Judith A. Rahn

Judith A. Rahn, age 83, of Chadwick, Illinois passed away Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at Rock River Hospice Home, Sterling, Illinois. A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 12, 2022 at Zion Community Church, 10100 West Sabin Church Rd, Pearl City, Illinois. Burial will take place in Chadwick Cemetery following a luncheon at the church. A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 11, 2022, at the church.

Judy was born November 11, 1938, to Lester and Lucille (Koertner) Kloepping. She grew up on the family farm in rural Pearl City. Judy attended Northern Illinois University, where she received her teaching certificate and met her best friend for life, Mary Ellen. She taught in Shannon and then became a substitute teacher for decades after starting a family. When she married Elmer, all her students that year attended her wedding. She used to brag that she had taught everything, even boys P.E.

Elmer and Judy married on January 24, 1959, at Hope Methodist Church in Chadwick. They celebrated 53 years of marriage before Elmer’s passing in 2012.

Judy was a devoted loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister. She enjoyed watching basketball, especially when her grandsons played, and Rachel cheered. She attended all events that her grandchildren were in, taking great pride in their many accomplishments.

She loved to cook and make family members their favorites. Everything was home made with love. She gardened and canned, always making her favorite pickle beets. She made Barbie clothes for her daughter and granddaughter. Taking pride in her unique creations.

Judy was a member of the Carroll Co. Chadwick Lamplighters Extension HCE unit for over 50 years. She served as county HCE secretary/treasurer for over 40 years. She worked tirelessly beside her husband and in 1972, Judy and Elmer proudly received the State Outstanding Young Farmer Award.

She was a member of the Chadwick Women’s Club, Carroll Co. 4 C’s, Carroll Co. Livestock Feeders Women’s group, and worked as a voting judge for several years.

Her favorite activity was morning coffee group with her friends. The group started in Chadwick and then moved to Lanark when Chadwick closed. These ladies were some of her most treasured friends. She liked being social and even though she had a dry sense of humor, was quite funny.

Judy enjoyed taking her JD Gator for rides, using it to clean up roadways, pick up the yard, deliver lunch to the fields and even go to church or coffee with it when Elmer took her car. When they were able Elmer and Judy liked to travel, especially going out west and up into Canada. When the children were younger many trips were taken by RV.

She enjoyed clipping articles and pictures from magazines of things she thought someone needed to read or would enjoy and send it to them. It was a family joke, that she highlighted and emphasized where you were in the picture and what she wanted you to read. She has files full of puzzles, poems, and game ideas for “just in case you need one.”

Judy will be dearly missed by her two children, Leanne Rahn of Lanark, Illinois and Elmer (Annette) Rahn of Mt. Carroll, Illinois; five grandchildren, Justin (Ellen) Rahn of Mt. Carroll, Correy (Kellie) Rahn of Chadwick, Darrin (Romelle Morris) Rahn of New York City, Rachel (Timothy) Keil of Milton, Wisconsin, and Mitchel (Samantha) Rahn of Mt. Carroll; six great-grandchildren, Austin, Emilie, Adalynn, Anthony Rahn, and Wyatt and Olivia Keil; two brothers, David Kloepping of Monroe, Wisconsin, and Charles Kloepping of Freeport, Illinois.

Judy is preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Rahn, Sr.; and her parents, Lester and Lucille Kloepping.

Memorials may be given in Judith's memory for Parkinson's research at the Michael J. Fox Foundation at michaeljfox.org