March
In Memory of Township Officials
Richard "Wayne" Bollinger, 95, of Rushville died January 19. He served as Browning Township (Schuyler County) Supervisor from 1977 to 1993.
Gary R. Brelsfoard, 78, of Maroa died January 26. He served as Highway Commissioner of Maroa Township and held that position twice for a total of 18 years (Macon Co.)
William Hunter "Bill" Brengle, 99, of Paris died December 25. He served as a Buck Township Trustee (Edgar Co.)
Cameron G. Brown, 69, of Brocton died November 13. He was starting his third term as a Trustee of Embarrass Township (Edgar Co.)
Raymond Crawley, 79, of Dalton City died January 13. He served as a Trustee for Dora Township for over 30 years (Moultrie Co.)
James T. Donlan, 71, of Carman died January 8. He served as the Carman Township Road Commissioner (Henderson Co.)
Ronald E, Durre, 84, of Chatsworth died December 18. He Serves as a Trustee on the Germanville Township Board (Livingston Co.)
Thomas J. Eckert, 92, formerly of Eureka died January 23. He served as a Eureka Township Trustee (Woodford Co.)
Blair Hoerbert, 66, of San Jose died December 25. He served as a Road commissioner, Supervisor, and currently Trustee in his many years of service to Prairie Creek Township (Logan Co.)
Marvin N. Hull, 97 of Barry died January 31. He served as Supervisor of Beverly Township for 6 years and served on the Township Board for 12 years (Adams Co.)
Donald K. "Don" Hyland,
92, of Decatur, formerly of Mt. Zion died January 18. He served as a Mt. Zion Township Trustee for 22 years (Macon Co.)
Kenneth "Ken" Kingery Sr., 85, of Mount Carroll died January 7. He served as Road Commissioner for Mount Carroll Township—a role he devoted himself to for 30 years (Carroll Co.)
Lawrence P. Konkel, 87,
of Nashville died January 5. He served as a Pilot Knob Township Road Commissioner for many years. (Washington Co.)
Paul J. Lund, 94, formerly of Herscher died January 16. He served 41 years as Pilot Township Clerk (Kankakee Co.)
Ralph “Chip” Richardson Moodie, 79, of Bradford died December 27. He held the position of Osceola Township Clerk for nearly 30 years (Stark Co.)
Donald O. “Don” Newby, 85, of Heyworth died January 10. He retired as Supervisor of Randolph Township (McLean Co.) and was a Trustee Prior.
Marvin N. Hull, 97, of Barry died January 31. He served as Supervisor of Beverly Township (Adams Co.)
Keith E. Oncken, 93, of Milledgeville died January 20. He served as the Elkhorn Grove Township Supervisor for 53 years (Cook Co.)
William G. Pell, Jr., 99, of Rockford died January 7. He served as a Cherry Valley Township Auditor (Winnebago Co.)
Lee A. Reiners, 58, of Emden died January 23. He served one term as the Prairie Creek Township Road Commissioner (Logan Co.)
Ronald W. Smoot, 74, of Fairmount died January 6. He served for over thirty years on the Catlin Township Board (Vermilion Co.)
Janice Toay, 83, of Stockton died January 10. She served as the Rush Township Supervisor, retiring in 2014 after 25 Years of service (Jo Daviess Co.)
Betty C. Tully, 88 of Dixon died January 16. She served as a Dixon Township Commissioner (Lee Co.)
Bonnie Vaughn, 80, of Mahomet died January 16. She served as Mahomet Township Accessor (Champaign Co.)
Lance E. Walter, 65, of Amboy died January 9. He served on the Lee Center Township Board (Lee Co.)
Dale L. Weber, 60, of Louisville died January 19. He served as a Bible Grove Township Trustee (Clay Co.)
Robert Joe "Bob" Wilson,
71, of McLeansboro died December 22. He served on the Crook Township Board (Hamilton Co.)
Longtime Vernon Township Supervisor and former Republican State Senator William E. "Bill" Peterson Jr. of Long Grove died January 11. Described as "a giant" and a dedicated leader devoted to Vernon Township, he was elected Township Supervisor in 1975, a post he held until 2017. Peterson created numerous programs to support children and seniors, including the summer camp, parks program and reduced fare taxi services. He also established the township food pantry, as well as a park with an aquatic center that was named after him in the 1990s. From 1982 to 1992, Peterson served in the Illinois House of Representatives and was elected to the State Senate in 1992, where he served, including as assistant minority leader, until his retirement in 2008. As a legislator, Peterson championed educational access and affordable housing,
January/ February
In Memory of Township Officials
Nicholas Distler, 46, of Scales Mound died December 13. He was the Guilford Township Road Commissioner (JoDaviess Co.)
