Here are the obituaries and memorial details for our friends that we lost on April 7th.
We will not forget them.
Scott Bittner
Scott Lee Bittner, 42, of Towanda, entered the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ on April 7 in Bloomington.
His funeral will be at 6 p.m. Saturday at Eastview Christian Church, Normal. Private family interment will be in Hudson Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday at Eastview Christian Church, Normal. Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington, is assisting the family with arrangements.
To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Scott was born July 24, 1972 in Fairbury, a son of Terry and Cynthia Janssen Bittner.
Scott was blessed with the loves of his life, his wife, Carrie, and children Ella (12) and Hayden (10). His family was his passion and he was a devoted husband and father.
Also surviving are his father, Terry (Sue) Bittner of Towanda; his mother, Cynthia (Jerry) Winterland of Chenoa; a sister, Lori Bittner (Brian) Warfel of Downs; a brother, Brenton Bittner of Hudson; step-sisters, Carmen (Bryan) McCaffrey of Atlanta, Ga. and Stephanie (Aaron) Grote of Cerro Gordo; nieces, Ryleigh, Landry and Hailey Warfel and Luccianna Puccillo; grandfather, Merle Bittner of Fairbury; and father-and-mother-in-law, Scott and Jo Barrows of Richmond, Va. Scott was brother-in-law to Justin and Sarah Barrows of Houston and Alex and Lauren Puccillo of Plainfield and a friend to so many.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Burdette and Betty Janssen and his paternal grandmother, Ruth Bittner and an uncle, Dale Bittner.
Scott was an avid golfer and dedicated sports fan. He loved to attend all of his children’s activities. His generosity to the community is well-known. He was a loyal alumnus of ISU and a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Scott owned Eureka Locker, Inc.
Andy Butler
Andrew Cain Butler, 40, of Normal, died at 4:15 a.m. on April 7 in Bloomington.
A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday at St. Patrick Church of Merna, Bloomington, with Msgr. Gregory Ketcham officiating. A memorial visitation will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington. Cremation rites have been accorded. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made tothe Illinois State Athletics, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund, or show your support for Redbird Athletics by attending an event.
He was born May 20, 1974 in Urbana, son of Donald and Sheila Butler.
Surviving are fiancé Jamie Fox, Normal,Parents: Donald Francis Butler and Sheila Butler, both from Savoy, Ill., Sisters:Colleen (Butler) McPherson and Kevin of Marlborough, Mass. Shelly (Butler) Schaefer and John of Monticello, Ill. Brother:David Butler and Lauretta of Altamonte Springs Fla., Nieces and Nephews: Caitlin and Alyssa Butler, Erin and Megan McPherson, Kathryn Schaefer, Cole and Maddie Gentsch. Mother and Father In Law: Robert and Nancy Fox, Saunemin, Ill., Brothers and Sisters In Law: Jude and Kelly Gentsch, Dan and Val Fox, Normal.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, his nephew Sam Butler, and his beloved dog Boomer.
Andy had a successful career as a sales manager for Sprint Nextel, where he has worked for almost 13 years. He was recently promoted to a national account manager serving large clients like State Farm, County Financial, and ADM. He had a natural flair for sales and genuinely loved his job. He enjoyed working with a large group of clients and colleagues. He was honored as a Presidential Council Winner, Top Agent for the State of Illinois, and Sales Culture Award Winner.
He was very active in the Bloomington-Normal business community. He participated in BNI, McLean County Chamber of Commerce, and was a past board member of the @midWest, a social media conference.
Andy grew up in Champaign. He attended St. Matthew’s Catholic School and Champaign Centennial High School where he was a member of the golf team. He graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing in1996.
Andy never met a stranger, always had a smile on his face, and was genuinely one of the kindest, most fun-loving people you could ever meet. In his spare time, he loved traveling with Jamie and his friendsand family, playing golf at Bloomington County Club, working out at CrossFit Bloomington-Normal, and spending time with friends and family. He was an aspiring runner and completed the Chicago Marathon in 2010. He was a parishioner at St. Patrick Church of Merna.
