Obituaries
Sterling, Illinois Obituaries
Local obituaries for the Sterling, Il area
John Reeser
Apr 21, 2026
John Reeser, 86, of Sterling, died April 21, 2026, at his home.
John was born on May 30, 1939, in Sterling, the son of Howard and Helen Reeser. He married Joy Gray on October 8, 1961, in Anamosa, IA. She preceded him in death on May 1, 2009.
Survivors include his son, Rick (Sandy) Reeser of Sterling; daughter, Tammy Reeser of Iowa;...
Rodney Ross Lilly
Apr 18, 2026
Rodney Ross Lilly, 64, of Lyndon, died Saturday, April 18, 2026 .
Rodney was born June 22, 1961, in Sterling, the son of Clinton and Kaye (Matthews) Lilly.
Survivors include his daughters, Chelsie (Brad Sterling) of Lyndon and Jennifer Sloter of Sterling; one son, Justin (Tracey) Lilly of Texas; his sister Deb and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents...
Louis C. Johnson
Apr 18, 2026
Louis C. Johnson was born on December 8, 1954, to the late Robert Johnson Sr. and Mary Johnson in Shelby, Mississippi. He entered this world alongside his twin sister, Lucy Patton, with whom he shared a deep and unbreakable bond throughout his life.
Louis later made his home in Rock Falls, Illinois, where he built a life centered around hard work,...
Betty Louise Steinke
Apr 14, 2026
Betty Louise (née Garrison) Steinke, 89, of Sterling, went to be with her Lord on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at CGH Medical Center.
Betty was born December 5, 1936 in Oakland, Illinois, to Clarence and Flossie (née Schwartz) Garrison. She graduated from North Boone High School in Poplar Grove, Illinois in 1954, and went on to attend Illinois State University, earning...
Colleen Kay Bonnell
Apr 12, 2026
Colleen Kay Bonnell age 85 of Dixon passed away April 12, 2026 at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford surrounded by her family. Colleen was born March 5, 1941 in Parrish, Il to Emma Ruth Farnam and Willard Gail Smothers. She married Raymond Bonnell in 1981 and they shared 45 wonderful years together. She retired from KSB in...
Zachariah "Zach" Heald
Apr 9, 2026
Zachariah Adam Heald, 46, of Sterling died April 9, 2026 at his home. Zach was born March 3, 1980 the son of Kevin and Judith (Smith) Heald.
Zach graduated from Rock Falls High School, Sauk Valley Community College, and Illinois State University with a degree in education. Zach continued to get his Master’s degree in education from Saint Xavier...
David Osman
Apr 6, 2026
David Francis Osman (Oz), age 52, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 6, 2026, at Citadel of Sterling Illinois. He was born on November 5, 1973, in Salem, Oregon to Charles Osman (Deceased) and Linda Bertsche. He was a man whose life was shaped by both hardship and extraordinary love. At a young age, when cancer first entered his story,...
Rodney Eugene Janssen
Mar 20, 2026
Rodney Eugene Janssen passed away March 20, 2026 at home. Rod was born August 26, 1958 in Sterling Il the son of Dale and Mary Jane (Bruns) Janssen. He graduated from Sterling High School in 1976 and went on to work many jobs including Wilbert Vault Co., Heckett, Walnut Sale Barn, and retired from Midwest Operating Engineers after 30 years....
Leonard Staranko
Mar 17, 2026
Leonard Staranko died peacefully in his sleep in Sterling, Illinois on March 17, 2026. He was born August 7, 1947 in North Charleroi, PA the son of John and Rose (Rutsky) Staranko. Leonard had a long career as a sales manager at Wahl Clipper Corporation in Sterling.
He is survived by children Kelsey (Chad) Stringer of Rock Falls, Peter (Sarah) Staranko...
Donald Sisson
Mar 15, 2026
Donald Lee Sisson
October 25, 1936-March 15, 2026
Donald Lee Sisson was born in Sterling, October 25, 1936. Son of Lloyd K. Sisson Sr. and Cordelia (Willman) Sisson.
A 1954 graduate of Sterling High School, he was a proud member of the Warriors Hall of Fame Baseball team. Known for his love of sports, especially baseball, and sense of humor, Lee carried these...
