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Visitation:
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, August 18 at Zion Lutheran
Church in Lincoln
Service:
4 p.m. Friday at the church
Funeral home:
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader, Lincoln
Obituary
Jesus welcomed Violet Eileen “Dolly”
(Pagnoni) Tesnow, 93, of Lincoln, IL, into His
heavenly kingdom on August 5, 2023. She was being
cared for and visited by loved ones at her
daughter’s home.
Violet, affectionately called Dolly by her siblings,
was born May 9, 1930, in Chicago, IL, the daughter
of Joseph and Adeline (Skwarczewski) Pagnoni. Her
childhood was marked by the early death of her young
mother and her placement at the St. Mary’s Training
School, an orphanage in Des Plaines, IL. Dolly spoke
highly of the care she received and the Christian
faith that was imparted to her by the nuns, the
pristine housekeeping skills she learned, and the
strong bond this formed with each of her nine
siblings.
After graduating from Proviso High School in 1949
and while working as a secretary at Oak Park Trust
and Savings Bank, Dolly met her beloved Fred.
Meeting Fred meant marrying her friend, lover,
companion, and provider. Together they enjoyed
square dancing, crafting, traveling to see their
children, visits to Camp Arcadia, hosting family
gatherings, and caring for one another. Although 22
years in age separated them, they defied all odds
and enjoyed 54 years of life as husband and wife,
married on March 28, 1953, at St. John’s Lutheran
Church in Wheaton, IL.
Fred’s adult children, Nancy and Bob, welcomed
sisters to the family when Fred and Dolly had two
daughters, Patricia (Klemm) and Jeannette (Berger).
Motherhood included instilling in her children the
values of hard work and lots of play.
Dolly’s zest for life kept her the star of the show
at any family gathering. She was a champion for the
Pagnoni Family Picnic, shuffleboard winner,
competitive card player, and sometimes the
exaggerated storyteller, but all this made her the
endearing grandma, mom, aunt, cousin, and friend who
was adored. Dolly’s spunk drew you in. To know Dolly
was to know that you were welcome in her home with
open arms. You would be fed a delicious meal and a
sweet treat, a cup of coffee would certainly be
available at all hours, you would hear about Jesus’s
abundant love for you and how “God has been so good
to me,” especially through her marriage to her
beloved Fred.
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After Fred preceded her in death in
2007, Dolly moved from her home in Addison to a
retirement village in Lincoln, where family were
closer companions and caregivers. Dolly spent the
last ten years enjoying almost daily visits from
family, attending birthday parties and family
gatherings, watching her great-grandchildren after
school, spending time with Patty at her family farm,
or with Jeannette at their lake house in Indiana.
Age didn’t prevent Dolly from playing cards at the
senior center, participating in church activities,
and treating any visitor with an ice cream cone.
Dolly is survived by children Patty
(Robert) Klemm (Waynesville, IL), Jeannette (Jeff)
Berger (Monticello, IN), Fred “Bob” Tesnow (Tujunga,
CA), and Nancy Anson (Castle Rock, CO); twelve
grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; numerous
great-great grandchildren; and countless cherished
loved ones. She loved that the family kept growing
and so did the love we shared.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Frederick;
her parents; and her siblings, Lillian Molinari,
Eugene, Antoinette Klotter, Roman, Joseph, Richard,
Russell, Raymond, and Pearl Pagnoni and her
stepsister, Jeannette Rodriguez.
Funeral services for Violet will be held on Friday,
August 18 at Zion Lutheran Church, 205 Pulaski
Street, Lincoln, IL. Visitation will take place from
2:00 to 4:00 p.m. with a service at 4:00 p.m.
Graveside burial will be on Monday, August 21 at
12:00 noon at Chapel Hill Gardens, 17W201 Roosevelt
Rd, Oakbrook Terrace, IL with fellowship following
at Calvary Lutheran Church, Wooddale, IL. Services
are entrusted to Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral
Home in Lincoln, IL.
Memorials to Maryville Foundation (the orphanage
where Dolly was raised), Zion Lutheran Church or
Camp Arcadia would honor Dolly’s life. But so would
reaching out to a family member to tell them, “I
love you right back,” or reminding friends and
family of Jesus’ great love for them. For many
months, Dolly has been sharing boldly that she is
“ready to go be with Jesus.” We rejoice that this is
her (and our) promised hope!
Click here to send a note of condolence to the family of Violet
Eileen “Dolly” (Pagnoni) Tesnow |
