Obituary of Sylvia Meinders

Sylvia R. Meinders, 89, of Chillicothe passed away Friday, April 28, 2017 at UnityPoint Proctor Hospital in Peoria.

She was born December 13, 1927 in Peoria to Grace M. Gilbert and Arthur LaVerne "Chick" Bohm. She married Louie M. "Tootie" Meinders on February 5, 1946 in Peoria and was married for 63 years before his death on July 10, 2009.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, and one son, Louie M. Meinders, Jr.

She is survived by her daughter, Sherry Meinders; two sisters, Judy (Rick) Blevens and Helen (Wayne) Vanderveen; and three brothers, Randy Crum, Elmer (Linda) Crum, and Gilbert Crum.

Sylvia, along with raising her children, worked for many companies in the area. Throughout their 63 years together, she and Tootie managed to work full-time while building five houses in the evenings in the Alta and Chillicothe areas. Over the years, there would be many friends and family helped by them with home projects. When someone would have a question about a home project, before Tootie could answer, Sylvia would already be telling them how it was done.

She loved to cook and collect recipes and had over 500 recipe books. She fed a lot of people over the years. She was known for her homemade chicken and noodles, and all the pies she made. Her other passion was sewing. She made all of her own clothes. She had sewn for many friends and family over the years. Her husband and daughter brought a lot of clothing to her to be hemmed and we would often remind her that she should have "married a taller man."

Her stories of the past, her kind spirit, and the smell of her home cooking will be sorely missed by all.

A graveside funeral will be held for Sylvia at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at Swan Lake Memory Gardens in Peoria. Memorials may be made out to The Heart Foundation.

Sylvia's online memorial tribute may be viewed at www.weberhurdfuneralhome.com.