Darlene Leona Haak
Mar 12, 2026
Darlene Leona Haak, 94, of Sterling, passed away on Thursday March 12, 2026 at Parkway Center in Sterling, IL. Darlene was born November 28, 1931 the daughter of Menno and Pearl (Landis) Long. Darlene was a 1949 graduate of Sterling High School. On August 25th, 1957, she married the love of her life, Loren Haak. Loren preceded her in death...
John Brian Baird
Mar 10, 2026
John “Brian” Baird, 73, of Coleta died Tuesday March 10, 2026, at Rock River Hospice & Home in Sterling, IL, surrounded by family. Brian was born January 15, 1953, in Olney IL, the son of Philip and Freda (Price) Baird.
Survivors include one daughter Hilary (Joe) Garza; two brothers Brad ( Linda) Baird, and Brent (Janica) Baird; one sister...
Charles Robert Morris
Mar 8, 2026
Charles Robert Morris, of Locust Grove, Virginia, died at 4:25 pm on March 8th, 2026, surrounded by his daughter Amy and grandchildren Ash, Arin, and Fallon. He passed peacefully at his home in Morrison, following a long battle with Lewy Body dementia. He was born on October 20, 1944, at the Morris farm in Nicktown, Pennsylvania, and was the eighth...
Jose Lopez Jr.
Mar 6, 2026
Jose Lopez Jr., 66, of Dixon died on Friday March 6, 2026 at his home. Jose was born June 27, 1959 in Sterling the son of Jose and Elena (Hernandez) Lopez.
Jose graduated from Sterling High School in 1979, and shortly after joined the United States Airforce. He was stationed in California and England. Jose donated time to the Lee County...
Jacob Sowers
Mar 2, 2026
Jacob Sowers, 48, formerly of Morrison, Illinois, died Monday March 2, 2026 in Ecuador.
Jacob was born June 18, 1977 in Dixon, Illinois, the son of Elizabeth (Ostrander) Myers and Mark Sowers. Jacob graduated from Morrison High School in 1995. He spent several years exploring his passions, starting at DePaul University in Chicago with hopes to one day be...
Sally Marie Oelrichs
Feb 26, 2026
Sally M. (Warren) Oelrichs passed away at age 60 peacefully in her home of Sterling, Il on February 26, 2026 with her family by her side. Sally was born on March 28, 1965 to a loving father James E. Warren and mother Bernice M. Warren in Sterling, II.
Sally was a graduate of Rock Falls High School, Class of...
Ralph Francis Romanelli
Feb 19, 2026
Ralph Francis Romanelli of Rock Falls, IL was born August 20, 1947 in Mendota, IL to Armando and Josephine Romanelli (née Schmidt). He grew up in Cherry, IL and attended St. Bede Academy, later graduating from DeVry University. Ralph served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War while stationed at Grand Forks, North Dakota. After his military service, Ralph...
Donald S. Bechdolt
Feb 12, 2026
Donald S. Bechdolt, 84, of Sterling passed away Thursday February 12, 2026 at Citadel Care Center of Sterling. Donald was born February 9, 1942 in Rock Falls, IL the son of Glen and Elsie (Finley) Bechdolt. He married Glenda McFarland on January 28, 1961 in Rock Falls.
Donald worked at Frantz Manufacturing for over 40 years until his retirement. Donald and...
Ann Marie DeWaele
Feb 2, 2026
Ann Marie DeWaele died Monday February 2, 2026. Ann was born February 27, 1960 in Sterling the daughter of James and Delores (Maas) Mocklin. She married Phillip DeWaele in Walnut on August 27, 2011.
Ann grew up on her family’s dairy farm north of Sterling, where the daily responsibility of milking cows twice a day instilled in her a...
Dawn Nielsen
Jan 29, 2026
After a brave and hard-fought battle with cancer, at the young age of 57, Dawn Mills Nielsen passed on January 29, 2026, surrounded by her family and friends.
On September 17, 1968, Judith (Fullgraf) Mills and Ernest Lee Mills were thrilled to welcome their first daughter into their family.
Dawn grew up with her younger sister Jennifer (Matt) Goken in Sterling. She...
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Schilling Funeral Home & Cremation offers a collection of obituaries for Sterling, IL & Whiteside County. With services throughout Illinois that are updated regularly. Find local Sterling, Illinois obituaries and join us in celebrating memories and honoring their lives and legacies.