Delores E. Wichman

Delores E. Wichman passed away with grace and peace on March 4, 2026, with her granddaughter by her side. Born on July 25, 1927, in Forreston, Illinois, as the only child of John and Viola (Swank) Abbas, she lived her life with deep gratitude for her family and friends, her home and land, her ability to learn and work, and the many travels and hobbies that brought her joy.

A 1945 valedictorian of Forreston High School, Delores met her husband Paul at the county fair. They married on July 25, 1946, and welcomed their only child, Judy, in 1947. She was a dedicated farmer’s wife and worked as a Human Resource Administrator at Micro Switch (Honeywell) in Freeport, Illinois. Together, she and Paul traveled to all fifty states, Europe, Mexico, and Jamaica. Among her most cherished journeys was a trip to Holland, her family’s ancestral homeland, where she walked through fields of tulips. She and Paul especially loved camping with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren at Devil’s Lake and Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Delores found great pleasure in playing cards with family and friends, teaching her grandchildren Rummikub, Uno, and Solitaire. She was an avid viewer of Wheel of Fortune and an accomplished quilter, creating more than 150 quilts that she lovingly gifted to family members and to neonatal units. She was an active member of the Sinnissippi Quilters, and for her 90th birthday her daughter, granddaughter, and two great-granddaughters organized a tour of barn quilts in Stephenson County.

Delores is survived by her daughter Judy Dall, her grandson Aaron (Rachel) Dall, her granddaughter Jennifer (Larry) Graff, her great-grandchildren Sammantha, Zackary and AnnaLynn Dall, Christopher (Rachel) Graff, Jessica Graff (Shawn Meilicke), and Mason Rehberg, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Phil and Mary Wichman, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul E. Wichman, her parents John and Viola (Swank) Abbas, her father- and mother-in-law George and Maybelle (Ruthe) Wichman, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Earl and Dorthey (Wichman) Ackerman, and her cousin Helen (Hiteman) Hartog, whom she considered a sister. She was laid to rest beside Paul in an intimate private ceremony at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.

A strong and resilient woman, Delores held her family together through many trials without complaint. She continually reminded those around her to keep faith, seek the good in life, continue learning, explore the world, and live each day with gratitude.