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.

We are sad to inform you that Ruth (Adams) Thornton ’45 passed away on February 28th, 2015 at the age of 91 in Tracy, CA after battling Alzheimer’s for nine years.

Ruth lived in Danville, Illinois from birth until 1963 when she moved to Anaheim, CA. The move to Anaheim was a huge sacrifice by Ruth and Chuck which was prompted by their strong desire to improve the education of their sons who were facing the prospects of many budget cuts in the Danville School District. Ruth was employed by the Anaheim Union High School District as a Media Specialist for 17 years. Prior to moving to Anaheim, she was an employee of Palmer American National Bank in Danville, IL for 8 years.

Her most important responsibility and the one she took the most pride in, was her job as a mom and grandma! Ruth was an avid sports fan. She was a long time season ticket holder of the Angels Baseball Team while residing in Southern California. She also stayed close to her roots by being a passionate football and basketball fan of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. Her greatest enthusiasm was saved for the basketball teams her sons coached and all the teams that her grandkids played on. She was famous for being the first “fan” to arrive at almost every game her family members participated in. Ruth also cherished her many visits to Disneyland where her husband Chuck was employed for over 20 years. It brought her much joy throughout the years to share the Disney experience with her sons and grandchildren. She particularly enjoyed a once in a life-time family trip to Disney World in Orlando.

Read Ruth’s full obituary here.

We are deeply saddened to inform you that Helen Katrine Vercler, 92 of Chenoa, passed away at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at her residence in Chenoa.

After graduating from Wisconsin Rapids High School, Helen moved to Central Illinois and entered the three-year Cadet Nurse program at Brokaw School of Nursing at IWU. Helen spent many years working in the nursing profession in a variety of settings including office nursing for Dr. R.L. Oyer in Chenoa; the Meadows Mennonite Retirement Community and several positions in hospitals in Urbana, Pontiac and Fairbury.

Helen enjoyed the written word and was a dedicated writer of family history and her own life experiences.  She was also an amateur artist having completed many paintings in oils and watercolor and enjoyed several types of craftwork. She also served as a member of the Chenoa United Methodist Church for over 60 years.

Helen will be missed by all those whose lives she touched.

Read her full obituary here.