410 East Belvidere Rd, Grayslake, IL 60030
Call Us: 847-223-8122
Pre-planning consultations meeting your needs
Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium

operated since 1898

services we provide
Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium

operated since 1898

services we provide

Jack D. Wood

Jack D. Wood, 84, a resident of Ingleside, IL, formally of Wheeling, passed away Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at his home. He was surrounded by his loving family. He was born June 3, 1936 in Chicago, IL to Robert and Anne Wood.

Jack was a SeaBee veteran of the Navy. He attended Western Michigan on a football scholarship until a knee injury. He worked for AT&T, Illinois Bell through their transition back to AT&T for 34 years with multiple craft positions and promotions and retired as a manager. He was an avid golfer and loved spending time in Door County with family and friends. He was a loyal and loving husband. He was loved and cherished by all who crossed his path. He was a supportive, generous, and encouraging father and a beloved father in law. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s events and snuggling his great grandchildren. He will be dearly missed and forever live in our hearts.

Jack is survived by his devoted wife of 62 years, Yolanda “Lonnie” Wood, his children Jack V. (Katie) Wood, Cheryl Wood, Nancy (Jeff Scharfe) Wood, and Michael (Dani) Wood, his grandchildren Sean Wood, Jacqueline (Russ) Johannesson, Alex Scharfe, Isabella Wood, and Victoria Wood, his step grandchildren Nicholas Juris, Clayton Juris, and Victoria Juris, his great grandchildren Ellie Johannesson and Addison Johannesson and his brother Robert (Patricia) Wood.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mildred Schaaphok, and daughter in law Kathy Wood.  A memorial visitation and service will be held on Thursday, June 3, 2021 from 11:00am until 1:00pm with the memorial visitation commencing at 1:00pm at Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or to JourneyCare Hospice. For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Jeanne Haight

Jeanne Haight, 85, passed away on Monday, January 18, 2021 at her home. She was born May 9, 1935 in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is survived by her husband, David of 64 years; her daughter, Arian; son, Brian; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Jeanne’s favorite relaxation was sitting in her big chair, reading a book and surrounded by her two poodles, she was a poodle lover.

Earlier in her life Jeanne was active as a fencer and in softball. All of her life she was a golfer and bowler. She was a good singer and that talent got her very active in Community Theater, both on stage and behind the scenes. Jeanne made friends  easily, and stayed in touch with many of them.  Her family and friends will all miss her smile and laugh greatly.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions no services are planned.

Memorial contributions may be made to “The National Kidney Fund”.

Boyd E. Gustke

Boyd Edgar Gustke, was born on June 29, 1939 in Port Huron, Michigan. He passed away on January 18, 2021 at Condell Hospital in Libertyville, Illinois at the age of 81. He was married to Marjorie Sue Gustke for 58 years.

He is survived by his wife and his sister, Shirley Struck, 89, who resides in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. His two son’s, Glenn (Lynnae) and Grant (Tracey), grandchildren Tyler (Brianna), Ciera (James) King, Aly and Jack, and great grandchildren Kyran, Avery and Kelce King.

Boyd worked at Johnson & Johnson for over 20 years, as well as Wells Lamont gloves. He ended his employment career after 25 years with WD40. From the time they were married, Boyd and Sue were involved with the Sunday school and youth groups in the churches they belonged to. He enjoyed shaping young people’s faith and future. He served as President of the congregation at Blessed Savior Lutheran church while living in New Berlin, Wisconsin. He then resided in Libertyville for 40 years and raised his two sons with his wife, Sue. He was a baseball, basketball, and soccer coach for both of his son’s teams and neighborhood kids. He was fondly known as coach to many. He loved playing golf every Saturday with his permanent tee time buddies. Boyd was a dedicated member of Lord of Glory Lutheran church. He and Sue enjoyed many senior social activities with friends.

