Bob Dramin interviewed Ashiru Abubakar who lives in Nigeria, Africa.

Here’s Your Chance To Order The Engraved Bricks At Gazebo

We are still in the process of paving the walkway (sidewalk) to the gazebo with engraved bricks on both sides. This is located in front of the Main Building. 

Click here to open the PDF file with more information and order form.

Our site will be undergoing some visual and user friendly improvements.

During that time you will possibly notice some strange things in our webpage. Do not be alarmed, it is just us trying to improve our site based on your feedback.

Once again we thank you all for your time telling us what you like and how to improve ourselves.

Have any questions, feel free to email us at ISDAAnews@yahoo.com

Joseph Theodore Cravatta, age 91, of Mt. Carroll, Illinois died Friday, March 16, 2012 in the presence of his loving family in Mt. Carroll. A Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Savanna. Burial will be in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Savanna. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2012 at the Frank-Law-Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll. 

 Joe was born in Savanna on November 26th, 1920 the son of John and Pietra (Distafano) Cravatta, of 751 Bowen St., Savanna, IL. He was Baptized on January 15th, 1921 according to the Rite of the Roman Catholic Church at the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna, IL by the Rev. F. J. Antl, with Joe's Sponsors being Joseph Orto and Maria Spinoso. Joe had five brothers: Dave, Charles, John, Sam and Mike, one sister Mary Lovinelli, one half-brother Paul Didato and one half-sister Carmella Scroll.

Joe attended the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, IL with many honors such as President of the Junior League for the Hard of Hearing in 1942 & 1943, President of the Freshman Class, member of the Young American Literary, Henry Horner Reading Room, Football, Basketball, Track, and Band as well as the Intramural sports of volleyball, basketball, tumbling and swimming. While in school he studied Linotype Printing and he was also involved in the Academic Learning in the Acoustic Department.

Joe met Leota Mercedes Noel at the Jacksonville School for the Deaf while in high school and went on to marry her in Springfield, IL on September 20th, 1944. Shortly after their wedding they moved to Savanna and started their family. In 1948, they moved to the family farm known as "Red Barn Curve". Joseph and Leota had 8 children: Patty, Brenda, Nancy, Jonathan, Joe Jr., Tom, Charlene, and Peggy. From those children came, 19 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. 

Joe's career as a Linotype and Press operator for The Mirror Democrat Newspaper of Mt. Carroll, IL, The Savanna Times Journal of Savanna, IL and The Shawver Press of Morrison, IL didn't keep him away from his favorite hobby of being a Master Gardener growing vegetables for his friends and family. Every spring, he would get his left-over seeds and mail order books out and start planning his next garden. One week prior to his departure from us, he said he was going to get better so he could get out and hoe in his garden this summer. He surely loved his gardening.

Joe loved life right up to the very end where he was taken from us and placed in Heaven to be with God. He will always be loved and missed by his family and friends but we know he's in good hands now. God Bless you Dad, we love you!

Funeral service for Everett Ray Hartzog will be held 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at the Musgrove-Merriott-Smith Chapel. Burial will follow at Oakhaven Memorial Gardens.

Everett Hartzog passed away Thursday, March 1, 2012 at his home in Collinsville at the age of 63.

The son of Troy George and Juanita Bollinger Hartzog was born August 13, 1948 in Canton, Illinois. In 1962 at the age of 14, he moved to Sulphur, Oklahoma. There he began attending the Oklahoma School for the Deaf. It was there just a couple of years later that he met Virginia Louise Cook. They were married May 31, 1966 in Claremore. The next few years they lived and worked in Tulsa. In the early 1970's Everett took a job working for Energy Exchanger. For the next 25 years he worked there and became an excellent welder. He later put his skills to work for Hughes-Anderson, where he stayed until his health forced him to retire. In his spare time Everett had many past times. He loved to hunt, fish, and calf rope. However family trips were always his favorite. Every year he his wife and children always took a vacation. After his children were grown he and Virginia still visited place. Florida, Las Vegas, Corpus Christy and Louisiana were some of their favorite stops. 

He is preceded in death by his father George Hartzog.

Survivors include his wife Virginia of the home; children Sophia Minor and husband Richard Coffer of Claremore, Silvia Denny of Owasso, and Sean Hartzog and wife Judie of Owasso; grandchildren, Sonya Wawrzynaik and husband Nathanial, Kristi Price and husband Brian, Augustus Minior, Reba Minor, Jordan Denny, Caleb Denny, Joey, Madison, Sean Spencer, Jack Everett and Molly Hartzog; great-grandchildren, Kain, Ian, Nichols, Chandler Ray, and Hannah Gayle; brother, Leonard Hartzog, sister, Linda Overcash and husband Paul and son-in-law, Chuck Minor.


