U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Verner Thelen
Verner H. 'Vern' Thelen, longtime resident of Spring Grove and founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thelen Sand & Gravel in Antioch, died Sept. 28 at his home, surrounded by his family.
Mr. Thelen was born on the family farm in Johnsburg on Dec. 3, 1924, the son of the late John and Agatha (Schmitt) Thelen. When he was 13 years old, he began selling sand and gravel from a corner of his father's farm that he hand-shoveled into a horse-drawn wagon. He sold his material to neighbors for their beachfront lots in what is now Pistakee Highlands.
In 1947, Mr. Thelen purchased his first gravel truck and Thelen Sand & Gravel became a reality. The production and sales of ready-mixed concrete was added in 1961, and today materials continue to be mined and sold from the main operation in Antioch. The concrete is produced at ready-mix plants in Antioch, Waukegan and Wilmot, Wis.
Vern was an avid golfer who excitedly bragged of 'beating his age' 19 times this golf season. He delighted in taking every opportunity to get in a round of golf and was even known to have completed 36 holes in a day this summer. He and his wife, Mary Ann 'Bunny, ' enjoyed many years of sightseeing and traveling across the United States, Canada and Mexico in their motor home and were members of the Foretravel Motorcade Club.
Mr. Thelen was a member of the Rotary Club International and he spearheaded the creation of both the Antioch and Fox Lake Rotary clubs. He was the last remaining charter member of the Antioch rotary club, which he served as president from 1977-1978, and was involved in establishing the annual Antioch Rotary Club Pork Chop Dinner & Auction, which is still held every fall. He was honored in 1993 as Antioch Rotary's Man of the Year and was the recipient of 'Service Above Self' awards in 1977 and 1978 and the District 644 Governor's Award.
Through the years, Mr. Thelen and his family hosted Rotary exchange students from Iceland, France, Norway and Germany. He served on the Antioch Club's Outward Bound Exchange Student Selection Committee, participated in the club's Food for the Needy Thanksgiving basket deliveries, and actively supported local 4-H and youth groups in Lake and McHenry counties as well as Kenosha and Racine counties in their fundraising endeavors.
Mr. Thelen served on the Board of Directors of the Fox Lake State Bank for 29 years and was a board member for 15 years at Lotus Elementary School, serving as president for several terms. He was president and board member of the Northern Illinois Ready Mixed Concrete Association and was a member of the Illinois Ready Mixed Concrete Association and Lake and McHenry County Contractor's Groups.
In recent years, Mr. Thelen took a keen interest in his family history and had compiled genealogy charts, maps, copies of legal records, photographs and letters. He traced his ancestors back to his great-great grandfather, who arrived in New York in 1842 before moving his family to the Midwest and specifically to the settlement of Johnsburg.
He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Mary Ann 'Bunny' Stoffel Thelen, whom he married
on Oct. 21, 1948 at St. Patrick Church in McHenry; his children, John 'Jack' (Deborah) , Mary Beth (Robert) Varak, Suzan 'Sue' (Warren) Schumacher, Thomas (Paige) , Peter (Terry Childers) , Steven (Diana) , Ann (the late Ross) Berry, Barbara (Mark) Miller and Margaret 'Peggy' (Thomas) Miles; 18 grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren; his brother, Raymond (Rosemary) Thelen; two sisters, Luella (James) Hunter and Lucina (John) Skinner; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his parents' in-law, Jacob and Matilda Stoffel; his son-in-law, Ross G. Berry; a niece, Rosemarie Thelen Rose, and a nephew, Franz Josef Aldenbrook III.
Funeral services with Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, Oct. 2, at 11 a.m. at St. Peter Church, 2206 Main, Spring Grove. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make donations to the Vern and Bunny Thelen Family Foundation, c/o Lakeland Community Bank, 1310 S. Route 12, Fox Lake, IL 60020, which will benefit a variety of local charities and community groups; or, Masses or contributions to your favorite charity would be appreciated.