Boyd left an impact on countless people throughout his life and definitely left his mark on the world. To know him was to laugh and love with him. He was a loving, generous man who will be forever remembered as a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Lord of Glory Lutheran Church, 607 W Belvidere Rd Rt. 120, Grayslake, IL 60030. https://onrealm.org/lordofglory/-/give/now

A celebration of life is being held on Saturday, June 26, 2021 from 1:00pm until 5:00pm at Lord of Glory Church 607 W. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030. For more information, please call (847)223-8122 or visit www.StrangFuneral.org.

Jeannine C. DeRose

Jeannine C. DeRose, 82, a resident of Monroe, WI and formerly of McHenry County, IL, passed away Friday, January 15, 2021 at her home.  She was born July 25, 1938 in Waukegan, IL to Norman and Imogene Bensinger.  Jeannine was a member of St. Raphael Catholic Church.  She enjoyed music, singing in the choir, playing the organ, piano, violin and flute.  Jeannine is survived by her husband of over 20 years, Jerry, her children Mark Naden, Cindy Naden, Sharon Naden, Bonnie (Larry) DeRose, and David (Jessica) Naden, her step-children Debbie(Larry), Sandy (Paul), Jerry (Tina), Terry, Larry (Bonnie), Dena, Carmella (Warren), Michael, Donna (Steve), and Michelle, her grandchildren Joshua, Stephanie, Michael, Nicole, and Jennifer, her 18 step-grandchildren, her 22 great-grandchildren, and her 4 great-great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her second husband Robert Heinson.  A visitation and funeral mass is scheduled for Thursday, January 21, 2021 from 10:00am until 12:00pm with the funeral mass commencing at 12:00pm at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church 40000 N. Route 45 Old Mill Creek, IL 60046.  Interment will follow at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville, IL. Memorials may be made to the church.  All funeral arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL. For information, call 847-223-8122 or visit www.strangfuneral.org.

Roger M. DuBay

Roger Michael DuBay, a resident of Grayslake passed on January 13, 2021 of the COVID-19 virus.

Roger was born in St Paul, Minnesota to the late Sophia and Lester DuBay on October 22, 1934.  Roger graduated from Certin High School in St. Paul, Minnesota and just a few months later enlisted in the US Navy.  Roger was in the Seabees and also served in the Naval Nuclear Power Unit on two separate occasions.  He served in many duty stations both domestically and abroad most notably he wintered over in Antarctica in the early 1960s and also served two tours in Vietnam.  Roger retired from the Navy as a Chief Warrant Office (CWO-3) in 1974 when he moved his family to Wheeling Illinois and started his second career with E.H. Wachs which later became Power Cutting Incorporated (PCI).

While stationed in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Roger met the love if his life, Lina Williams.  The two were married on September 1, 1956 and spent over 64 years together until Lina passed on November 30, 2020.  They had two children, Donna and Roger Jr.  Roger loved reading, wood working and mostly his family.  Roger was the best grandparent ever, ‘Granddaddy’ as he was called by not only by his own grandchildren but all of their friends as well never missed a meet, competition, dance recital or graduation. Roger also loved to play cribbage and was lovingly referred to as the family cribbage master.  When Lina’s health started failing Roger progressively became her full-time caregiver and no matter how hard it was, Roger was always happy to have her at home with him. 

Roger was preceded in death by his wife, Lina as well as their son, Roger Jr.  He is survived by his daughter Donna DuBay Campagna and her husband James Campagna along with their two children Rachel Sophia Campagna and Garrett James Campagna and Garrett’s wife Rachel Elizabeth. Roger also is survived by his brother Donald DuBay along with Donald’s wife Diane. 

All funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel, 410 E. Belvidere Road, Grayslake, IL 60030.  Due to the pandemic, an immediate family only graveside service will be held at Accession Cemetery on Wednesday, January 20th.  A celebration of Roger’s life with military honors will be planned for when it is safe to do so.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Youth and Family Counseling (counselingforall.org) will be appreciated.  Use the additional comments field in indicate your gift is in memory of Roger DuBay.  For more information, please call (847)223-8122 or visit www.StrangFuneral.org.   

