Marilyn Zobrist

Notes:

Obit:

Marilyn Donahue, 90, of Barrington, Ill., formerly of Morton, passed away on Friday, March 26, 2021, at her home.

She was born on September 3, 1930, in Morton, to Noah and Mary (Birky) Zobrist. She married Mike Ericson and later married Daniel Donahue on June 4, 1983, in Barrington, Ill. He preceded her in death on March 20, 2015. She was also preceded in death by five brothers, Raymond, Alpha, Calvin, Willis and Lloyd; five brothers-in-law, Robert Brecher, Paul Grieder, Jack Ault, Robert Zimmerman, and Robert Reinken; nephew, Steven Zobrist; and niece, Amy Davis.

Surviving are one brother, Noah (Dottie) Zobrist of Gulf Shores, Ala.; three sisters, Doris Brecher, Fern Zimmerman and Ruth Reinken, all of Morton; three sisters-in-law, Margaret Zobrist, Nancy Zobrist and Jeanine Zobrist, all of Morton; many nieces and nephews; step-children, Peter (Marilyn) Donahue, Paula (Christopher) Kaeble, and Dorian (Christopher) Wichman; and step-grandchildren.

Marilyn was an executive secretary for Gould Inc. in Rolling Meadows, Ill., where she met her husband, Dan. Her position allowed her the opportunity to travel and meet many fascinating people. She was gifted in preparing itineraries, planning for events and meetings, and for organizing gatherings of people. She had a unique way of making everyone feel special and appreciated.

In retirement, Marilyn and Dan enjoyed wintering at their Arizona home, as well as traveling with family and friends. However, Marilyn never retired from planning gatherings. She planned and organized special birthday and anniversary celebrations and several weekend long family reunions, down to the last detail. In recent years, she became an avid Chicago Cubs fan, cheering for her great-nephew, Ben.

Her family and friends will miss her welcoming smile, infectious laugh, and captivating stories, but will cherish the memories she provided us all.

Burial will be at Morton Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery.

Buried:
Morton Apostolic Christian Cemetery

Marilyn married Dan Donahue on 4 Jun 1983 in Barrington, Cook Co., IL. Dan was born on 23 Apr 1923 in Lowell,Middlesex Co., MA; died on 20 Mar 2015 in Barrington, Cook Co., IL; was buried in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Mike Ericson. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Began Zobrist Construction Company in late 1930s
• Religion: Apostolic Christian

Notes:

Buried:
Morton Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery

Noah married Mary Birky in 1918 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. Mary (daughter of John W. Birky and Stella May Covert) was born on 19 Mar 1896 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; died on 13 Oct 1975; was buried in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Morton Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery

Notes:

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery Old

Jacob + Mary Metz. Mary was born on 6 Sep 1856; died on 24 Feb 1932; was buried in Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery Old

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Mennonite
• Residence: Menominee, WI
• Residence: 1900, Fisher, Brown Twp., Champaign Co., IL
• Residence: 1914, Gibson City, Ford Co., IL
• Residence: 1930-1940, Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Obit:
Birky.-John W., son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew S. Birky, was born Nov. 21, 1871, near Morton; passed away at the Methodist Hospital in Peoria; aged 69 years. He was a member of the Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church and a resident of the town for the last ten years. On May 2, 1895, he was married to Stella May Covert in Fisher, Ill. He is survived by his wife and 10 children; Mrs. Noah Zobrist, Morton; Mrs. James Bruehl, Mrs. John Rost, Clarence Birky, all of Route 5; John, Jr., at home; Homer, Peoria; Richard, Adair, Okla.; Forrest, Fort Ord, Calif.; Mrs. Lawrence Ropp, Gibson City, Ill.; and Gilbert, Jamesville, Wis. A brother, Peter, of Morton, and a sister, Mary Schrock, of Fisher, also survive. Services were held at the Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church in charge of Bros. Ezra Yordy and J. N. Kaufman.

Residence:
Listed as John, wife Stella, childrenMary, Esther and Gilbert. Living next to John’s mother Fanny and brother Amos Birky.

