Sue Welstead

Sue Welstead ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by McCorkle Funeral Home - Durand on Mar. 6, 2026.Kathleen "Sue" Welstead, born February 10, 1937 in DeKalb, Illinois, married her high school sweetheart, Daniel on November 22, 1952. Together they built a life centered on family and hard work.Sue and Dan lived in Addison, Illinois, where they owned and operated a Kirby vacuum distributorship from 1960 until 2001. In 1971, they became among the first property owners at Lake Summerset, later moving into their beautiful lakefront home in 1989.Sue served as an organist for many years at St. Mary Church, contributing her time and musical talents to her church community. She was also active in St. Anne's Sodality, where she held leadership roles over the years. Sue helped organize parish activities and events, led music programs and sing-alongs at local nursing homes, assisted with ecumenical prayer services, and supported many church committees. She also helped with parish improvement projects and seasonal church services, including helping to lead the effort to restore the church bells in time for the Christmas season. Sue was honored to be named a Catholic Woman of the Year in 2001, an accomplishment she valued greatly.She followed several favorite football teams, including DuPec, Dakota, Notre Dame, and the Chicago Bears. Whenever all four teams won in the same weekend, she would happily say it was "a great weekend."Sue enjoyed crocheting and used her talent to help others. Each year she made several baby layettes for the Freeport Pregnancy Center and several lap quilts for residents at St. Joseph Village in Freeport.Sue was also an avid card sender and never missed a birthday or holiday. While at St. Mary Church, she helped by sending cards of care and support to parish members, offering comfort through thoughtful messages.Sue is survived by her brother, Jim; her daughters, Pattie Quinn, Linda (Jurgen) Gallagher, and Sherry (Tim) Sopoci; her grandchildren, Amber (Johnny) Endicott, Colleen Quinn, Tracy (Phil) Castello, and Justine Quinn; Michael (Andrea) Gallagher, Kevin Gallagher, Christopher (Amber) Gallagher; Sam (Eric) Sopoci and Matt (Danielle) Sopoci; her great-grandchildren, Vivienne, Jackson, Sam, Bella, Flynn, Maddux, Macoy, Violet, Rylee, Eli, Johnny, and Madeline; she also had many nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her husband, Dan Welstead; her parents, James and Hazel Dooley; and her son-in-law, Paul Quinn.The family extends their sincere gratitude to the compassionate staff Serenity Hospice in Oregon, Illinois. Their kindness, support, and dedication provided comfort during a difficult time. Special thanks to Deb Kramer for her assistance and support to the family.A visitation will be held on Monday, March 16, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in McCorkle Funeral Home - Durand Chapel, 101 W. Main Street, Durand, IL. A Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, March 17, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, 606 W. Main St. Durand, IL with burial in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Durand, IL.In lieu of flowers memorials may given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.