Dean Apple-Renee Starzec

Dean Apple-Renee Starzec, 20, of Round Lake and formerly Grayslake, was born on June 19, 2000 and died peacefully in their home on Thursday January 7, 2021. Dean “Deanie” was known for their quick-wit, selfless nature, positive energy, infectious smile, amazing hugs, wisdom beyond their years, and compassion toward others. They made friends easily, had a keen eye for finding the person in the room who was most in need of a friend, and strived to make others happy. Dean was genuine and fought fiercely not only against cancer, but also to advocate for what was just. Dean loved acting, dancing, singing, nature, music, theatre, reading, interior design, and animals. They loved sunsets, sunrises, and spending time sitting around a bonfire connecting with family and friends. Dean played roles in several musicals and plays over the years and was most proud of their role as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. Dean also played Penny in Hairspray and Sharpay in High School Musical to name a few. Dean loved musicals with other favorites including Falsettos, Be More Chill, Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, and various works from StarKid Productions.

In July of 2020, Dean married their soulmate and best friend of many years in the most authentic and beautiful wedding ceremony. Every person who attended the wedding felt the love Dean and their husband had for each other. This love and marriage added months to Dean’s life and the young couple sought to make the most of each day. Dean spent their last months decorating and designing their place to “make it their home.” Dean was incredibly proud and thankful for how their home and domestic life with their husband came together.

Dean is survived by husband, Reese Starzec; father, Chris Wyeth; mother, Ronni Wyeth; brother, Nick Wyeth; grandmother, Sharon Wyeth; parent in-laws, Jason and Lisa Starzec; sibling in-laws, Jennifer, Harrison, Tristan, Bryce, and Jolie Starzec; best friends, Kelly Yoder, Jackie Hilliard, Elijah Janssen-Weitz, Pete Sloan; and many other close family members and friends.

Those who choose to give a financial gift to honor Dean are asked to make a contribution in their name to the American Cancer Society, Make-a-Wish of Illinois, JourneyCare, Ronald McDonald House, Lurie Children’s Foundation, or the Sarcoma Foundation of America. There will be no funeral or memorial service; however, Dean’s life can be commemorated by planting a tree, helping a neighbor, sitting around a bonfire and sharing stories about Dean, or paying it forward to someone else in a meaningful way.

Hildegard H. Pieger

Hildegard H. Pieger, 90, a resident of Grayslake, IL passed away Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at her home.  She was born September 17, 1930 in Romania to Leopold and Aurelia Traczek.  Hildegard was a member of St. Gilbert Catholic Church in Grayslake, IL, the German-American Club in Antioch, and the DANK German American National Congress.  She enjoyed her garden, traveling, and walking.  Hildegard is survived by her children Hildegard (Ted) Geiger and John (Cathy Angerer) Pieger, her grandchildren Erich Geiger, Kelli (Jason) Mule, and Mary (Andrew) Krueger, her great-granddaughters Aubrey and Danielle, her brother Alfred Traczek, and her many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ludwig, her grandson Daniel Pieger, and her brothers Frank and Eugene Traczek.  A visitation and funeral mass are scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, 2021 from 10:00am until 11:00am with the funeral mass commencing at 11:00am at St. Gilbert Catholic Church 301 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  Interment will follow at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville.  Memorials may be made to St. Gilbert Church.  All funeral arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL  For information, call 847-223-8122 or visit www.strangfuneral.org.

Peggy L. Burk

Peggy L. Burk, 70, a resident of Round Lake Beach, passed away at her home on January 6, 2021 surrounded by her family.   She was born on June 29, 1950 in Lexington , MS for Clyde and Annie Jones.  Peggy is survived by her husband, James; her mother, Annie Jones of Ingleside; her children, Tracy Burk of Round Lake Beach, Michelle Burk of Round Lake Beach, and Rebecca (Donald) Diebert of Aberdeen, WA; her grandchildren, Christopher Burk, Zachery Burk, Kaitlyn Diebert, and Breanna Deibert; her siblings, Myrtle (Brian) Palmer, Bruce (Judy) Jones, Barbara Hawkins, and Mark (Karen) Jones.  She was preceded in death by her father, Clyde Jones; and brother, Clyde Jones, Jr. 

