Lovadee Celeste (Reed) Gunnerson

Lovadee Celeste (Reed) Gunnerson, 89, of Cambridge, IL passed away on August 28, 2020, peacefully at her home. A private family funeral service will be held for her on Monday, August 31, 2020, at Vandemore Funeral Home and Crematory in Geneseo, IL. She will be laid to rest at Rosedale Cemetery in Cambridge. Memorials can be made in her name to National Fragile X, Cambridge Lutheran Church, or the Epilepsy Foundation of the Quad Cities.

She was born November 1, 1930, in Cambridge, IL to Willis and Bertha (Wallenfeldt) Reed. She graduated from Cambridge High School in 1948. She married Harvey Fickling on November 24, 1948, who preceded her in death. She later married Richard Gunnerson on February 14, 1999.  She devoted her life to being a good mother and farm wife. She was a Brownie leader, Cub Scout Den Mother, past president of Cambridge Junior Women’s Club, past president of Cambridge PTA, an active member of Cambridge Lutheran Church, serving on the church council and participating and leading WELCA.   She served as superintendent and judge of cakes at the Henry County Fair. Her hobbies included collecting over 100 dolls, playing bridge, reading, doing counted cross stitch, and rooting for her beloved Chicago Cubs. After marrying Richard, she also attended Augustana Lutheran Church in Andover. She loved and was loved by her family and enjoyed spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, and friends. She made and decorated many birthday, wedding, and graduation cakes over the years and was known to many in the community as the “cake lady” for her beautiful and delicious cakes.

Lovadee will be deeply missed by her daughters, Colleen (John) Usrey of Cambridge, and Julie Johnson of Davenport, IA; son, Scott (Kathy) Fickling of Joliet; step-daughters, Janet (Dennis) Gibbs, Julie (Rick) Wilson, and step-daughter-in-law, Gloria Gunnerson; grandchildren, Dawn Usrey (Doug) Cook, Holly Usrey Roos, Heather Usrey, Todd Johnson, Kelly Johnson (Chad) Ulrich and Chelsea Fickling; step-grandchildren, Brittany (Brent) Schmidgall, Jeremy (Janelle) Gibbs, Nathan (Allison) Gibbs, Brianna and Erica Gunnerson; ten great-grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She was a special aunt to Teri (Clark) Erdmann and Jacki (Clark) Klawonn.

She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband, Harvey Fickling, sister, Rosalie Clark, son-in-law, Greg Johnson, and stepson, Allen Gunnerson.