, 1350 Sunset Terrace, Rochelle, $199,900.
The late Stanley Smith Jr. by heirs to Nathan Ramsey, 725 N. 15th St., Rochelle, $60,000.
Rebecca and Ryan Benson to Benjamin A. Mason, 406 Pacific St., Davis Junction, $138,900.
Michael A. and Patricia E. Boomgarden to Jennifer Miller, 302 W. Balsam St., Forreston, $122,000.
Village of Mt. Morris to Wesley 1895 Property LLC, 13 and 23 S. Wesley St., Mt. Morris, $40,001.
IL873 Property Land Trust, Idemensions LLC, trustee to Village of Mt. Morris, 23 S. Wesley, Mt. Morris, $0.
Presbytery of Blackhawk of the Presbyterian Church to Kandu LLC, 200 S. Fifth St., Oregon, $53,700.
Dane Vanoosten to Keith Willoughby, 5099 W. Murray Drive, Grand Detour, $128,500.
John O. and Gail E. Nysather to Jeffrey B. and Dawn Wiechowski, 128 Century Hill Drive, Oregon, $214,900.
Thomas E. Felker to Village of Mt. Morris, 13 S. Wesley St., Mt. Morris, $40,000.
Christine N. Schweitzer, also Mott, also Ohlinger to Chad C. and Mackenzie L. Kacvinsky, 2772 N. Stephanie Drive, Stillman Valley, $200,000.
James R. and Janice M. Baker to Ryan M. and Christine N. Schweitzer, 2986 N. Kilbuck Road, Stillman Valley, $332,000.
Ray H. and Diane G. Edwards to Michael Kelly and Brina D. Brown, 5287 E. Canfield Road, Oregon, $290,000.
Jacquelyn Binger to Adam F. and Lauren L. Gura, 818 Hampton Drive, Byron, $213,000.
Tammy S. Miles to Nelson R. Baker and Mara L. Nelson, 227 Windover Park Drive, Rochelle, $216,000.
Melissa L. Baxter to Roys North Shore Inc., 401 E. Fourth St., Byron, $30,000.
Alex G. and Danielle A. Elston to Patrick J. Johnson, 1027 N. Eighth St., Rochelle, $140,000.
Matthew and Noel Dusing to Daniel Scott Hartzell, 2 Seminary St., Mt. Morris, $158,000.
Quit Claim Deeds
Danny L. Reed to Danny L. and Carol Ann Reed, 4382 E. Ridgeview Lane, Byron, $0.
Kenneth W. Burch Trust 101, Kenneth W. Burch, trustee to Renee H. Miller, 3458 Kilbuck Road, Davis Junction, $0.
Debra L. Dyer to Brit S. Dyer, 2494 S. Daysville Road and one parcel in Oregon-Nashua Township, $0.
Trustee’s Deeds
Jack Heidelmeier Declaration Trust, Midland States Bank, trustee, to Lawrence Land Holdings LLC, one parcel in Woosung Township, $1,478,889.
Jack Heidelmeier Declaration Trust, Midland States Bank, trustee, to Margaret A. Tyne, one parcel on Lowell Park Road, Mt. Morris, $991,814.
Mark S. Wilson Revocable Declaration Trust, Sydney S. Wilson Foks, trustee, to Robert Charbonneau, 121 W. South St., Creston, $109,000.
Joyce A. Wubbena Living Trust, Joyce A. Wubbena, trustee to Rodney L. and Karen D. Seuring Living Trust, Rodney L. and Karen D. Seuring, trustees, one parcel in Forreston Township, $615,000.
Chicago Title Land Trust Co. Trust11364, Chicago Title Land Trust Co., trustee to Illinois Emergency Management Agency, 1025 S. Main St., Creston, $0.
Deed in Trust
Jack Heidelmeier Declaration Trust, Heidelmeir Investments LP and Heidl Corp. to BSD Trust 312, Benjamin S. Diehl, trustee, one parcel in Pine Creek Township, $850,500.
OBITUARIES ALICE AKINS
FORRESTON – Alice (Albert) Akins passed away January 4, 2021 in her home surrounded by her loving family.
She was born Oct. 7, 1931 in rural Polo, the daughter of William Albert, Jr., and Anna Mary (Wolfensberger) Albert.
Alice married Jim Akins on April 8, 1951. She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church of Forreston, Forreston Lions Club, Forreston Friendship Club, and Forreston American Legion Auxiliary.