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 11:00am at Strang Funeral Chapel, 410 E Belvidere Road, Grayslake, Il 60030. A visitation will be held on Thursday from 10:00am until the time of service.  Interment will immediately follow at Highland Memorial Park in Libertyville. During this time we will be adhering to all COVID-19 guidelines including mandatory wearing of face masks and a maximum of 10 people in the funeral chapel. For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Bernice D. Pocius

Bernice D. Pocius, 96, a resident of Lindenhurst, IL, passed away Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Village of Victory Lakes in Lindenhurst.  She was born April 5, 1924 in Gurnee, IL to Peter and Michalina Pocius.  Bernice was a retiree of Outboard Marine Corporation in Waukegan.  She was a member of a Lithuanian Club in Waukegan, enjoyed sewing and traveling.  Bernice is survived by her many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces, and great-great-nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings Simon W. Pocius, Catherine M. Chambers, and Peter R. Pocius, and her dear friends Hugo Kiupa.   Interment will be held privately at Ascension Catholic Cemetery in Libertyville.  Arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL  For information, call 847-223-8122 or visit www.strangfuneral.org.

Donna Marie Leider

Donna Marie Leider, age 80, a resident of Grayslake, passed away Sunday, December 27, 2020 at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.  She was born on December 4, 1940 in Libertyville to Donald and Eleanor Otis.  She was a member of St. Gilbert Church. For many years she was a nurse at Condell and a secretary for a doctor.  Surviving her are her two sons, Marc Leider of Grayslake and Donald Leider of Waukegan and two brothers, Richard Otis of Wildwood and Charles Otis of Mundelein.  Donna was preceded in death by her husband, Randolph, who passed away on April 7, 2020.  Services for her were held privately.  Arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, 410 E. Belvidere Road, Grayslake, IL 60030. For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Marco T. Caal

Marco “Maco” Tulio Caal, from Guatemala was born on October 1, 1948. His first adventure to the U.S. was in 1968 where he shortly lived in Manhattan, New York. He went back to his home country until 1974, and returned to the US where he spent some time in Los Angeles, California, but later stayed in Chicago, Illinois making it his home town. 

He spent 25 years working as a photo technician at K&S Photography. He had a passion for photography, and was very artistic. His hobbies included reading, drawing, sketching-  in particular caricatures, and sharing many jokes. He was the uncle who always had the coolest, up-to-date gadgets, and the latest technology. 

He enjoyed playing with his nieces and nephews. At every gathering you could find him taking pictures and creating wonderful memories. No matter time nor place, Marco would always wear his cap and flannel shirt. That was his signature look. 

God called Marco to heaven on January 2, 2021 where he was relieved of sickness and pain, and joins his father Roberto, mother Emilia, and brothers Rolando, Rene, and Humberto. He will be remembered for his caring character, and loving spirit. He is survived by siblings Mario, Teresa, Maritza, and Walter.  Loving nieces Dinora, Sandra, Alma, Wendy, Sandy, Jennifer, Emily, Stephanie, and nephews Jorge, Mario, Charlie, Vini, Joe, along with many more great nieces and nephews.

A visitation is scheduled for Friday, January 8, 2021 from 10:00am until 11:00am with a Funeral Mass commencing at 11:00am at St. Gilbert Catholic Church, 301 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  Interment will be held at Ascension Catholic Cemetery in Libertyville immediately following Mass .  Arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL  For information, call 847-223-8122 or visit www.strangfuneral.org.

Beverly C. Hipona

Beverly Elaine Chan Hipona, 61, a resident of Grayslake, IL passed away  Thursday, December 31, 2020 at her home.  She was born September 10, 1959 in Quezon City, Philippines to Edison and Rebecca Hipona.  Beverly was recently recognized for her 30 years of service as a Medical Lab Technician at Skokie Hospital (NorthShore University HealthSystem).  She celebrated life by beautifying her home and homes of loved ones with her gift for gardening and flowering plants.  She was a doting aunt to her nieces and nephews – Justin, Marc, Henry, Caitlin, Clarisse, Nate and Lily. She enjoyed cooking for others and with her, no one went hungry.   Beverly is survived by her siblings Arnold (Rosemarie) Hipona, Clarence (Mary Jo-An) Hipona, Evelyn (Michael) Starzec, and Franklin (Mary) Hipona.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Dorothy Hipona and her nephew Justin Hipona.  A visitation is scheduled for ­­­­­­Saturday, January 30, 2021 from 10:00am until 11:00am with a funeral mass commencing at 11:00am at St. Gilbert Catholic Church, 301 E. Belvidere Rd., Grayslake, IL 60030.  Interment will be held privately.  Arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL  For information, call 847-223-8122 or visit www.strangfuneral.org.

