Obituary for Anne Chinuge
Anne Elizabeth Pattison Chinuge of Peoria passed away on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015, peacefully resting in her home surrounded by her children. Anne loved life, her husband Bill, and her children and friends with the grace of an angel. She blessed us with her smile, her joy and her elegance. Anne was born in Peoria on Aug. 15, 1924. She had recently celebrated turning 90 and was happy and content until the end. She is the daughter of George and Evangeline Kirk Pattison. She had lived in a Patio Home at Lutheran Hillside Village for the past 12 years. She was married on May 23, 1948, to William Chinuge, who recently passed away in 2013. Her surviving siblings are her older sister, Mary Pattison Sasse of Arizona; and younger brother, John H. Pattison of Florida. Anne's four children, Annette Chinuge (husband, Harvey Koplo) of Springfield, David Chinuge of Peoria, Nancy Chinuge Carroll (husband, Jeffrey Carroll) of Naperville, Ill., and Karin Chinuge Foster (husband, Steve Foster) of Chesterfield, Mo., all survive. Her six grandchildren were very special to her! She enjoyed watching them grow up and all the fun activities and sports they were in. She was fortunate to attend all of their high school graduations. They are Jody Chinuge Koplo (wife, Debra, and their infant son, Elston), Brandon William Carroll, Christa Brooke Carroll, Jennifer Anne Carroll Connors (husband, TJ Connors), Bradley Scott Foster and Jesse William Foster. Anne grew up her whole life in Peoria and graduated from Peoria High (Central) School in 1941. She graduated from Bradley University in 1945 with a BA in business. She was an outstanding student her whole life and a valedictorian. She was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and served as their treasurer. She later served in volunteering in her sorority's Resale Shop - "The Women's Exchange" for many years in her adult life. She enjoyed playing bridge with her college girlfriends, and it continued to be a favorite pastime with the same group of women for many years. She still has three wonderful girlfriends alive from the original group. Anne's amazing connection to Bradley University was that her great-great-great-aunt Lydia Bradley was the founder of the university. She cherished her years attending there and continued to love and support the college throughout her adult life. Her late husband, Bill (also a Bradley alum), took her to Bradley basketball games up until he passed away. Watching their terrific pep band was actually her favorite part of the game while her Billy cheered on the team to win. Anne enjoyed volunteering in many areas. She served as a Brownie and Girl Scout leader while her children were growing up. She stayed active as a room mother and volunteered at Kellar Grade School, where her children attended. She also enjoyed helping with the DAR and her PEO Organization. Her lifelong hobbies were birding and gardening. She enjoyed participating in the early morning bird walks at Forest Park Nature Center. She and her husband's original home on High Point Lane was nestled deep in the woods where she tended special gardens, including a unique wildflower garden. She also identified hundreds of birds. She marked and dated each species in her Bird Field Guides. Her two genuine loves were reading and music. Books and attending musical events and the symphony were treasures!She volunteered at Lakeview Center in the book bazaar for many years, and a fun family joke developed when she read her own children's college books to find out what they were studying. She was a life long learner and kept active in Bradley Continuing Education classes, Elderhostels and museum lectures. Her educational travels took her to Egypt and China as well as many interesting foreign trips with her husband. Joyful days were spent participating in "The Silver Sneakers" Program at RiverPlex and the Physical Therapy Program at Hillside Village. Trips to the Peoria Zoo and Luthy Gardens were favorite places to visit. Anne and her late husband were members of First Federated Church for over 65 years. She enjoyed the warm fellowship, and highlights were church trips to Ireland and Europe. A special memorial service celebrating Anne's life will be held at First Federated Church, 3601 N. Sheridan Road, Peoria, IL 61604, on Friday, Feb. 20, at 11 a.m. A buffet lunch will be served following the service.Memorial gifts can be given in Anne Chinuge's name to First Federated Church; Bradley University Campus Beautification Project, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625; or Forest Park Nature Center, 5809 N. Forest Park Drive, Peoria, IL 61616.Our family would like to sincerely thank the caring and kind home care workers who came in each day to help take care of our sweet mother, known as "Miss Anne," and especially loyal caregiver Jenny Corwin who has been with her for over seven years. We are appreciative of the kind care over the years from Lutheran Hillside Village and the support of Methodist Hospice team these last few days. We look to God with tears of gratitude for her full and meaningful life. One of Anne's greatest gifts was being a caring, loving and understanding mother. Her adult children are truly thankful for the years she devoted her countless time and energy to them. She was a true model of patience and cherished for her cheerful heart!
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