She and her husband Jim were very big supporters of the National Audubon Society, and was instrumental in the development of the Elk Horn Creek Biodiversity Nature Preserve.
She delivered Meals on Wheels, tutored for the Highland College Literacy program, and was a hospice volunteer for many years.
She was a mentor at the Forreston Grade School and a volunteer at the Forreston Pantry. She enjoyed playing cards with her family and many of her friends. She loved each and every one of her family, and they were all very important to her.
Survivors include five children, Kriss Mulder of German Valley, Jesse (Jody) Akins of Forreston, Kathy Wilken of Adeline, Jean Diamond of Springfield, and Joe (Brenda) Akins of Forreston; 17 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; sister, Leona (Dale) Wilken of German Valley; two brothersin-law, John (Wilma) Akins and Jeff Akins both of Forreston; and God-daughter Julialyn Shedd of Malta.
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; three sons-in-law, Mike Mulder, Dave Diamond, and Loran Wilken; grandson, Jamie Campbell; and someone very special, Shiloh Balluff.
Funeral services were Jan. 9 at Burke Tubbs Funeral Home, Forreston. Burial was at White Oak Cemetery.
A memorial has been established for Faith Lutheran Church in Alice’s memory.
ROSEMARY CRAIG
POLO – Rosemary Craig, 88, of Polo, passed away Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at Polo Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center.
Rosemary was born Dec. 26, 1932, in Freeport, the daughter of Oliver and Gladys (Saxby) Piefer. On Nov. 10, 1951, she was united in marriage to Donald Craig.
Rosemary enjoyed volunteering with the Polo United Methodist Church, helping with their newsletters. In her early years she and her family enjoyed going to the lake, spending time together and doing her puzzles.
Survivors include her daughter, Linda (Wayne) Crackenberger of Pearl City; sons, Charles Craig of Dixon and Michael Craig of Polo; sister, Lois DeGarmo of Freeport;sister-in-law Donna Schriner of Milledgeville; brother-in-law, Robert Toms of Dixon; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren
She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; and sisters, Darlene Toms and Betty O’Brian.
A private service will be held with burial at Fairmount Cemetery in Polo, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established memorials may be directed in her name.
Visit www.polofamilyfuneralhome. com to send condolences.
BERNARD “BERNIE” J. EMPEN
FORRESTON – Bernard “Bernie” John Empen, 86, of Forreston, passed away Friday, January 8, 2021 at Manor Court, Freeport.
He was born Aug. 23, 1934 in Ashton, the son of Bernard A. and Josephine (Burken) Empen. He married Iris O’Hare in Polo on June 28, 2008.
He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army Reserves. He worked as a dairy farmer for many years. Later he was employed by Swiss Valley Farms, Vet Way, and Eastland Feeds.
He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Polo, for 77 years, Forreston Lions Club where he served as Past President, Ogle County Farm Bureau, and A.M.P.I.
Bernie was also chairman for Forreston Hometown Days and ran the game clock for 25 years for Forreston football games. He was an avid Chicago Bears and Cubs fan. He was a proud member of the table of knowledge. Above all else, Bernie cared deeply about his family.
Surviving are three sons, Jon (Margo) Empen of Dixon, Dan (Lisa) Empen of Lake Villa, and Daryl (Cynthia) Empen of Rock Island; daughter, Laurie Empen of Chicago; three stepsons, Michael (Joni) O’Hare of Stillman Valley, Tim (Lynn) O’Hare of Byron and Jim (Kelly) O’Hare of Stillman Valley; two brothers, Joe Empen of Forsyth and Ron (Pat) Empen of Winnebago; four sisters, Rosemary, O.P. Empen of Footville, Wisconsin., Shirley (Jack) Modjallal of Encino, California., Phyliss Gibson of Madison, Wisconsin., and Carol Glenn of Milledgeville. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Nils and Ian Empen and Cade and Carter, Empen.
Bernie was preceded in death by his parents.
Private family funeral Mass will be Friday, Jan. 15, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Polo. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at Burke Tubbs Funeral Home, Forreston.
GARY L. PARKE
POLO – Gary L. Parke, 87, of Polo, passed away Friday, January 8, 2021, at his home with family by his side.
Gary was born Dec. 17, 1933, in Chicago, the son of Dewey and Joyce (Miller) Parke. He married his wife Nancy on Sept. 1, 1957 in Sycamore.