Susan Moncatch
Susan Harwell Moncatch, 41, of Camp Lake, Wis., died Sept. 29 at Kenosha Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Moncatch was born March 31, 1962 in Waukegan. She lived in Beach Park and Waukegan before moving to Kenosha and later to Camp Lake 11 years ago. She was a member of the Calvary Christian Church Center in Lake Villa and had previously attended Mt. Zion Church in Lake Geneva and the First Assembly of God in Kenosha.
In addition to her very active life in church ministries, she loved camping. For 10 years she owned and operated Crystal Clear Cleaning and for the past 3 years operated the business with her husband.
She is survived by her husband, John M. Moncatch, whom she married
on June 2, 1984, in Gurnee; her son Brandon; her parents, Albert and Ginger Harwell of Ormond Beach, Fla.; one sister, Cheryl (Gene) Nesmith of Beach Park; four nieces, Alecia, Christina, Tiffany and Sara; and three nephews, Eugene, Andy and Danny.
Visitation will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Strang Funeral Home of Antioch and at Calvary Christian Center, 134 Monaville Road, Lake Villa, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to time of services at 11 a.m. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family.
Michael Flynn
Michael R. Flynn, 48, of Lake Geneva, died Sept. 27 at his home.
Mr. Flynn was born Mary 25, 1955 in Chicago, the son of the late Richard Myrl and Geraldine Barbara (Toth) Flynn. He lived in Chicago and the suburbs for many years before moving to Lake Geneva two years ago. He served in the U.S. Army and was an avid sports enthusiast, memorabilia collector and umpired Little League for several years.
He is survived by his son, Nicholas Flynn of Buffalo Grove; one sister, Kim (Paul) Trulzsch of Antioch; and three nieces and nephews, Sean, Shannon and Stefanie.
A Memorial Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at St. Mary Church, 10 N. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove. Interment will be private in Fairview Memorial Park in Northlake. Those desiring may make donations to a family memorial in his memory. Funeral arrangements were handled by Strang Funeral Home of Antioch.
Dennis Magnine
Dennis J. 'Denny' Magnine, 46, of Round Lake Beach, died Sept. 27. He had been a resident of Round Lake Beach for the past 24 years.
Mr. Magnine was born Nov. 12, 1956. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Hedemark Magnine; three sons, Jeremy James (Celine) Magnine of Florida, Kelly Peter Magnine of Florida and Keith James Hedemark of Round Lake Beach; three grandchildren; and two sisters, Barbara (the late George) Erber of Ingleside and Carol Magnine of Ingleside. He was preceded in death by his sister, Annette.
Visitation will be Saturday, Oct. 4, from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Symonds Lakes Funeral Home & Crematory, 111 W. Belvidere Road, Grayslake. Interment will be private.
Theda Young
Theda E. Young, 85, of Lake Villa, died Sept. 21 at her home, surrounded by her family.
Mrs. Young was born Oct. 5, 1917 in Des Moines, Iowa. She had been a resident of Lake Villa for the past 11 years and a member of the Eastern Star. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Herbert E. Young.
She is survived by her children, Vearl 'Butch' (Jane) Young of Spring, Texas, Jeanne (the late Jack) Schaefer of Ingleside and Judy (Robert) Myers of Lake Villa; nine grandchildren, Kurt (Lucy) , Karen (Michael) , Dale (Angela) , Charles (Cathy) , James (Sandra) , Scott (Michelle) , Shelley (Craig) , Ronald (Jennifer) and Joseph (Shannon); 13 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services were Sept. 23 at Symonds Lakes Funeral Home & Crematory, Grayslake, with the Rev. Lisle J. Kauffman officiating. Interment was private.
David Reid
Funeral services for David Reid, 94, of Lake Zurich, formerly of Antioch and Evanston, were held Sept. 27 at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral Home, Lake Zurich. Born March 25, 1909, in Kirkfieldbank, Scotland, he died Sept. 24 in Lake Zurich.
