William Knazavich          Send a link to a friend

MASON CITY -- William A. Knazavich, 80, of Mason City died Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005, at 3:25 a.m. at Mason City Area Nursing Home.

His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Christ Lutheran Church, with Pastor James Childs officiating. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. at the church.

Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Taylorville.

Mr. Knazavich had worked for Schnepp and Barns in Springfield as a pressroom foreman.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II.

He was born Sept. 15, 1925, at Taylorville to William and Mary Ella Kinnett Knazavich. He married Norma Peters on Oct. 4, 1945. She died April 5, 1995.

He is survived by two sons, Gary Knazavich of White Heath and Doug Knazavich of Decatur; three daughters, Cheryl (and Larry) Stevenson of Castle Rock, Colo., Mary Ella Knazavich of Rock Springs, Wyo., and Jean (and Craig) of Buckingham, Mo.; one brother, Ernest Knazavich of Elmhurst; three sisters, Ruth Strumpher and Martha Bertoff, both of Taylorville, and Betty Perona of Tovey; and four grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by one brother, Robert Knazavich; two sisters, Kathleen Burch and Mary Deavers; and two grandsons, Aaron Sears and Kevin Stevenson.

He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church, AMVETS, American Legion and VFW.

Memorials contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Billie Farmer

Send a link to a friend

McLEAN -- Billie J. Farmer, 74, of McLean died Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005, at 1:55 a.m. at his home.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Quiram Funeral Home, Atlanta. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Don Doty officiating.

Burial will be in McLean Cemetery.

Mr. Farmer farmed for 20 years in the Hartsburg area. He worked for Cutler-Hammer Corporation in Lincoln for 25 years before retiring in 1993.

He was born Feb. 13, 1931, at McLean to William and Maude Harris Farmer. He married Barbara Beyer on June 16, 1949, in Bloomington. She survives.

Other survivors are one daughter, Kathy A. Farmer of McLean; five grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Richard Farmer; and one grandson, Larey Smith.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or OSF Hospice in Bloomington.

Beatrice 'Jiggs' Hamblen-Schimmel

Send a link to a friend

LINCOLN -- Beatrice "Jiggs" Hamblen-Schimmel, 89, of Lincoln died Monday, Sept. 26, 2005, at 4:05 a.m. at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Holland and Barry Funeral Home, with Pastor Mark Peters officiating. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Burial will be in New Union Cemetery.

Mrs. Hamblen-Schimmel was a homemaker, helped her first husband farm for 35 years and worked as a secretary at Chestnut Hatchery.

She was born April 24, 1916, in Dale, Ind., to Daniel and Ida Heard Lamar. She married Alva Hamblen in 1939 and he died in 1974. She married Ralph Schimmel in 1990 and he died in 1998.

She is survived by one son, Larry Hamblen of Beason; one brother, Buss Lamar of Mount Pulaski; two sisters, Ruth Smith of Iowa and Joann Pazder of Oklahoma; two grandsons, Sean Hamblen of Beason and Toby Hamblen of Auburndale, Fla.; one granddaughter, Tara Jensen of Jacksonville, Fla.; and five great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by one son, Roger Hamblen; three brothers, Bud, Blue and Loel Lamar; one sister, Burnice Ellison; and one grandson, Todd Hamblen.

She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.

She graduated from Beason High School and Brown’s Business College in Decatur.

Memorials may be made to the family of "Jiggs" Hamblen-Schimmel.

Luella Langenbahn          Send a link to a friend

MASON CITY -- Luella Langenbahn, 84, of Mason City died Monday, Sept. 26, 2005, at 2:50 a.m. at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.

Her funeral was at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Columba Catholic Church. Visitation preceded the service.

Burial is in St. Mary's Cemetery, Lincoln.

Mrs. Langenbahn was a nurse's aide at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln for 16½ years before she retired in 1973.

She was born Oct. 18, 1920, at New Holland to Adolph Lohrenz and Christina Behrends. She married Albert Langenbahn on Feb. 10, 1939. He died March 3, 2003.

She is survived by two sons, Dale Langenbahn and Harold Langenbahn, both of Springfield; one daughter, Ruby Wagner of San Jose; one sister, Lena Lussenhop of Mason City; eight grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by one grandchild.

She was a member of St. Columba Catholic Church in Mason City.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mason County Ambulance.

Richard Schmitt

Send a link to a friend

LINCOLN -- Richard R. Schmitt, 74, of Lincoln died Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005, at 5:11 a.m. at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.

His funeral was at 11 a.m. Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with the Rev. David Russell officiating. Visitation preceded the service.

Burial is in Zion Cemetery.

Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln is handling arrangements.

Mr. Schmitt was employed by the Milwaukee Journal Company in Milwaukee, Wis.; was an assistant stockroom and receiving clerk at Western Metal Specialty Co., a division of Western Industries Inc., in Wauwatosa, Wis.; owned Schmitt's Candid Photo Service; was a reporter and photographer for the Northwest Reporter in Milwaukee; was a news reporter and photographer for Prairie Publications in Lincoln; was a news stringer for Channel 43, East Peoria, and Channel 3, Champaign; was a floral clerk and delivery driver for Hembreiker and Karen's Florists in Lincoln; a supply driver for District 27 and part-time janitor for Lincoln Junior High School; worked at SupeRx drugstore in the photography and electronics department; and helped area auctioneers at estate sales.

He was born Dec. 13, 1930, in Milwaukee, Wis., to Peter and Matilda P. Teske Schmitt. He married Gertrude H. Aper on Dec. 18, 1954, in Milwaukee, Wis.

He is survived by his wife, of Lincoln.

He was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather, two brothers and one sister.

He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where he was an usher and deacon for 38 years, a funeral deacon for 30 years, elder for the church's worship music committee, coordinator of service videotaping for Maple Ridge Care Centre for the social services committee, and participated 44 years in two church senior choirs. He was also active in community choirs, was a member of the Lincoln Area Music Society choral choir and sang for many special monthly services at Bartmann Nursing Home. He was a graduate of the Citizens Police Academy and a volunteer for the Lincoln Police Department's motorist assistance program.

Memorials may be made to Wartburg Seminary Foundation in Dubuque, Iowa.

Leota 'Nan' Swan          Send a link to a friend

WAYNESVILLE -- Leota M. "Nan" Swan, 92, formerly of Waynesville, died Friday, Sept. 23, 2005, at 5:50 p.m. at Manor Care Health Services in Normal.

Her body was cremated, and there will be no visitation.

A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Evergreen Cemetery. The Rev. Steve Anderson will officiate.

Quiram Funeral Home of Atlanta handled arrangements.

Mrs. Swan was a homemaker.

She was born May 10, 1913, at Rialto, Calif., to Lee and Bessie Roseman Cole. She married Arthur Swan on June 6, 1943. He died Dec. 17, 1974.

She is survived by one daughter, Carolyn (and Glenn) Cowan of Waynesville; one son, James (and Lisa) Swan of Normal; three grandchildren and two stepgrandsons; and three great-grandchildren and one step-great-granddaughter.

She was also preceded in death by one sister and one granddaughter.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.