Gale Leon Dixon, 96, of Greenfield died November 26. He served as a Rubicon Township Official for many years (Greene Co.)
Marlys Ann Ely, 63, of Princeville died December 26. She served as Princeville Township clerk (Peoria Co.)
Loren Eugene Foster, 92, of Sherrard died November 14. He served two terms as the Richland Grove Township Supervisor (Mercer Co.)
Cynthia Joyce Fruit, 75, of Oregon died November 12. She served as Lynnville Township clerk for eight years (Ogle Co.)
Wayne J. Haas, 103, of Elizabeth died November 8. He served on the Washington Township Board (Will Co.)
Donald Lee Haap, 91, of Philo died December 10. He served as a Philo Township Trustee (Champaign Co.)
Terry Allen Hendrix, 79, of Monticello died November 24. He served on the Goose Creek Township Board (Piatt Co.)
Melvin “Ted” Johnson, 88, of Princeton died August 9. He served as the Princeton Township Clerk (Bureau Co.)
Jerome "Jerry" Kieffer, 81, of Galena died December 9. He served on the West Galena Township Board of Trustees (Jo Daviess Co.)
Marvin Lee Knobloch, 87, of Chillicothe, formerly of Stark County died November 17. He served on the Osceola Township Board (Stark Co.)
Robert F. “Bob”Lyons, 85, of Dimmick died November 30. He served on the Dimmick Township Board of Trustees (LaSalle Co.)
Bengt "LaVerne" Mattson, 84, of Leland died November 26. He served as Victor Township Supervisor for over 40 years (DeKalb Co.)
Ralph "Chip" Richardson Moodie, 79, of Bradford died December 27. He held the position of Osceola Township Clerk for nearly 30 years (Stark Co.)
Raymond Mundy, 94, of Carmi died December 4. He served as the Hawthorne Township Road Commissioner (White Co.)
Larry Edward Nave, 86, of Martinsville died December 11. He served on the Orange Township Board (Knox Co.)
George Darwin Porter, 88, formerly of Naperville died on January 2. He served as a Township Trustee and later as Supervisor of Naperville Township (DuPage Co.)
Babette H. “Babs” Rosenthal, 84, of Northfield died November 19. She served as a Shields Township Trustee (Lake Co.)
Dale Schamberger, 83, of Carthage died November 26. He served on the Prairie Township Board from 1989 to 2023 (Hancock Co.)
Richard "Rick" Schmitt, Jr., 67, of Lebanon died October 23. Rick was a Trustee for Lebanon Township since 2009 (St. Clair Co.)
James Raymond Shrader, 83, of Big Rock died December 16. He served for a time as the Big Rock Township Clerk (Kane Co.)
Penny L. Smith, 77, of rural Lewistown died December 4. She served as the clerk for Waterford Township (Fulton Co.)
Joseph "Joe" B. Stanek,
93, of McHenry died November 22. From 1985 to 2001 he served as a McHenry Township Trustee (McHenry Co.)
Anthony "Tony" Steber, 56, of Olney, died December 23. He served as Noble Township Road Commissioner (Richland Co.)
Doris J. Stone, 88, of Hume died December 10. She served as Shiloh Township clerk for 20 years and was serving as Trustee at the time of her death. (Edgar Co.)
James "Jamie" Swanson, 69, of Good Hope died December 14. He served as Sciota Township Supervisor for 25 years (McDonough Co.)
Gerald "Jerry" Ray Theobald, 81, of Buffalo died December 6. He served as the Township clerk of Buffalo Hart Township for nearly 50 years (Sangamon Co.)
James H. “Jim” Wegener, 96, of Libertyville died November 23. He served his community as a McHenry Township Trustee (McHenry Co.)
Ronald "Ron" Johnson, 84, a lifelong resident of St. Charles died in December. Ron dedicated his life to public service. He served the St. Charles Township Highway District. He was elected Highway Commissioner in 1997 and served in that role until his retirement in 2015. Later, he served as Township Supervisor from 2017 until his passing (Kane Co.) He also served on the TOI Board of Directors.
James R. (Jim) Kensler, 68, of Keensburg passed away on December 28, 2025, at Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana with his loving family right by his side. He served as the Wabash County Road District #5 Road Commissioner for 33 years (Wabash Co.) and served on the TOI Board of Directors from 2022 - 2025.