Alice VanKerrebroeck

Alice M. VanKerrebroeck, 97, of Geneseo, formerly of Atkinson, passed away on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at Woodridge Supportive Living Center – Geneseo.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 7, 2023, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Atkinson.  Reverend Stephen Engelbrecht will celebrate.  Burial will follow at St. Patrick Cemetery, Sheffield, IL.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 6, 2023, at Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory – Atkinson Chapel with a Recitation of the Rosary beginning promptly at 3:30 p.m.  Memorials may be directed to the Alice VanKerrebroeck Memorial Fund.

Alice was born April 2, 1926, the daughter of Faras and Alice (Wemple) Nahra, in Kewanee, IL.  She graduated from Wethersfield High School.  On October 6, 1945, Alice married Lawrence VanKerrebroeck at a service held at Visitation Catholic Church, Kewanee.  She enjoyed being a mother, grandmother, and a farmer’s wife.  She once owned her own catering business named Alice’s Catering and worked at Grandma’s Kitchen in Atkinson.  Alice was a member of the Altar & Rosary Society where she served as President for several years in both Atkinson and Sheffield, Atkinson Women’s Club – winning many prizes for the Women’s Club pie contests, Mineral Women’s Rolle Bolle League, volunteered at Hammond Henry Hospital for 36 years (putting in more than 6000 hours),  and St. Anthony Catholic Church where she remained active in the diocese and served as Sunday School teacher for many years. She loved baking and making meals for all those that helped on the farm, playing rolle-bolle, stamped cross-stitch, gardening, collecting Cardinals, ceramics, playing cards, and traveling with the Jelly Belly Bean Brunch Bunch.  She was a member of a Canasta card club for several years. When Alice moved to Woodridge her volunteering continued as she eagerly assisted them in decorating for events and holidays. She was a very caring woman that loved her family and friends with her whole heart.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter, Carol (Merle) Heston of Mineral; grandchildren, Dirk (Amy) Christian of Topeka KS, Dawn (Matt Dale) Stage of Atkinson, and Darin (Joan) Christian of Buda, IL; great grandchildren, Christian (Mackenzie) Sammons of Homer, IL, Dalton (Dariana Velez) Stage of Atkinson, Kylie (Lane) Browning of Durham, NC, Alyssa and Jake Christian of Topeka, KS, Stephanie (Nick Hobbs) Christian of Walnut, IL; a soon to be great-great granddaughter; step-great granddaughter, Krystal (Dillon) Boren of Texas, step-great-great granddaughter, Ville Boren of Texas; and several nieces and nephews.

Alice was preceded in death by her parents, Faras and Alice Nahra; her loving husband, Lawrence VanKerrebroeck; sister and brother-in-law, Robinette and Howard Chandler; brother and sister-in-law, Fayes and Kay Nahra; sister and brother-in-law, Catherine and Jerry Hepner; brother, Frederick Nahra; and great grandson, Steven Christian.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to everyone at Woodridge and Compassus who cared for Alice the past 13 years, especially those past few weeks. Your love and compassion are felt and we know she will be greatly missed.