The Rev. Dr. Marvin Paul Nelson loved and served God and God’s people. He was born Nov. 11, 1951, in the Presbyterian Mission Hospital in Miraj, India. He died Jan. 20, 2020, at his home in Woodstock, having had the joy of preaching and serving as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Woodstock, for 19 years. He retired in January 2019 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Paul grew up in India, where his parents, Marvin and Elsie Nelson, were Presbyterian missionaries. The family returned to the U.S. for yearlong furloughs when he was 2, 8, and 14. Those growing-up years living in India, visiting villages with his father, and feeling the needs of others were formative. His dad died

Arleen M. Hutson, 100, Meyersdale, peacefully went to be with her Lord and Savior on Jan. 22, 2020, at Goodwill Mennonite Retirement Community, Grantsville, Md. Born Nov. 9, 1919, in Culbertson, Mont., the daughter of Anton and Martha (Larsen) Hansen. Preceded in death by her parents; husband, William Mark Hutson, whom she married on Sept. 21, 1940, and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary before he passed in 2010. Also preceded in death by brother:, Clarence Hansen; and sisters, Esther Hughes and Alice Schillberg. Survived by her three children, Patricia Redman, Independence, Mo., Shirl Haning (Jerry), Meyersdale, and William M. Hutson Jr. (Donna), Lake Mills, Wis.; seven grandchildren: nine great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren. She was raised in Woodstock, Ill., and retired

Beverly Dawn Hall, age 78, passed away in her home the first week of January. Beloved mother of Christopher (Brenda) Osvalds, Robert Osvalds, and stepdaughter Amanda (James) McGrath; her grandchildren, Ashley McGrath and Dylan McGrath; her siblings, Marjory Knaack, Jim Beardsley, Robert Beardsley, and Charlotte Beardsley Preceded in death by her husband, Charles “David” Hall, and her parents, Amalia Gorr and Reuben Beardsley. With an outgoing personality, Beverly was a loving and warm person, with the gift of making friends wherever she went. She made it a point to engage people that felt alone. Beverly and David were joined in holy matrimony at the Wayside Chapel in 1976 and was among her happiest memories. She was also instrumental in starting

Ralph E. Westman, age 77, of Woodstock, passed away Dec. 31, 2019, at his home in Woodstock surrounded by his family. He was born on Oct. 18, 1942, in Woodstock to Alvin and Zelda (Sanders) Westman. Ralph grew up in Woodstock and graduated from Woodstock High School in 1960. After he graduated he served in the United States Army from April 1960 until April 1963 and spent and additional three years in the Army Reserve. When he returned home he opened Ralphs Automotive in 1965. In 1998 he opened Woodstock Whizzer Works. He was the Hoosier tire man for Lake Geneva Raceway. He enjoyed building race cars and hanging out at the track. He loved working on cars, going to

A celebration of life for former Woodstock Community School District 200 board member Robert William “Bob” Birchfield will be held on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Schneider, Leucht, Merwin, & Cooney funeral home, 1211 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098. The visitation will continue Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, 312 Lincoln Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098. Burial will be in Calvary Catholic Cemetery. He passed away at his Woodstock home on Sunday, Dec. 29. Bob was born Oct. 25, 1925, to Paul Birchfield and Clois Speer Birchfield Sutton in Detroit, Mich. After graduating from Maine Township High School in 1943, he

Born: March 14, 1921, in Alsace-Lorraine, France Died: Dec. 27, 2019, in Woodstock, Ill. Mariette Ann Wilson was born March 14, 1921, in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France to Eugene Griesmar and Marie Emma Lantsoght. In hopes of finding a better life for his family, her father brought her to the United States in 1922 where they entered the country through Ellis Island in New York City. Due to quotas being imposed on immigrants at the time, her mother was not allowed into the country until a month later. The family first worked on a farm near Sandwich, Ill., that Mariette’s uncle owned until 1932, when they moved to DeKalb, Ill., and settled in a house her father built with

Keith Charles Emricson, 76, of Wimauma, Fla., passed away Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 surrounded by family. He was born Aug. 3, 1943, in Woodstock, Ill., to Thore and Hulda (Shultz) Emricson. He married Judy A. Belcher on Oct. 21, 1982, in Gibsonton, Fla. He served in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany. He worked several years offshore, then found his calling in fencing and started his own company, D&E fencing, with David Dillard. He then began working for Merchants Metals as assistant manager in 1998 and retired in 2008. He loved to fish. It was his passion. He always looked forward to his annual fishing trips with his brothers in past years. He enjoyed the countless fishing trips with Billy

Born: Aug. 10, 1926 Died: Dec. 11, 2019 William J. “Bill” Luallen, age 93, passed away after a brief illness at Hearthstone with JourneyCare Hospice. He was born the e11th of 12 children to Artie and Alice (Burress) Luallen in Oden, Ind., on Aug. 10, 1926. At age 18 he was inducted in the Army on Nov. 17, 1944, serving in Europe near the end of WWII. After the war, Bill and his brother, Logan, drove for and partially owned a trucking company in Woodhull, Ill. Sept. 10, 1948, Bill married Beverly Anderson in New Windsor, Ill. With their two children, Steven K. and Kristine R., they moved to Woodstock, where Bill completed his 30-year employment with the Michigan Wisconsin

Melissa J. Rhino (née Thome), age 54, of Woodstock, passed away at home on Nov. 27, 2019, after she bravely fought a long battle with anorexia nervosa. Melissa Joelene Thome was born Jan. 1, 1965, to Jack and Charlene Thome in Des Plaines, Ill. After Melissa finished grade school, the family moved to Woodstock, where she later became a graduate of Woodstock High School. She has resided in Woodstock for the last 42 years with her husband, Albert (Al) Rhino, and their three children. While her children were young and in school, Melissa was a stay-at-home mom, with the exception of working as a cleaning lady for a few families over the years. Cleaning, organizing, and straightening were things Melissa