09/07/2026
What a great lady & a founder of our historical society.
Life Story and Service Details For
LYNETTE WERDIN
Lynette Werdin, age 99, of Kaneville, IL, passed away into the arms of her Savior, Thursday, September 3, 2026, surrounded by the love and prayers of her family.
She was born in the midst of a blizzard on March 29, 1927, to loving parents, Alan and Edith Brackett Phelps.
Lynette grew up in Kaneville and attended local schools. Her dad found work at Burgess Norton during WWII, and at age 16, Lynette was old enough to work there on Saturdays and Sundays too. She graduated from Kaneville High School in 1945 before attending the University of IL for a time. After decades of raising her family, she completed a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University, followed by certification as a media specialist.
In the summer of 1945, following high school graduation, a chance meeting of a young farmer at s Rural Youth dance would change Lynette’s life forever. David Werdin and Lynette quickly became a couple and were engaged before Dave was sent to Japan as part of the occupational forces after WWII. Lynette and David were united in marriage on February 7, 1948, at Kaneville United Methodist Church.
They began their new life together in Batavia for the first few years until they returned to the Kaneville area. In 1956, they purchased their first 60 acres that would eventually number over 400 by 2014. Those acres in and around Welch Creek and beyond will always be farmland, unblighted by homes and businesses, forever unblemished, protected and cherished. In 1965, the growing family moved to the big house on the farm while her mother transferred into a smaller home on the property.
Lynette spent the first part of married life as a traditional farm wife and mother. When it came time to put their four daughters through college, Lynette needed to find a job outside of the farm. Salvation came through a call from Kaneland High School who employed Lynette as a library secretary. Following her bachelor’s degree at NIU, Lynette became a librarian and spent 19 years in the stacks of the Kaneland High School Library before her retirement in 1988.
Retirement didn’t mean she stopped working. If there was anything going on in Kaneville, Lynette was a part of it. She was a woman with vision and a force to be reckoned with, in charge of anything and everything. It was said that it was impossible to say no to her. Lynette was a lifelong faithful member of the Kaneville United Methodist Church where she was a member of the UM Conference Board of Global Ministries and the United Methodist Church Childcare Committee, served on almost every local church committee and taught the youth Sunday school class for almost 20 years. Lynette was also the past president of the Kaneville Public Library Board of Trustees, a founding member of the Kaneville Township Historical Society, and was instrumental in establishing the Kaneville Community Child Center and Lunch Bunch.
Despite her community involvement, Lynette and Dave found time to travel extensively, including Hawaii, New Zealand, many European countries and a dream trip to Israel. A life-long learner and strong matriarch, Lynette helped usher in new generations, passing on her hard-earned wisdom, love of books and life lessons to her daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lynette was a fixture in her community for nearly 100 years, and Kaneville wouldn’t have been the same (or as good) without her hardworking spirit, iron work ethic and enough seeds of compassion to plant every field as far as the eye can see.
She leaves her loving husband of 78 years, David Werdin; 4 daughters: Cindy Hiltenbrand, Carol (Dan) Alfrey, Beverly (Mark) Richardson, and Julie (Karl) Kettelkamp; 7 grandchildren: Laura (Dale) Fennel, Lindsey (Tom) Durham, Matt Alfrey, Natalie (D.J.) LaRocque, Ian (Katie) Richardson, Erin (Tanner) Clementz, and Jackson Kettelkamp; 8 great-grandchildren: Alyssa, Ethan, Addison, Mackenzie, Asher, Ronen, Robin, and Evelyn; one brother, Keith (Kay) Phelps; many nieces, nephews and a countryside full of friends who will miss her dearly.
Lynette is reunited with her parents, Alan and Edith Phelps, 2 siblings: Robert Phelps and Barbara Snyder, 1 son-in-law, Bill Hiltenbrand, and many beloved extended family members who preceded her in death.
Bring your best memories to visitation, Tuesday, September 8, 2026, from 4-7 p.m., at Kaneville United Methodist Church, 46W764 Main Street (physically in Kaneville) Elburn (mailing), IL 60119. A funeral to celebrate her life and faith will be held Wednesday, September 9, also at the church, at 10 a.m., with a brief visitation from 9-9:45 a.m. Interment will follow at Kaneville Cemetery, Kaneville, IL.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to KUMC: Stairway To The Stars, P.O. Box 50, Kaneville, IL 60144 or the Kaneville Township Historical Society, P.O. Box 7, Kaneville, IL 60144. Memories and tributes may be left on the Conley Funeral Home page, or at www.conleycare.com.