Jerold W. Leckman

Jerold Wayne Leckman, 77, a resident of Grayslake, IL, passed away from ALS on December 31, 2020 at his home.  He was born November 16, 1943 in Orlando, FL to Curtis and Maxine Leckman.  Jerold graduated from University of Illinois Champaign Urbana with a Bachelors and Masters Degree and later earned his PhD at University of Illinois Chicago.  He was a veteran having served as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Public Health Service.  He was a retired Professor of Engineering at College of Lake County and was a registered Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor.  Jerold was a charter member of the Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church. Jerold enjoyed traveling to various countries and to the national parks of the USA and Canada.  He enjoyed flying and attending events at Oshkosh’s EAA Fly In.  He built his own home with great craftsmanship.  Jerold is survived by his wife Elizabeth “Betty” (nee: Dietz) whom he wed on June 17, 1967 in Grayslake, his children Christine (Kokkay) Mun, Karen (Mark) Schweiss, and David (Megan) Leckman, his grandchildren Elizabeth, Esther, Benjamin, Alexander, Madelyn, Ella, Owen, and Quin, and his siblings Allen (Saline) Leckman, Julie Leckman, and Sandra Leckman.  He was preceded in death by his parents.  A visitation and funeral service is scheduled for Friday, January 8, 2021 from 10:00am to 12:00pm with the funeral service starting at 12:00pm at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church 285 E. Washington St. Grayslake, IL 60030.  Facebook live will be available via Shepherd of the Lakes Church for the service.  Interment will follow at Highland Memorial Park in Libertyville, IL.  Memorials may be made to donate.ALS.org or 1300 Wilson Blvd. Ste 600 Arlington, VA 22209 or the church www.shepherdofthelakes.org.  All funeral arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Gus Beres

Gus Beres was born on August 29,1937, in Chicago, Illinois, son of Gus and Charlotte Beres (nee Huber).   The family eventually settled down and resided in Ingleside, Illinois where he worked with his father in the beer distribution business which he ultimately did for his entire career.  

Gus then met Dorothy and they eventually got married on September 18, 1971.   They moved to Round Lake Beach and raised two boys, Ted and Nick. Gus enjoyed rooting for (and yelling at) the White Sox and Bears.  Spoiling his English Springer Spaniels Princess, Poopy (don’t ask), and Emma.  He also enjoyed going to casinos and traveling to Las Vegas.  He enjoyed listening to music and watching movies.   He also had quite the appetite and frequented restaurants all across northern Illinois with his friends.  Gus passed away on Monday, January 4th, 2021. 

Gus was preceded in death by his mother and father, Gus and Charlotte. He is survived by his wife Dorothy; their two sons Ted and Nick; and their grandchild Jaden; as well as his brother Ken.  The family would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Hillcrest Nursing Home and Advocate Condell Hospital. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association, or The Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association.  All funeral arrangements were privately held and entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Benjamin Ruiz

Benjamin “Ben” Ruiz, a resident of Wildwood, IL, passed away Thursday, December 31, 2020 at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, IL.  He was born February 3, 1937 in Waukegan, IL to Jose and Carmen Ruiz.  Ben was a veteran of the US Air Force and a member of the Sojourners SMC Motorcycle Club.  He worked for and retired from Kamatsu in Libertyville, IL.  Ben enjoyed riding his motorcycle, traveling the United States, and most of all being a proud Grandpa.  Ben is survived by his wife of 60 years, Robbie, his children Tammy (John Irizarry) Ruiz-Myers, Sheila (Kent) Grissom, and Chance (Sylvia) Ruiz and his grandchildren Daniel and Elizabeth Ruiz.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Armand Somera, and his sister Fausta Cortez.  A visitation and funeral service is scheduled for Tuesday, January 5, 2020 from 10:00am to 12:00pm with the funeral service starting at 12:00pm at Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  Interment will follow at Highland Memorial Park in Libertyville, IL.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shriners.  For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Gerald S. Manarik

