Obituaries
Obituary for Bernadean E May
PEORIA – Bernadean E. May, 98, of Peoria passed away at 8:03 p.m. Thursday, May 12, 2016, at OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home in Peoria.
Bernadean was born on Jan. 11, 1918, at home in Peoria to the late Raymond and Marie (Schoenheider) Vonk. She married Willard L. May on Sept. 27, 1938, at St. Edward Church in Chillicothe. He passed away on April 27, 2010.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Bernard Vonk, Paul Vonk, and William Vonk; one son-in-law; one granddaughter; and one great-grandson.
Surviving are one sister, Emma (nee Vonk) Hass of Tinley Park, Ill.; four children, Judith (Ronald) Ziemba of Chillicothe, Thomas (Joan) May of Peoria, Kathleen Burkley of Germantown Hills, and John (Ellyn) May of Edelstein; nine grandchildren, James Ziemba, Jean Rutschke, Andri Ryan, Christine Gordon, Robert Ziemba, Cheryl May, Susan Comeau, Rebecca Terry, and Kathryn McGlothlen; as well as, 19 great-grandchildren.
Bernadean worked briefly at Herschel’s Co. as a secretary but spent the rest of her life being a mom, nurturing her children and tending her garden.
She enjoyed studying nature, especially native trees and birds. She also enjoyed crocheting, sewing, embroidering, and making rosaries. In her later years, she made thousands of bookmarks, which she shared freely and traded with others all over the world.
After Willard’s retirement, they visited 49 states by car and flew to Hawaii for three weeks to celebrate their 50th anniversary. They loved to fish and spent many vacations in northern Wisconsin and later winters in Florida.
Bernadean was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church in Peoria Heights since 1941.
A funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 16, 2016, at St. Thomas Catholic Church. Father Thomas Taylor will officiate. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday prior to the Mass at the church. Entombment will be in Resurrection Mausoleum. Wright & Salmon Mortuary is handling the arrangements.
Memorials may be made to St. Thomas Catholic Church, OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Friends may sign the online guestbook or send private condolences by logging onto www.wrightandsalmon.com
Read More
Bernadean was born on Jan. 11, 1918, at home in Peoria to the late Raymond and Marie (Schoenheider) Vonk. She married Willard L. May on Sept. 27, 1938, at St. Edward Church in Chillicothe. He passed away on April 27, 2010.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Bernard Vonk, Paul Vonk, and William Vonk; one son-in-law; one granddaughter; and one great-grandson.
Surviving are one sister, Emma (nee Vonk) Hass of Tinley Park, Ill.; four children, Judith (Ronald) Ziemba of Chillicothe, Thomas (Joan) May of Peoria, Kathleen Burkley of Germantown Hills, and John (Ellyn) May of Edelstein; nine grandchildren, James Ziemba, Jean Rutschke, Andri Ryan, Christine Gordon, Robert Ziemba, Cheryl May, Susan Comeau, Rebecca Terry, and Kathryn McGlothlen; as well as, 19 great-grandchildren.
Bernadean worked briefly at Herschel’s Co. as a secretary but spent the rest of her life being a mom, nurturing her children and tending her garden.
She enjoyed studying nature, especially native trees and birds. She also enjoyed crocheting, sewing, embroidering, and making rosaries. In her later years, she made thousands of bookmarks, which she shared freely and traded with others all over the world.
After Willard’s retirement, they visited 49 states by car and flew to Hawaii for three weeks to celebrate their 50th anniversary. They loved to fish and spent many vacations in northern Wisconsin and later winters in Florida.
Bernadean was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church in Peoria Heights since 1941.
A funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 16, 2016, at St. Thomas Catholic Church. Father Thomas Taylor will officiate. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday prior to the Mass at the church. Entombment will be in Resurrection Mausoleum. Wright & Salmon Mortuary is handling the arrangements.
Memorials may be made to St. Thomas Catholic Church, OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Friends may sign the online guestbook or send private condolences by logging onto www.wrightandsalmon.com
Previous Events
Visitation
Monday
16
May
9:00 AM
- 10:30 AM
St. Thomas Catholic Church
904 E Lake Ave
Peoria Heights, IL 61616
Funeral Mass
Monday
16
May
10:30 AM
St. Thomas Catholic Church
904 E Lake Ave
Peoria Heights, IL 61616
Cemetery Details
Location
Resurrection Cemetery & Mausoleum
7519 N Allen Rd
Peoria, IL 61614
Memorial Contribution
OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home
Donor's Choice
Loading...