He also loved the ISU Redbirds. He served as a member of the Illinois State University Athletics Board (Weisbecker Fund), never missed a football or basketball game, and loved to support the other teams as well, especially baseball and golf. He could be found hosting a tailgate at all the home football games and encouraging everyone he could to join the fun and get involved with the university and athletic department that he loved.
Andy had a huge circle of friends. Once you were his friend, you were a friend for life. His big smile, his sense of adventure, and his kind heart will be missed by many.
To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.
Tom Hileman
Thomas Weldon “Tom” Hileman, 51, of Bloomington, died at 4:15 a.m. Tuesday (April 7, 2015) in Bloomington.
A memorial service for Tom will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Eastview Christian Church, Normal. The Rev. Jason Smith will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the church. Cremation rites have been accorded. Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington, is handling arrangements.
Tom was born Feb. 29, 1964, in Anna, to Lonnie Joe and Dorothy Howard Hileman. They survive and reside in Bloomington. He fell in love with Ami Rosenstock in 1980, and married her on Nov. 26, 1999, in Maui. She survives.
He is also survived by his five children, Ben Coimbra, Bloomington; Adam Hileman, Thompson Station, Tenn.; and Andrea Coimbra, Luke Hileman and Jake Hileman, all of Bloomington; four siblings, Debra (Lance) Longman, Grinnell, Iowa; Elizabeth (Tim) Guelker, Plano, Texas; Lonnie Joe Hileman Jr., Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Zachary Hileman, Bloomington.
Tom proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard. After the service, he graduated from Southern Illinois University with degrees in aviation and aviation management. He was a self-employed pilot and owner of Hileman Aviation in Bloomington. Tom was a member of Eastview Christian Church in Normal.
He was a very active part of his children’s lives and instilled in them his values of discipline, decisiveness and hard work. Tom always had advice to give and an ear to lend. He helped coach Jake in junior football for several years. Some of his hobbies included scuba diving, hiking and running, and he was a Dallas Cowboys fan. Tom had an incredible sense of humor and was known for his pranks and storytelling. He made conversation easy with everyone in his life and was the life of any party. He also had a deep love for his dogs, Daisy and Koda. One of his greatest passions was aviation and over the years he was able to help others take to the skies through instruction.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Haitian Christian Ministries or to an educational fund for his son, Jake.
Condolences may be left at www.calvertmemorial.com.
Jason Jones
Woodrow Jason Jones, 45, of Bloomington, a loving father, devoted husband, caring son and brother and an extraordinary and loving friend who will be missed by his friends and family, passed away Tuesday (April 7, 2015) in Bloomington.
Jason’s family invites everyone to join them at the visitation from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington, as well as for the funeral and memorial service at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Second Presbyterian Church, Bloomington.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), 7925 Jones Branch, Suite 1100, McLean, VA 22102, or www.foodallergy.org.
Jason, born June 3, 1969, in Lincoln, lived in Bloomington, with his wife, Lyndsey Bykowski Jones, the love of his life, and their two children, Jack (9) and Kate (7). He was a senior vice president and certified financial adviser at Wells Fargo Advisors. His business philosophy was to treat every client with kindness and respect and to build long-lasting friendships and trust.
Jason attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where he lettered in both baseball and basketball and was captain of the basketball team, graduating in 1991. He also attended Illinois State University, where he received his master’s degree. He continued to be an avid supporter of both universities and their athletic programs.
With his quick wit, boundless energy and warm smile, Jason brought joy to countless people. He was a tireless coach and mentor to dozens of children in several sports. He was confident, yet humble and unpretentious. His greatest joy in life was coaching and watching his two kids play sports. He absolutely adored his wife and those children.
In addition to his wife and children, Jason is survived by his parents, Woody and Sue Jones, Lincoln; his sister, Jacki Toal, Virginia, and her children, Sam, Mary and Ben Toal; his in-laws, Tony and Suzanne Bykowski, Bloomington; his brother-in-law, Rob (Dana) Bykowski, Prairie Village, Kan., and their children, Connor, Addie and Will Bykowski; and his black lab, Emmie.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, James and Nell Clark, and his paternal grandparents, Woodrow and Joyce Jones.
