WASHINGTON…Laura E. Small, 93, formerly of Washington, passed away at 12:37 p.m., Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at Snyder Village in Metamora.
Laura was born on October 31, 1917 in Worth Township to Peter and Elizabeth Fandel Wernsman. She married James C. Small on November 30, 1939 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Washington. Jim died on May 11, 2002 in Peoria.
Among those surviving is one daughter, Nancy (Thomas) McClernon of Spirit Lake, Iowa and Bluffton, South Carolina; two sons, James “Jim” Small, III of Peoria and Michael (June) Small of Washington; five grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.
Laura was also preceded in death by one son, Steven; her twin sister, Anna Lohnes, two other sisters, Betty Jones and Mildred Whitaker and one brother, Elmer Wernsman.
For several years Laura and her husband, Jim, owned and operated Jim’s Drive-Inn in Washington. She also had worked in the cafeteria at WCHS for several years.
Laura was a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Washington and one of the parish’s first family’s. She kept very active in the church as well as in the Altar and Rosary Society of St. Pat’s.
She will always be remembered for being a great cook and she loved to bake, sew and also quilt. Laura really enjoyed her friends and the good times she shared during her three years living at ManorCare at Riverview in East Peoria.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, November 27 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. with Father Joseph Donton officiating. Burial will follow in Glendale Cemetery in Washington. Visitation will be today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Mason-White Funeral Home and one hour prior to services at the church.
Memorials may be made to either Methodist Hospice or Snyder Village.