Gerald (Gerry) Scott Manarik, was born June 23, 1957 and died in Chicago on December 21, 2020. He was an electrician by profession and a proud member of IBEW Local 150. He grew up in Grayslake and the pals he made there were special to him his entire life. He was principled, trustworthy and sincere. Gerry is survived by his cherished wife, Jane (nee Scurto) beloved sons, Gregory of Chicago and Jonathan (Melissa) of Lake Villa, 2 treasured grandsons, Camden and Dax, his mother Betty Mack, brothers James (Susan), John (Marga) and sister Joanne (Shaddrack) Manarik plus many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his stepmother Melvina Manarik. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Manarik and stepfather Michael Mack. Gerry had many interests including restoring his 1968 Triumph GT6, golf, fishing, pinochle, the Bears/Bulls/Cubs and his collies. He was a member of St. Andrew Episcopal Church in Grayslake. Interment was private and a memorial mass and celebration of his life will take place in the future when it is safe to gather again. Contributions in his memory may be made to his grandson Camden’s school for special needs children, Lakemary Center, 100 Lakemary Rd. Paola, KS 66071.  All funeral arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Hank J. Smit

Hank (Hendrik) J. Smit 73 was born on May 30, 1947, in Arnhem, Netherlands, the youngest son of Johannes and Maria Smit (nee Vonk). In the years following World War II, and a time in Uganda, Africa, the family moved to the United States. They arrived in New York on June 23, 1956, and eventually settled in Elkhart, Indiana. Hank attended Elkhart High School, graduating in 1965. 

Hank became a United States citizen on February 6, 1967. That year, he enlisted in the United States Navy. After an honorable discharge, he traveled throughout Europe and Africa, spending time in Spain, Holland, and Morocco. Once back in the U.S., Hank entered into an apprenticeship and became a journeyman carpenter.

Hank met the love of his life, Susan, in 1974. After dating for some time, the pair packed up a pickup truck that had been converted into a camper and headed west, planning to make their way to Guatemala. They got as far as Yellowstone National Park and eloped in Jackson Hole in 1977. They fell in love with Montana, made their home in Helena, and raised their two daughters in the capital city. Hank, always forward-thinking, used his carpentry expertise to start his own business, Smit Solar Construction, building energy-efficient solar homes.

Hank, Susan, and the girls eventually made their way back to the Midwest, settling in the Chicagoland suburbs. Hank was an active member of Carpenters Local 250, holding the title of president of the union for many years. Through the union, Hank regularly volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Dollars Against Diabetes, and various other labor and community organizations.

An engaged citizen, Hank was passionate about politics especially around progressive issues of labor, organizing and the environment. He spent time getting to know his local lawmakers and dedicated his time to organizing and supporting candidates and registering voters. Hank voted in every election, understanding the importance of all levels of governance.

  Hank was a loving father and was so proud of his daughters. He never missed a chance to see them in school activities, sporting events, and musical concerts and recitals.  From loving father, Hank seamlessly transitioned to a doting Opa. His five grandchildren brought him nothing but joy. He loved watching them grow and learn, playing cards and chess with them, working on woodworking projects for them, and seeing them play sports and other activities. He enjoyed traveling to visit his daughter and her family in New York, spending time outdoors, and just being together. Hank kept himself busy working on projects around the house (there wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix!), and he never missed an episode of Sunday Morning or Jeopardy! Coffee and a treat was an important daily event.