To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Everett Ray Hartzog please visit our Sympathy Store.

http://www.mmsfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Everett-Hartzog/#/Obituary

Kenneth L. Harmon (Kenny) passed away on Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 at 63 yrs young. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer and shortly after passed from the disease. Kenneth was born March 20th, 1948 in Onley, Illinois. He is the son of the late Carl Harmon and surviving Lorene Beihl. He is survived by bis wife of 25 yrs Nancy Harmon, his 3 daughters, 2 step children and 15 Grandchildren. He has 5 brothers and 1 sister. Kenneth attended the School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, Illinois. He played sports for the NAD. Kenneth loved all sports including hunting, and fishing. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Funeral Services will be Friday, March 9th, 2012 at 6:30pm. The services will be at Calvary Baptist Church; 6608 16th Street, Rio Linda, CA 95673. We are asking you do not come dressed in dark attire. Bright colors would be appreciated. There will be a potluck immediately after service, please bring your favorite dish to share. Burial Services will be in Nobleville, Illinois. Donations are greatly appreciated at Wells Fargo Bank, account number 9740719068.
Read more here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sacbee/obituary.aspx?n=kenneth-lee-harmon&pid=156342715#storylink=cpy

RONALD J. SIPEK 1950-2012 

Ron Sipek, '70, of Quincy, IL died on Feb. 12, 2012 in Livermore, CA.  Ron was born in Quincy on Dec. 7, 1950.  His parents, the late Richard Sipek and Betty Ann (Schmidt) Sipek of Pittsfield, IL who survives him, both graduated from Illinois School for the Deaf in 1944.  He was a former ISD Alumni Association president and was inducted into the ISDAA Hall of Fame in 2009 as an athlete.  Ron's best memory was the 1969 ISD football team that went 9-0 with him as the quarterback.  He also was crowned the 1969 Homecoming King.  He was last employed by Quincy University in Quincy, IL as an ASL instructor.  He also was previously employed by the Mississippi School for the Deaf and Missouri School for the Deaf for many years as a teacher.  Besides his mother, Ron is also survived by his two children, Brian (Brooke) Sipek, '99 of Austin, TX, and Dana Sipek, '00 of Washington, DC; two sisters, Janice (James '64) Birchall, E-'68, and Nancy Sipek (John) Harper, both of Jacksonville, IL; companion Carol Cambone of Liverpool, CA; and several nieces and nephews, including Jean Birchall (Garrett) Wooten, '91 of Indianapolis, IN; Jill Birchall, '99 of Carmichael, CA; and John Harper, Jr. (Fara) , '99 of Murrayville, IL.  He enjoyed golfing, movies, and Green Bay Packers.  Private memorial service will be held in Quincy later.  Memorial donations may made to the Illinois School for the Deaf Alumni Association, 125 Webster Avenue, Jacksonville, IL 62650.

The video talks about:

- ISD's 173th Birthday
- Main Building, 4th floor
- Cupcola
- Burns Gym basement
- Diamond Cemetery
- Boys and Girls Basketball

Rosemary Cosgriff Blesse, 80, of Jacksonville, died Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, at her residence.

She was born Jan. 16, 1932, in Jacksonville, the daughter of Thomas E. and Rose P. Wallbaum Cosgriff. She married Donald E. Blesse on Sept. 4, 1953, at the Church of Our Saviour in Jacksonville, and he preceded her in death on June 4, 2008.

She is survived by four children, Cindy (husband, Jerry) Green of Landenberg, Pa., Tim (husband, Robert Payo) Blesse of Denver and Monica (husband, Bill) Poole and Tom (wife, Tammi) Blesse, both of Jacksonville; 10 grandchildren, Frank (wife, Adrienne) Green of Atlanta, Claire (husband, Kyle) Marmen of Baltimore, Mike (wife, Anilu) Green of Tucson, Ariz., Rose Green of Baltimore, Mary Kate Green of Landenberg, Pa., Andrew Poole of Chicago, Allyson Poole and Nicholas Poole, both of Jacksonville, Ashley Blesse of Orlando, Fla., and Ryan Blesse of Jacksonville; five great-grandchildren; and one sister, Barbara Dunseth of Jacksonville. 

Mrs. Blesse taught special education at the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville for many years. She was a graduate of Fontbonne College in St. Louis and earned her M.A. degree in Educational Administration from Sangamon State University in Springfield. She was a member of the Church of Our Saviour, Catholic Daughters of America, and the Altar and Rosary Society. Mrs. Blesse enjoyed spending her winters in Texas, genealogy, knitting, reading, camping and playing bridge. She especially enjoyed her grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Church of Our Saviour in Jacksonville, with burial at Calvary Cemetery. The family will meet friends at Williamson Funeral Home following a 4:45 p.m. prayer service Wednesday, until 7 p.m. Memorials are suggested to South Jacksonville Rescue Squad or the Church of Our Saviour. Condolences may be left online at www.airsman-hires.com.

Visit www.isd85reunion.com

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