Mr. Reid is survived by a son, Richard (Barbara); a daughter, Sandra Starr; his grandchildren, Candace (Paul) Dietzen, Ellen, Lynne (Jack) Kulchitsky, Richard (Barbara) , David (Terry) , and foster grandchildren, James and Jackie; and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by a very special daughter, Judy Zavakos.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Edith 'Billie'; and his brothers, Alexander and Jack.
Interment was in Memory Gardens cemetery, Arlington Heights. Memorials may be made to Camp Lions, c/o Lake Zurich Lions Club, P.O. Box 222, Lake Zurich IL 60047; or Special Olympics of Illinois, P.O. Box 699, Normal IL 61761-0699.
Lorraine A. Drewniak
Lorraine A. Drewniak, 84, of Lake Villa, formerly of Chicago, died Sept. 26 in Condell Medical Center, Libertyville. He was born June 13, 1919 in Chicago, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Haack, and had lived there for many years before moving to Lake Villa in 1997. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, cooking, and opening her home to everyone. She married
Bruno Drewniak Aug. 31, 1940.
Survivors include three sons, Ron (Terrie) of Lake Villa, Thomas of Cicero, and Robert (Barbara) of Buffalo Grove; nine grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; two brothers, William and Irwin 'Corky' Haack both of Milwaukee, Wisc; and two sisters, Bernice (Frank) Chruby of Palos Hills, Ill. and Eileen Nelson of Lombard.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Bruno.
Funeral services were held Sept. 29 at Strang Funeral Home of Antioch. Private interment in Resurrection cemetery, Justice, IL.
Elaine Apostal
Elaine 'Ricky' Apostal, 71, of Salem, Wis., formerly of Antioch, died Sept. 24 at her home.
Mrs. Apostal was born Dec. 4, 1931, in Chicago, the daughter of the late Paul and Bertha (Conrad) Richter. She was an active member of St. Peter Church in Antioch, where she sang in the church and Resurrection choirs, taught religious education, was an original Footlights Committee member and had worked as a librarian at the church school.
She was a former Brownie, Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader, had been active with 4-H, was recording secretary of the American Field Service at Antioch Community High School, an election judge for 20 years, sang in the Community and Festival of Arts choirs, and in 1977 she was chosen with her husband as Antioch's VIP.
Ricky was an active member of the PM&L Theater in Antioch since 1967, both on stage acting and back stage managing, making costumes, painting sets, and the like. She and her husband received the Life Time Achievement Award. She also stage managed the Antioch Bi-Centennial Show, 'Colonial Capers' and was even removed from the stage chorus line with a shepherd's hook!
Mrs. Apostal had worked as a secretary at McGraw-Hill Publishing, Wahl-Henius Institute Consulting Chemists and for Orchard Medical Center in addition to all her volunteer work.
She is survived by her husband, Henry Apostal, whom she married
on Jan. 24, 1953, at St. Bartholomew Church in Chicago; four daughters, Suzanne Apostal of Lake Villa, Julianne (Michael) Ocwieja of Twin Lakes, Dianne (Bret) Mumenthaler of Antioch, and Tricia (Stephen) Roehrig of Milwaukee; four sons, Peter (Joelle) of Pleasant Prairie, Henry II (Christine) of Spring Grove, Joseph (Tena) of Johnsburg, and Christopher (Tania) of Lindenhurst; son-in-law, Michael Knox of Waukegan; one brother, Paul 'Bud' (Adeline) Richter of Gainsville, Ga.; and 11 grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one daughter, Joanne Knox, and one brother, Donald Richter.
Funeral services with Mass of Christian Burial was offered Sept. 27 at St. Peter Church in Antioch. Interment was in Carmel cemetery, Antioch. Funeral arrangements were handled by Strang Funeral Home, Antioch. In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make donations to the St. Peter School Scholarship Fund, 900 St. Peter Street, Antioch, IL 60002, in her memory.
