Vera Darline Funk

Vera Darline "Grandma Doll" Funk, age 91, of Ottawa, passed away at 11:38 p.m. Saturday, November 21, 2009 at Pleasant View. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Columba Catholic Church in Ottawa with Rev. David Kipfer celebrating. Interment will follow in St. Columba Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Gladfelter Funeral Home with a Prayer Service at 4:00 p.m. Pallbearers will be Jimmy Budach, Antony Schaibley, Blake Wolfe, Andrew Davis, Jacob Robinson and Sean Walker. Honorary pallbearers will be Billy and Joel Davis and David and John Robinson. Vera was born October 9, 1918 at Ottawa, Illinois, a daughter of Frederick and May (Stevenson) Willet. She married William Funk in December of 1937. He preceded her in death October 13, 1987. Surviving are her children, Fredricka Mae (James) Budach and Mary Margaret Zinanni of Ottawa, Rosanne (Michael) Wolfe of Tucson, Arizona, Eileen Genevieve (Michael) Mason of Marseilles and William Joseph Funk of Ottawa. She also leaves grandchildren, June (Ron) Davis, James (Amy) Budach, Wesley (Rikki) Zinanni, Leigh Ann Robinson, Kristy (John) Jatkowski, Blake Wolfe, Nicole (Greg) Dyson, Stephannie Schaibley, Antony (Liz) Schaibley, Christie Mason Joshua Mason, Aaron Mason, Adam Funk and Natalie (Kyle) Camp; twenty-five great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Laura Leigh Zinanni; two great-grandchildren; two brothers, LaVern and Robert Willet; and two sisters, Hazel Sheehan and Pearl Heerman. Vera was a member of St. Columba Church. She had been employed as a seamstress at LaSalle County Nursing Home and Pleasant View Luther Home for over 25 years. She also operated a neighborhood store at her home in the Retz Addition. After her children were grown up, she worked for Farm and Fleet, drove for the Mental Health Department and served as a matron at the LaSalle County Jail. Vera enjoyed dancing, traveling and belonged to various sewing clubs. Vera was also a very "giving" person. She would anonymously deliver packages of blankets, towels, soap and cookies to the needy at Christmastime. She dearly loved her family and maintaining a good home for them. She will be dearly missed. Memorial contributions may be directed to the St. Columba Building Renovation Fund.