Comments (...)Mrs. Lucille M. Heap-Gunnerson, 93, of Morris, passed away peacefully early Sunday morning, Jan. 20, 2013, at Morris Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center.
Born Nov. 2, 1919, in Morris, Lucille was the daughter of Albert F. and Vera (Turner) Manning. She received her education in the Morris schools and graduated from Morris High School with the class of 1937. She graduated from Joliet School of Beauty Culture in 1938.
Lucille married George E. Heap on May 17, 1941, at the First United Methodist Church in Morris. He preceded her in death on Aug. 28, 1963.
She married Russell Gunnerson on Jan. 4, 1974, at the Church By the Side of the Road in Rockford, Ill. He preceded her in death on Aug. 22, 1998.
Lucille was employed as a beautician for many years with the Morris Beauty Mart on Liberty Street in Morris, retiring in the 1970s. With her husband, Russell, they served as custodians at the Morris Building & Loan.
She was a very active lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church, where she sang in the church choir for several years, along with being a member of the Friendship and Miriam Circles. She was a member of the Sweet Adelines Chapter in Morris; a member and past president of Woman’s Auxiliary of John Martin Steele Post #6049 V.F.W.; a charter member of the Morris Junior Woman’s Club; and a former member of Jobs Daughters of the Masonic Order.
Survivors include her loving daughter, Kathryn and her husband George Willis of Joliet, Ill.; her loving son, Jay M. Heap of Morris; 17 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Marilyn Neary Kneller of Morris; along with several nieces and nephews; step-daughter, Doris (Charles) Enger of Morris; and step-son, Gary (Carol) Gunnerson of Indio, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; one daughter, Karil Willis, who died March 18, 1994; one granddaughter, Holly Odom; one great-grandson, Mitchell Waters, who died in April 1999; one sister, Lorraine Mendenhall Bryant; and one step-son, Rusty Gunnerson.
Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, at U. C. Davis & Sons Funeral Home Ltd., 301 W. Washington St., Morris.
Funeral services for Lucille M. Heap Gunnerson will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, at the First United Methodist Church, 118 W. Jackson St., Morris. Rev. Deborah Percell will officiate.
Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.
Serving as her pallbearers will be Richard Odom, Aaron Heap, Trent Heap, Dale Zink, Robin Enger and Mike Neary.
Preferred form of remembrance would be memorial gifts in Lucille’s memory directed to the First United Methodist Church endowment fund.
Condolences to the family can be extended online at www.ucdavisandsons.com.
U. C. Davis & Sons Funeral Home Ltd., 301 W. Washington St., Morris, is in charge of arrangements. For more information, call (815) 942-0084.
