Vera Cathrine Allison

Vera Catherine Allison passed away, surrounded by her loving family, on December 3, 2012 at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California. She moved to California to be closer to her youngest grandchild, Berkeley, her son, William, and her daughter-in-law, Mary D. Allison. Memorial donations can be made to; Eisenhower Medical Center Foundation, 39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 Tel: 760-773-1888, Illinois Wesleyan University, Advancement Office, PO Box 2900, Bloomington, IL 61702-2900. Checks payable to Illinois Wesleyan University. On-line gifts accepted at: www.titanpride.org/supportiwu. Please reference the Music Department. Known to her friends as Catherine, she was born in Herrin, IL on January 8, 1927 to Lena Poole House and Leroy Bertram House. She lived in several cities during her lifetime including: Herrin, IL; Bloomington-Normal, IL; Park Forest, IL; Evergreen Park, IL; Naperville, IL and Streator, IL. She taught elementary and high school music after college in many of those communities. In addition to the William J. Allison, Jr., family she is survived by her beloved daughter, Gayle Catherine Donlon married to Gerard F. Donlon, Jr. residing in Dothan, AL, as well as her grandchildren Robert Donlon, Maureen Donlan, Berkeley Allison and her sisters Joanne Weisbecker and Jean Kirchner. She was preceded in death by a sister, Helen House. Catherine attended college at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington-Normal, IL aided by a music scholarship for playing the bassoon. While she played many instruments, Catherine’s passion was the piano. She personally taught literally hundreds of children to play the piano, and kindly donated a new piano to the Woodland School district in Streator, IL so that hundreds more might have the opportunity to learn. She was a warm caring friend who helped all in need. She loved to take her grandchildren Robert and Maureen to the Herrin Park where they would swim and chase the geese and ducks around the pond. Catherine also loved cats and dogs and had many during her life. She was greatly loved in this lifetime, and her memory will be cherished forever by all that knew Catherine. She will be buried in Herrin City Cemetery. Services will be held at Van Natta Funeral Home at 427 S. Park Ave., Herrin, IL at 2:00 pm Saturday December 15, 2012. Visitation will be from 11:00 am until time of service at the funeral home.