DANA — Grace Darlene Thies, born April 11, 1927, the daughter of Elmer and Grace Willey Fewkes of Long Point, passed away Jan. 20, 2010, at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria.

Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Toluca, with the Rev. Michael Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Rutland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Calvert & Froelich Memorial Home, Toluca, and for one hour prior to the service Monday at the church.

Memorials may be directed to Lostant, Wenona and Dana fire departments to aid in the purchase of emergency response equipment; St. John’s Lutheran Church, Toluca; or Good Samaritan Nursing Home, Flanagan.

Darlene was a lively, reliable, caring woman of many interests and talents. She was an avid gardener and marvelous cook. Darlene had a passion for music and played slide guitar in a Hawaiian band through the 1940s. A hard worker and provider, Darlene held various professions, including farming, owner of a woman’s spa in Streator, guard at Dwight Reformatory, real estate agent and rural postal carrier. Darlene was an active member of St.  John’s Lutheran Church,  Toluca.

Darlene married Henry Grubar of Utica in 1943. She later married Harold “Babe” Smith of Rutland in 1959. He preceded her in death in 1994.

In the autumn of 1996, Darlene wed Robert Thies of rural Dana where she resided until her death.

She is survived by her husband, Robert; sister, June (Howard) Motoyama, Westminster, Colo.; children, Nancy Williams, Normal; Sandra Grubar (George Koch), Utica; Mary Hazlitt, Waverly, Iowa; Bruce Thies, Ottawa; Ron Thies, Toluca; and Mark (LeeAnn) Thies, Urbana; grandchildren, Molly Dunlea and Kerry Dunlea, both of Chicago; David (Samantha) Thies, Anchorage, Alaska; and Jennifer Thies, Columbia, Mo.; great-granddaughter, Gracie Thies, Anchorage, Alaska; nephew, Loren Motoyama, Westminster, Colo.; and great-niece, Morgan Motoyama, Westminster, Colo.

She was preceded in death by her parents and infant son, John Grubar.

This vivacious and loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend will be greatly missed.