Gary was a veteran of the US Army. After the service, he worked for over 20 years in the shoe making industry, working for both Florsheim and Freeman Shoe Co. in Dixon.
Gary then went to work for Imeco in Polo and after 18 years he retired.
He was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Polo. Gary enjoyed sports, especially the St. Louis Cardinals and was an avid bowler for many years.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy; daughters Pam (John) White of Polo, Stephanie (Roger) Wagner of Franklin Grove, Susan (August) Pehlke of Dixon and Siri Pardo of Dekalb; sons Keith Parke of Polo, Howard (Kaye) Parke of Hardeeville, South Carolina and Gregory Parke of Fort Myers, Florida; 17 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Ruth Parke; three brothers, Richard, Kenneth and Dale; and grandson, Jeremiah Parke.
A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Granny Rose Animal Shelter in Dixon.
Polo Family Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
RICHARD C. “DICK” PETERSON
MT. MORRIS – Richard C. “Dick” Peterson, 93, passed away on January 5, 2021 in Pinecrest Manor Nursing Home, in Mt. Morris.
Dick was born on July 1, 1927 in Evanston, the son of Carl and Ann (Verboten) Peterson.
He married Mary Jo Addis on July 14, 1955 in Evanston and she preceded him in death on May 14, 1997.
Dick was in the Army in the final years of World War II stationed in Texas. He loved sharing stories of his perpetually shaky hands and target practice in the Army. He couldn’t hit the side of a barn, but had other skills to make him valuable to the Army.
He and Mary Jo left Northbrook and moved to Mt. Morris in 1987. They had come to visit Lori at White Pines Ranch for many years and fell in love with the area.
After purchasing the former home of the Kable family at the Sunset Golf Course , it became the Kable House Country Inn bed and breakfast and they operated it for 23 years.
During this time, he was involved with the Chamber of Commerce and organized many fund raising dinners and pork chops for the Mt. Morris Kiwanis.
Dick was an avid bowler from an early age. He bowled professionally for a time, and eventually owned his own bowling alley, Lake Forest Lanes in Lake Forest.
He loved the bowling alley and made friends with professional athletes of the time as they practiced in Lake Forest, and followed up with a beer at the bowling alley.
He spent his last 8 years at Pinecrest Manor. Pinecrest became a home and a family to Dick. They loved him, cared for him, and cried for him at his passing.
Dick loved telling stories and made all kinds of small events into funny tales. He loved his family and his grandchildren, and will be missed by all.
Dick is survived by his children, Paul Peterson of Mt. Morris, Curt Peterson of Arlington Heights, Gary (Katherine) Peterson of Evanston, and Lori Peterson of Mt. Morris; grandchildren, Christopher, Katie, and Zacary Peterson, and
Adam Thorsen.
Dick is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mary Jo; and sister, Lorraine.
Cremation rites have been accorded with Finch Funeral Home, 405 East Hitt, Mt. Morris. A graveside service will be held later in the spring of 2021 in Oakwood Cemetery, Mt. Morris.
Memorials to Pinecrest Good Samaritan Fund.
Thank you to everyone in Mt. Morris for being his community.
ANDREW J. TETZLAFF
GEORGETOWN, Ind. - Andrew John (“Andy”) Tetzlaff died on January 8, 2021, in Georgetown, Indiana. Born on May 18, 1930 in Albion, Nebraska, he was 90 years old.
He was preceded in death by Dora May (McGrew) Tetzlaff, his wife for almost 66 years.
Andy had a remarkable life, one which mirrored much of the American experience in the 20th Century: born on a small farm in the Midwest, losing that family farm in the Great Depression, being drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, getting married to the love of his life, and raising six healthy children.
The child of Herman and Emma Lind Tetzlaff, Andy was one of six children: Oscar, Art (his twin brother), Velma, Elsie and Esther. He spent most of his young life in rural Nebraska and was from “strong German stock.”
Andy had vivid recollections of growing up during the Great Depression. His clearest memory from his childhood is “the first man in a suit” that he’d ever seen: the banker who came to repossess their farm.
Without the family farm, they were forced to move to a tiny house in nearby Petersburg, Nebraska, where his mother raised chickens and grew vegetables in a struggle to feed their family.
The challenging situation worsened when his father suddenly passed away; Andy was in junior high school at the time.
