Beecher Funeral Home

Dorothy H. Pries (nee Valek) age 86 longtime resident of Chicago Heights, Illinois, passed away on March 23, 2023.  Born on July 4, 1936, to the late Joseph and Helen (Pisut) Valek in Joliet, Illinois.  Loving wife of over 66 years to Donn R.; Beloved Mother to Nancy (Alan) Rafferty, Gregory (Thomas Chelius) Pries, Karen (Mike) Brackin, Gary (Lynn) Pries, Kevin (Dana) Pries, Laura (Tom) Erickson and Mark (Vicki) Pries.  Beautiful Grandmother to Sarah, Anna, Megan, Danny, Catie, Kevin, Angela, Grace, Scott, Annabelle.  Cherished Great-Grandmother to Jade, Madelyn, Audrey, Hailey, Riley, Sylvia, Alyse, Dominic, Giuliana, Hudson, Kacee.  Survived by sister-in-law Loretta Valek and many fond nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her dear eleven siblings: Edward (Marie), Jerry (Jean), Agnes (Larry) McKeon, Joseph (Alice), Jim (Lois), Marsha (Frank) Doyle, Tom (Amy), John, Catherine, Helen and Margaret.

Dorothy attended St. Francis High School in Joliet where she was a member of the Glee Club. She was proud of her Slovak ancestry and her family enjoyed the traditional ethnic dishes she lovingly cooked and recipes she passed down with joy.  She had the most adorable infectious laugh and loved playing games including cards, scrabble and doing jigsaw puzzles. Her summer flower gardens were a labor of love and brought her much pleasure – a greener thumb there never was! Dorothy was a devout Catholic and a founding member of St. Kieran Church in Chicago Heights.

Memorial gathering and mass on Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 10:00 AM until the time of mass at 11:30 AM at Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Home 540 Dixie Hwy. (at Joe Orr Rd.), Chicago Heights, IL 60411  (708) 754-0016.  Inurnment Private:  Calvary Cemetery, Steger, Illinois.

Yvette Therese Fontana,  age 58 of Manhattan, Illinois passed away on March 21, 2023.  Beloved wife of Michael “Mike” Czernik.  Loving mother of Angelina Moreno, Theresa (Bob) Tribble,  Roland Moreno and Ryan Czernik.  Cherished grandmother of Bruce and Archer Tribble.  Dear daughter of Albert L. and the late Sylvia M. Fontana (2022).  Aunt of Bernadette Yracheta.  Fond sister of the late Dennis Fontana, Veronica Musgrave, the late Daniel Fontana, Suzanne Fontana, Albert Fontana, Miles Fontana, Roxann (Shane) Hondrombilas, Silvio Fontana and Marie (Joe) Maggio.  Nieces and nephews Daniel Fontana, Shane Hondrombilas, Andrew Musgrave, Jessica Hondrombilas, Francesca Fontana ,Christian Kennedy, Daniella Fontana and Annie Fontana.  Yvette was a master cake decorator and baker and was well known for her cakes and her craft.

Visitation Sunday, March 26^th   from 2:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at Monee Funeral Home, 5450 Wilson (at Governors Highway), Monee, Illinois.  Funeral  Monday, March 27th leaving the funeral home at 9:15 A.M. going to St. Boniface Catholic Church, Monee, Illinois for a 10:00 A.M. Mass of the Resurrection .  Inurnment:  Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery. Hillside, Illinois at a later date.   Info: 708-534-0016.

Dr. Jairo Bispo Cruz age 78 resident of Olympia Fields, Illinois passed away on March 21, 2023.  Loving husband to Maria Donatela Camaya Cruz.    Beloved father to Mary Ann Cruz (Michael Dennis) Dichoso, Rachelle Camaya (Carlos Julian Sison) Centeno and Jairo Bispo (Melinda Sue) Cruz Jr.  Loving grandfather to Josephine Camaya Dichoso, Nora Ellen Dichoso, Luke Modesto Dichoso, Gabriella Claire Centeno, Julie Ann Cruz Centeno, Camaya Elizabeth Cruz, Jairo John Cruz and Dominick Bishop Cruz. Cherished brother to Jader Bispo Cruz; dear uncle to Fernanda Cantalice Cruz, Claudio Cantalice Cruz and Eduardo DeSouza Cruz.  Preceded in death by his parents Josaphat Bispo Cruz and Aurelina Ferreira Lopes Cruz.  Dr. Cruz was a Cardiologist for Franciscan Health in Olympia Fields.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Brain Tumor Association  www.abta.org      

Visitation Friday, March 24^th from 1:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Home 540 Dixie Hwy. (at Joe Orr Road), Chicago Heights, IL 60411.  Visitation on Saturday 10:00 A.M. until 10:45AM with a 11:00AM mass at St. Veronica Parrish (Formerly:  Infant Jesus of Prauge) Church , 1131 Douglas, Flossmoor, Illinois.   Interment:  Assumption Catholic Cemetery, Glenwood, Illinois.  Info:(708) 754-0016.

