07/22/2016
Dwayne R. Willemssen, 83, of Elgin, passed away on July 17, 2016. He was born on June 27, 1933, in Sioux City, IA, the son of William and Evalina Willemssen. Dwayne was a Veteran and served in the US Air Force. He worked for the FAA for 34 years prior to his retirement. He was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Inverness.
Survivors include: his wife, Bonnie Willemssen; step-daughter, Kim (Jeff) Laird of Glen Ellyn, IL; three children: Grace Tanner of OK, Brian (Michelle) Willemssen of TN and Alan (Jose Acevedo) Willemssen of KS; two sisters: Donna (Don) Hines of CA; Lorraine Caliva of CA; a brother, Jerome Willemssen; many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother: William Willemssen, Jr.
Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at 10:30 A.M. at Holy Family Catholic Church, Inverness, IL, with Rev. Terry Keehan officiating. Burial with honors will follow at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, Palatine, IL. Visitation will be Monday, July 25, 2016, from 4:00 – 8:00 P.M. at the Laird Funeral Home, Elgin, and on Tuesday in the chapel at the church from 9:30 A.M. until the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, you may donate to Alzheimer’s Fund http://act.alz.org/goto/Dwayne_Willemssen.
Dwayne lost a years-long battle with Alzheimer's and is finally at peace. Dwayne was a wonderful, genuinely kind, helpful, and happy person. He had a smile only bested by his laugh. He saw the good in others and would help a stranger as if they were family. A grand sense of humor and humanity that t...
