Carol VanMeenen

Carol Lou VanMeenen (Morgan), 90, of rural Atkinson passed away Friday, March 28th, 2025 at home with family by her side. A funeral mass celebrating her life will be held at 10:30 AM Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Atkinson. Rev. S. Stephen Engelbrecht will celebrate.  Burial will follow in St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Atkinson. Visitation for Carol will be held 4-7 PM Monday, March 31st at Vandemore Funeral Home in Geneseo, IL where a rosary will be recited at 3:30 PM. In lieu of flowers and statuaries, the family requests that memorials be left to the Carol VanMeenen Memorial Fund to be given to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and distributed among other charities.

Carol Lou was born August 21, 1934, in Geneseo, IL the daughter of Floyd and Rena (Johnson) Morgan. She and her late sister Nancy Ann were raised by their grandparents Ed and Emma Johnson. During her high school years, she lived with her mother Rena and Orville Bartz. She graduated from Geneseo High School, class of 1952. After graduation, Carol worked at Montgomery Elevator until she was united in marriage to Alvin VanMeenen Sr. on June 20, 1953, in Atkinson. They settled in rural Atkinson Cornwall Township, where working hard together they established a grain and livestock farm while raising three sons. Her family was always first in her mind and the source of her pride. She was grateful to stay in the country home she loved for the remainder of her life and cherished that family was nearby. Her sharp wit made it easy for her to connect with others and she enjoyed frequent conversations with many close friends.

Survivors include: 2 sons: Greg (Merry) VanMeenen of Geneseo, and Alvin VanMeenen Jr. of Atkinson; 7 grandchildren: Meghan (Tyler) Sievers, Andrea (Jose’) Valentin, Jennifer (Brian) Zeglis, Nicholas (Elisha) VanMeenen, Danielle (Mike) Cox, Amanda (Brian) Murtha, and Curtis VanMeenen; and 12 great-grandchildren: Lillian and Eliza Sievers, Isabela, Wyatt, and Eva Valentin, Margaret and Lucille Zeglis, Amelia, Abigail and Alyssa VanMeenen, Brooke and Kinsley Murtha.

Carol was preceded in death by Alvin, her husband; her son Allen, daughter-in-law Brenda VanMeenen, and many other friends and relatives she cherished.