  Hank passed away in the early hours of December 30, surrounded by his loving family after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Hank was preceded in death by his mother and father, Maria and Johannes (Riet and Jo). He is survived by his wife of forty-three years, Susan; their two daughters, Alie (Jon) Stansbury of Spring Grove and Amie (Todd) Green of Brooklyn; and five grandchildren, Sophie Stansbury, James Green, Benjamin Stansbury, Maisie Stansbury, and Theodora (Teddy) Green; as well as his two older brothers, John and Rein. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to or volunteering time with charities that serve the community and the environment, such as Habitat for Humanity, PADS, Northern Illinois Food Bank, or the Sierra Club. Honor Hank’s memory by sharing a cold beer with a good friend (socially distanced, of course!), enjoying the beauty of nature and watching the birds, and using your voice to affect change by voting and staying informed.

A celebration of life event will be scheduled for sometime in 2021.  

Mary Jagielski

Mary Jagielski, 88 years old of Round Lake Beach IL passed away December 24, 2020.  Mary was born on June 21, 1932.  She grew up in the city of Chicago, where she lived, for most of her life.  She also lived in Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect, Lake in the Hills, Palatine, and eventually settled in Round Lake Beach.

Mary had a great gift for crocheting but also dabbled in Ceramics and knitting.  She loved crossword puzzles, but mostly she loved her dog Mindy.  Mary would be happy to know that Mindy found a good home.

Mary was preceded in death by her son John, who passed away in 2003.  Mary’s surviving children include her two sons, Chester (Marilyn) Nawrocki, Gary (Jackie) Nawrocki , and her daughter Mary (Bob) Hermann.  Mary is also survived by many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mary will be greatly missed.  All funeral services were held privately. All services were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org

Timothy T. Dodge

Timothy Dodge, 72, of Lindenhurst, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, December 27, 2020. He was born in Dubuque, Iowa on September 6, 1948 to Nathan & Margery Dodge who preceded him in death. Tim is survived by his wife, Cherie, and children Kelley Dodge of Longmont, CO and Nate Dodge of Boulder, CO; two sisters, Jennifer (Mike) Weibel of West Redding, CT and Sarah (Bob) Randecker of Dickinson, TX; and two brothers, Jonathan (Karen) Dodge of Estero, FL and Chris (Martha) Dodge of Kalispell, MT.

Tim received his undergraduate degree from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, where he was Director of Admissions and Financial Aid for many years. He later earned a master’s degree from Western Illinois University and co-founded a successful market research firm. Tim and Cherie were married for 35 years and enjoyed traveling along with a variety of outdoor activities. Tim was a devoted father, coaching many youth sports, and was present for each of his children’s life events. He especially enjoyed annual Canada fishing trips with lifelong buddies. After being recognized as an All American collegiate wrestler, he went on to coach at the college level. For more than 25 years, Tim was a highly respected high school wrestling official throughout the state of Illinois. Tim was an advocate for the outdoors and enjoyed spending time in nature canoeing, fishing, hiking, and birdwatching. Memorial gifts can be made to The Sierra Club Foundation in Tim’s name.  All funeral services were held privately. All services were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.

Robert C. Amburgey

Robert C. Amburgey, 79, a resident of Saddlebrook Farms in Grayslake, IL, passed away Sunday, December 27, 2020 at The Sheridan of Green Oaks in Lake Bluff, IL.  He was born March 17, 1941 in Franklin, OH to Hilliard and Amanda Amburgey.  Robert was a veteran of 20 years with the US Navy.  After retiring he was a teacher with the College of Lake County, a substitute teacher with Vernon Hills and Libertyville High School, and worked for Panasonic.  He was a member of the Grayslake and Lake Villa Lions Club and a member of the Lake Villa VFW.  Robert is survived by his wife of 56 years, Beverly, his children Lisa Amburgey of Delevan, WI and Kevin Amburgey of Skokie, IL, his nieces and nephews in Ohio, and his furry girlfriend Daisy Mae.  He was preceded in death by his parents and 7 siblings.  A visitation is scheduled for Saturday, January 2, 2021 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium 410 E. Belvidere Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030.  Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Grayslake Lions Club PO Box 201.  For more information please contact (847)223-8122 or log onto www.strangfuneral.org.