Residence:
Pleasant Hill (Grove?) area

Died:
Methodist Hospital

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Mennonite Cemetery: Ezra Yordy officiated funeral, with J. N. Kaufman

John married Stella May Covert on 2 May 1895 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. Stella was born on 25 Apr 1876 in IL; died on 14 Feb 1963 in Garden Grove, Orange Co., CA; was buried in Tremont, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Married:
East Bend Mennonite Church by Peter Zehr

Other Events and Attributes:

• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The SE 1/4 Of The NE 1/4 Of Section 19 Town 22N, R8E Of 3rdPM (40 Acres At $70 Per Acre =$2800)
• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The W 1/2 Of The NE 1/4 Of Section 19 Town 22N, R8E Of 3rdPM (Excet One Acre In NE Corner Thereof, Deeded For Cemetery Purposes (79 Acres At $80 Per Acre=$6320)
• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The W 35 1/2 Acres Of The SW 1/4 Of The NW 1/4 Of Section 20, Town 22N, R8E Of The 3rdPM (35 1/2 Acres At $70 Per Acre = $2485) Purchased From Cora Baker
• Occupation: Farmer
• PURC: Champaign Co., IL
• PURC: Champaign Co., IL
• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Residence: 1872, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Naturalization: 16 Feb 1888, Tazewell Co., IL
• Naturalization: 3 Mar 1890, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1892, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

“After Andrew and Veronica married, they probably soon moved into the [Johannes] Sutter home, after the elder Sutters moved into the smaller house just across the garden. Their home was about eighteen feet long and sixteen feet wide. Its one room was divided into a kitchen and bedroom by a curtain. The hired man had to climb a ladder to his bed in the loft. Later an addition was built to the house for use as a kitchen in the summer. It could not be used during the winter because it was not built very warm and was floorless. The pole barn was eight feet high, sixteen feet wide, and eighteen feet long. In the wall in front of the horses was a flap door, which was opened at feeding time. The haystacks were just outside. Oats was kept in a rail pen nearby.”

Andrew and Veronica bought 80 acres of the Sutter land in 1882 for $50 an acre. In 1891 they sold the land for $95 an acre and moved to Fisher. He bought some land in the same section where daughter Mary and her husband had purchased land and built a house.

Birth:
Perhaps Arzbach. Birthdate on gravestone is 31 Mar 1830

PURC:
Section 19 portion purchased from George W. Mathews, who had himself derived title by patent from the United States.

PURC:
35 1/2 acres in Section 20 purchased from Cora A. Baker, who had derived title indirectly from the United States by patent.

Residence:
Daughter Mary lived in Morton as a child

Naturalization:
Intent to become a citizen

Naturalization:
Final certificate signed

Residence:
Moved from Tazewell Co., IL

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery (First burial)

Andrew married Veronica (Fannie) Sutter on 25 Mar 1858 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. Veronica (daughter of Johannes Sutter (Suttor) and Barbara Oesch) was born on 11 Nov 1838 in Neuberg-an-Donau, Bavaria, GR; died on 16 Apr 1927 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried in Apr 1927 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Immigration: 1851, New York, NY
• Residence: 1863, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1914, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obit: May 26, 1927 Gospel Herald
Birkey--Fannie S. Birkey was born Nov. 11, 1838; died April 16, 1927. She was the daughter of John Sutter of Berlin, Germany, who with his family came to the United States in 1848. She became a member of the Mennonite Church in her youth. In 1858 she was married to Andrew Birkey, who preceded her in death in 1895. She was the mother of five sons and two daughters. She is survived by three sons, one daughter, twenty-six grandchildren, and thirty-nine great-grandchildren. The funeral service was held in the East Bend Mennonite Church near Fisher, Ill., by A. H. Lehman of Chicago, Ill.

"Our dear Mother's tasks are finished,
Labors o,er and victories won
Now she's gone to be with Jesus,
Beckons to US all to come."

Birth:
Forsthof

Immigration:
On the ship Samuel M. Fox from Havre

Residence:
Living with Veronica’s parents

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery