We are deeply saddened to inform you that William J. Wartmann ’57, passed away Sunday, June 17th, 2018. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 22nd at the Edgerton Performing Arts Center of Edgerton High School in Wisconsin. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of services Friday at the center.

Mr. Wartmann is honored in this article, remembering his philanthropic generosity and passion.

William was also featured in a 2011 IWU Magazine article of which you may read here.

We are saddened to inform you that Marjorie (Zehr) Sneed Smith-Otto ’45 passed away on December 24, 2017.

Shortly after graduating, Marjorie moved to Yuma, Arizona accepting a position at Yuma County Hospital, as a medical supervisor. Marjorie retired from Yuma School District One as Coordinator of Health Services and Registered Nurses after working with children for 26 years. Her passions were her family and all children. She loved to travel and visit new places, meet people of different cultures and nationalities.

She enjoyed travel in the USA and internationally visiting the continents of Australia, Africa, Europe and much of the Caribbean. Marjorie was an active long time member of Morningside Baptist Church. Additionally, she was also an active member of the Chapter 7 Nurses Association in Rio, Colorado.

Marjorie will be remembered by family and friends as a caring, compassionate lady, who loved her Lord, her family, children, and helping others.

View her full obituary here.

We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Phyllis Jean (Smith) Short ’47 on June 7th, 2018. During her time as a music major at IWU, she was a member of Delta Omicron, Phi Kappa Phi, PEO, Ladies Study Club, and UMW at Wesley United Methodist Church. She taught many young students how to play the piano, and later in life worked at the McLean County Law and Justice Center.

Phyllis will be greatly missed by many.

Read her full obituary here.

We are sorry to the passing of Barbara (Hakes) Smith ’50 on May 26th, 2018.

During her time at IWU, Barbara was an active member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She was an active member of the Plainfield United Methodist Church, participating in the Widows group, Lunch Bunch, and Bible Study groups, as well as in knitting prayer shawls and writing cards to sick and elderly church members. Barbara taught Spanish at Plainfield (Central) High School for 25 years until retirement in 1990. She also was active in the Plainfield Retired Teachers, Plainfield Park District, and Red Rover Social groups. Barbara was an active member of the Daughters of American Revolution (DAR), participating in many charity events. She enjoyed life and made sure that those around her did the same.

Read her full obituary here.

We are saddened to inform you that Helen (Hilpert) Waltz ’49 passed away on January 15, 2018 at her longtime residence in Tempe, AZ.

At Wesleyan, Helen met and later married James E. Waltz, Jr. They lived in Jacksonville, IL for a year and then Joliet, IL where she had her two boys before moving to Tempe, AZ permanently in 1965.

Over the years she spent a year teaching grades 1-5 in the same classroom in Jacksonville, worked as a chemist for Spreckles Sugar Co., a bookkeeper for Sullbrook Water Treatment Service, started and ran a wreath-making business called the Pod Patch and was an avid Shaklee Distributor.

Her interests included playing the piano, sewing, knitting, travel, church and spending time with friends and family.

Read her full obituary here.

We are sorry to inform you that Dr. Robert Harris Byler. Jr. (Bob Byler) ’52, passed away Saturday, April 28, succumbing to cancer.  He was 87. Byler was known the world over or his lifelong love of jazz, especially Dixieland. As a journalist, he wrote in The Mississippi Rag for decades and other publications and into his twilight years for the Venice Gondolier Sun as he followed the local jazz scene on the SunCoast.  

He will be deeply missed by all those whose lives he touched.

Read his full obituary here.

We are sorry to inform you that Lloyd R. Brackney ’59 died on Wednesday, April 4, 2018. After he received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and his Masters Degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, Lloyd directed Middle, Jr. High and High School bands during his career. While serving in the U.S. Army he directed the 113th Army training unit band. After teaching for 24 years at Roosevelt Middle School in Kenner, LA he retired in 1994. After retiring, he was active as a music adjudicator and clinician in Southeast Louisiana. He was a member of Music Educators National Convention, Louisiana Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Kappa Delta Pi. He was also a past president of the Jefferson Parish Band Directors Association. Lloyd road in Mardi Gras as King Pygmalion I during its inaugural parade in 2000. He will miss the “Old Men’s Club” at Lakeside Shopping Center where they have for many years solved most of the world’s problems.

Read his full obituary here: http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?n=lloyd-r-brackney&pid=188661685&fhid=17430

We are sorry to announce that Joseph L. Corsello  ’59  passed away Friday, January 26, 2018.

Joe’s time at IWU was put on pause as he left to serve in the U.S. Army at the conclusion of the Korean conflict. Following his honorable discharge, Joe returned to Illinois Wesleyan where he joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. It was then during his early teaching career that Joe earned his Master’s degree from the University of Illinois.

Mr. C., as his students fondly referred to him, began his teaching career at Morris Community High School in 1959. The same year that he married his college sweetheart, Norma Fisher. While teaching art and ceramics at MCHS, Joe served many times as a class sponsor, Director of Student activities, student council advisor, and a cheerleader coach. He also established the Delta Phi Art Club to foster his students’ love of art. In 1978, Joe was recognized as the Illinois State Teacher of the Year.

As he retired from MCHS, Joe began a new career as an art teacher at Immaculate Conception School where he taught for 22 years. During this time, Joe was awarded the Dolly Parton Chasing Rainbows Award. In the last years of his life, Morris Community High School honored Joe by naming him as an inaugural inductee to their Hall of Distinction, and the Morris Rotary Club recognized Joe with the Paul Harris Fellow Award. These last awards were bookends to numerous recognitions and awards Joe received for his generosity to his community, dedication to his profession, and love of his students.

Joe’s alter ego was St. Nick. He played Santa for 45 years, and often spent his Christmases bringing joy to the less fortunate. Joe was a member of Immaculate Conception Church, Knights of Columbus duPontaris Council, American Legion Post 294, and the Grundy County Historical Society. He was also a charter member of the Morris Kiwanis Club.

He will be dearly missed.

Read his full obituary here: https://www.reevesfuneral.com/notices/Joseph-Corsello

We are saddened to inform you that Ruth Steele ’41 passed away on March 30, 2018. You can view her obituary here.