In 1946, while in high school, Andy was a passenger in a tragic car accident. Six people were in the car, the driver and three passengers died. One passenger was seriously injured.
Andy, according to newspaper accounts at the time, was “cut and bruised.” The vehicle “hit the concrete abutment on the left-hand side of the road, after coming down a grade, and rolled down a 10-foot bank into a ravine.”
In the brutal cold of a Nebraska winter in early February, Andy (then 16 years old) “crawled up the bank onto a gravel road to flag down a passing car.” For years, Andy would not speak of this accident to anyone. Only in his latter years did he discuss this tragedy.
Despite these challenges, Andy graduated from Petersburg High School and went on to college, getting his teaching degree from Nebraska State Teachers College at Kearney, Nebraska. He was soon working as a teacher.
Andy and Dora May met at a small school in Bartlett, Nebraska, where both were young teachers. As Dora May recounted it, she was teaching a music class when a “handsome stranger” walked in and joined in the singing.
His beautiful voice - a hallmark during Andy’s entire life - was one of many things which captivated Dora May. They were soon dating; they married in Orleans, Nebraska, on March 1, 1952.
Music remained a bond throughout their marriage as they performed together, he singing, she playing the piano.
Both continued teaching until Andy was drafted into the military. Andy served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, retiring as a sergeant. When he left the military, he felt a “calling” to become a minister and enrolled at the Seminary at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.
Andy had a gift for preaching rivaled only by his gift for singing, and - after several “student pastor” assignments - was given his first parish shortly after graduation.
He spent nearly 10 years at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altona, Illinois. In 1967, he accepted a calling at St. Marks Evangelical Lutheran Church in Polo, where he preached until his retirement.
Their first children were twins, Jay and Sheila. Within just a few years, they had two more children, Stephanie and Jonathan, so they had four preschoolers simultaneously.
In the following years, Clark and Andrew were born. When Andrew started first grade, Dora May returned to teaching for many years, focusing in the Special Education area.
Struggling to support six children on a limited income, Andy and Dora May still managed to provide college educations for all.
They were also able to plan for retirement by purchasing a small plot of land on Paulsen Lake in northwestern Wisconsin, paying cash from their meager savings.
Over several years, with multiple eight-hour drives between Polo, Illinois, and Osceola, Wisconsin, they built what became known as “The Log Home” on the property, doing much of the labor themselves.
They also had the invaluable assistance of Max Donaldson, the father-inlaw of their daughter Sheila.
They lived in their beloved Log Home in Wisconsin for 30 years, the only home they ever owned. Their prior residences were rentals or parsonages.
Andy worked as a substitute pastor during his many decades in Wisconsin, enjoying preaching in many churches throughout the northwestern part of that state.
For 13 years, Andy and Dora May were “snow birds” for several months each year in Mesa, Arizona. During the winter months, Andy was the pastor at a small church in a retirement community near Mesa.
Shortly after Dora May passed away in 2017, Andy moved to an assisted living facility in southern Indiana, near the home of his daughter, Sheila. Sheila’s tireless support during his final years was invaluable.
Andy was a man of strong opinions, and he expressed them openly over his lifetime. As a small-town minister in the rural Midwest, his vocal support in the 1960s for the ministry of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was not always popular.
Similarly, his strongly-expressed opposition to the Vietnam War and his support of campaigns to ban nuclear weapons were also controversial to some parishioners and townspeople.
Andy and Dora May vocally and financially supported minorities, Native Americans, the lesbian/gay community and others suffering injustice, discrimination or oppression.
Andy is survived by all six of his children, along with six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by Dora May, the love of his life during nearly 66 years of marriage; she passed away in February 2017.
He is also preceded in death by all five of his siblings.
Andy and Dora May lived in Asheville, North Carolina, for four months in 2015-16 near their son Jonathan C. Tetzlaff. With their son, they were regular attendees at Asheville’s Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church.
Because of risks related to COVID-19, no memorial service will be scheduled at present.
In coming months, however, we will be establishing a date for such a service, which will be held at Grace Covenant. All will be welcome to attend and celebrate Andy’s life.
The family would like to thank the skilled caregivers at The Villas at Guerin Woods, Georgetown, Indiana, for their care and dedication in Andy’s final years.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Homeward Bound of Western North Carolina (https://homewardboundwnc.org/) or any charity which helps the homeless, fights poverty or supports social justice
