Cecelia Anna Cleven

Cecelia Anna Cleven, age 97, of Elizabeth, Illinois, died Monday, November 30, 2009, at the Elizabeth Nursing Home. A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 3, 2009 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Elizabeth with Reverend Harvey Nicholson officiating. A visitation will be held from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., prior to the service at the church. Burial will take place in the Elizabeth Cemetery, Elizabeth. Memorials may be given to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elizabeth or a charity of the donor’s choice in Cecelia’s memory.

Cecelia was born on November 29, 1912, the daughter of Anna and John James (Petrik) Stupka in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from Lindblom High School, Chicago. She worked as Secretary in downtown Chicago and was a member of the Chicago Professional Secretaries Association as well as the Chicago Camera Club. She moved to Elizabeth in 1983 and became a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church, Elizabeth. Cecelia was also a member of the St. Paul Ladies Guild and the Jo Daviess County Home Extension Association for twenty-five years. Cecelia enjoyed traveling throughout the world. Her attention to detail was seen in her ceramics, needlework, sewing, and making intricate Christmas cookies.

Cecelia will be dearly missed by one nephew, William (Wendy) Stenzel Jr. of Cupertino, California; four nieces, Nancy (Sam) Milburn of Park Forest, Illinois, Marcia Stupka of Algonquin, Illinois, Gloria (Frederick) Gleave of Evanston, Illinois, and Anita (Larry) Hanson of Elizabeth; and one sister, Marie Stenzel of Elizabeth. Cecelia was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Albert, John and Joseph.