Elba L. Vanek

Elba Vanek, 74, of Coloma, formerly of Downers Grove, Illinois, passed away Thursday, September 29, 2005 at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 10:00 A.M. Tuesday at Elliston Funeral Home, Grant & First Streets, Hinsdale, IL. Burial will follow at Bronzewood Cemetery in Oak Brook, IL. Friends may call from 4-7 P.M. Monday, Illinois time, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to It Is Written, in Thousand Oaks, CA. Local arrangements are entrusted to Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, St. Joseph. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com Mrs. Vanek was born October 17, 1930 in Alton, Illinois to Howard & Chelsea (Matthews) Worsham. On July 4, 1947, she married Percy Hickerson in Alton, Illinois. He preceded her in 1967. On June 5, 1969, she married Paul Vanek in Nashua, Iowa. Elba was employed at Hinsdale Hospital as supervisor of the telecommunications department for 23 years before her retirement in 1990. In 1991, Elba & Paul retired to Coloma. She was a member of Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hinsdale and Pioneer Seventh-day Adventist Church in Berrien Springs. She enjoyed flower gardening, crocheting & knitting. Mrs. Vanek is survived by her husband Paul; her daughter Peggy (George) Walker of Coloma; two grandchildren-Jessica (Jacob) Nunley, Nicholas Walker; her sister Jackie (Earl) Traylor of Alton, IL; and several nieces & nephews. Elba was preceded in death by her first husband Percy Hickerson, her daughter Pamela Hickerson in 1949, two brothers, Gary & Larry Worsham, and her sister Sandra Harris.