To express condolences, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.
Terry Stralow
Terry Stralow, 64, of Bloomington, passed away at 4:15 a.m., April 7 in Bloomington.
His funeral will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday at St. Patrick Church of Merna, 1001 N. Towanda Barnes Rd., Bloomington with Monsignor Gregory Ketcham officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Gardens in Bloomington. Visitation will be from 3:00-8:00 p.m., Friday at Epiphany Catholic Church, 1006 E. College Ave., Normal.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to ISU Athletics or OSF St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation.
Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be made at www.carmodyflynn.com.
Terry was born May 5, 1950 in Sterling, Ill., the son of Robert and Rose Stralow. He married Joan Bohnsak on July 24, 1976 in Oak Lawn.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Joan Stralow and by his two children, Jill Stralow and Jordan Stralow of Bloomington; brothers and sisters in law, Diane (Rob) Duncanson, Rick Bohnsak, Debby (Ed) Dismukes, Bob (Chris) Bohnsak and Katie (Gary) Hill.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Tom and Jerry Stralow and a sister-in-law, Maureen Bohnsak.
Terry received his B.S. in Business Administration from Illinois State University in 1974. He co-owned and operated Pub II, which has grown immensely over the years. Through the Pub, Terry affected so many lives from college kids to the entire Bloomington-Normal community. He had a passion for providing a fun place for friends, family and the ISU community to be together. He was a father to so many of his pub family and the loss of Terry will be felt by many.
Terry was a huge fan and avid supporter of ISU Athletics and followed them across the country.
Terry was a loving husband and father of a close knit family. He adored and was so very proud of his Jill and Jordan. He enjoyed participating and being involved in all they did in their lives, school, sports, careers and everything in between.
Terry adored the love of his life, his wife Joan for their 42 years together. They enjoyed their children’s lives, the Pub family, their extended family and many friends and ISU Athletics. Terry had a passion for creating “fun for all.”
Aaron Leetch
Normal – Aaron R. Leetch, 37, of Normal, passed away at 4:15 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 in Bloomington.
His funeral service will at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Eastview Christian Church in Normal with Rev. Mike Baker officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2015 at ISU Redbird Arena in Normal.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to an educational fund for his daughters, Avery and Emmersen. Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial Home in Bloomington is assisting the family with arrangements.
Aaron was born on September 12, 1977 in Garland, Texas, a son of Richard A. and Jerlene (Mullins) Leetch. He married Lindsay Bliggenstorfer on April 5, 2005 in St. Louis, Missouri.
He is survived by his wife, Lindsay; 2 daughters, Avery and Emmersen Leetch, at home; parents of Wylie, TX; brother, Sean Leetch of Wylie, TX; 2 sisters, Tamra (John) Mitchell of Rockwall, TX and Tara (Sean) Cross of Dallas, TX.
Preceding him in death are an infant brother, Todd; and his grandparents.
Aaron was the Deputy Athletic Director at Illinois State University in Normal. He attended Eastview Christian Church in Normal.
Online condolences may be left and tribute video may be viewed at kiblerbradyruestman.com.
Torrey Ward
Visitation: Saturday, April 11, 4-6 p.m., at Smith & Gaston Funeral Home (102. 6th Ave.SW, Birmingham, Alabama 35211)
Funeral: Sunday, April 12, 1:30 p.m., Gene Bartow Arena (617 13th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233)
Memorials: Torrey Ward Family Memorial; Heartland Bank; Attn: Larry Horvath; 401 North Hershey Road; P.O. Box 67; Bloomington IL, 61702-0067 (please put “Torrey Ward Family Memorial” in memo line)
For more information on the tragic plane crash that took the lives of seven great men from central Illinois far too soon, visit WJBC.com.
Susan Saunders 4-10-15