Terry A. Haseman age 64 lifelong resident of Crete, Illinois passed away on March 21, 2022.  Born on September 30, 1958 to the late John M. (d.2016) and late Lillian nee Scheuer (d.2011).  Loving brother to John R. (Denise) Haseman.  Wonderful uncle to John C. Haseman and Dana Haseman; great uncle to Lillian and August.  Dear nephew to Joyce Zydch, the late Elaine Angeliotti, Janet (Gary) Handrick, Evelyn (late Edward) House, David (Minda) Scheuer, Mary (late Ray) Laurick, Delores Smith and Richard Scheuer.  Terry attended Speed Center for Special Education for schooling in Park Forest, Center Division in Chicago Heights and Happiday South Star Center in Chicago Heights, Illinois.  Terry worked at Aurelio’s Pizza in Crete for 25 years where he met a lot of his friends and was a member of St. Liborius Church in Steger.  Memorial to be made to Good Shepherd Manor, Momence, Illinois.

Visitation/Service on Saturday, March 25^th  from 10:00 A.M. until time of service at 1:00 P.M. at the Crete Funeral Home, 1182 Main Street, Crete, Illinois. Interment:  Skyline Memorial Park, Monee, IL. Info: (708) 672-7600.   cretefuneralhome.com

Catherine A. Markl (nee Wegler) age 80 of Beecher, Illinois passed away on March 17, 2023.  Loving wife of the late Adolph (d. 2013); beloved mother to Andrea (Gregory) Rizzo and Karl (Elizabeth) Stevens.  Beautiful grandmother to Monica (Manius) Waterman, Philip Rizzo, Christopher Rizzo, Anna Rizzo, Nicholas Stevens and Montgomery Stevens.  Catherine  always treasured the memories with the Markl Family.

Visitation/Service Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 9AM until time of service at 11AM at the Monee Funeral Home 5450 Wilson St. (at Governors Hwy.), Monee, IL 60449.  Burial to follow at Assumption Cemetery, Glenwood, Illinois.   Info: (708) 534-0016.    

On March 16, 2023, Barbara Marie Demith, a “Chicago Heights Girl Forever,” Bloom Class of 1958, left her earthly home to be reunited with her husband of 54 years, Thomas Demith, Bloom Class of 1955.Barbara was the first-born child of Tito and Bette Tarquinio (both deceased). 

Barbara was the loving mother of Tom, Bloom Class of 1979, and Jeff, Bloom Class of 1981.  Her two boys love sports and would run home from Roosevelt School every day, eat their PB and J, and hurriedly ran back out to play.  Barbara spent countless hours at Bloom High School in support of her boys’ teams and the entire Bloom High School Athletic Program.  Interesting to note, she was one of the original founders of the “Bloom Backers” Athletic Program.

Barb has four siblings, George, Norma, Mary, and Jean, who will miss her love and guidance. Barb was grandmother to the “best grandchildren ever born” Spenser, Kailyn, and Katy, and was mother-in-law to Jeff’s wife Maureen. Barb also leaves many Demith relatives who still reside in the area. Last, her two dogs Storm and Barney will miss her.  She thought them to be clever and funny.

Barbara owned Wise Buy Estate Sales for over 28 years. She loved working the sales, but more importantly, she valued all the friendships made along the way and cherished the memories.  She was known for “never turning down a Chicago Heights Sale.” She loved and cherished all the memories given and received at her sales.  You all gave her so much joy.  A special “shout out” to her friends from the Friday night auctions in Peotone.

Barb was loyal to friendships made from her school years especially those from the Bloom Class of 1958.

A special thank-you to Dr. Hamdan, Barb’s oncologist, for the wonderful care.  You and your staff at Riverside Medical made her day.  You gave her more than you will ever realize.

Per Barb’s instruction, there will be no services as she will be cremated and buried next to Tom at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Flossmoor, Illinois.

On behalf of Barb, “God bless all of you.  Live your hopes and dreams…make every day count.”  Finally, as Barb would say, “Have a nice day.”

Arrangements entrusted to Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Home 540 Dixie Hwy. (at Joe Orr Road), Chicago Heights, IL 60411.  Info: (708) 754-0016.