In memory 2023: A look back at individuals who left their mark on the Rockford area

As 2023 comes to a close, here's look back at some of the special people this community lost in the past year.

They are activists and artists, business owners and board members, civic leaders and coaches, elected officials and police chiefs — all of whom left their mark on the Rockford area and beyond.

John Falzone, 80, of Morris Chapel, Tennessee, formerly of Cherry Valley, died Feb. 13 in Cancun, Mexico. Falzone's love of bowling as a child led to a career in owning the Cherry Bowl and promoting the Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour. He went on to become a member of the Women’s Professional Bowling Hall of Fame. After retiring from the bowling business, Falzone, also a master gardener, and his son, Benny, purchased Cherry Valley Garden Center, formerly known as Enders Greenhouse.

Ald. Theophelo "Tuffy" Quinonez, 76, of Rockford, died Feb. 27. The 11th Ward Democrat was a strong advocate for small businesses, the Broadway business district and the hospitality industry. Before serving on Rockford City Council, Quinonez in 1972 became the first Latino American to be elected to the Winnebago County Board. He was a retired barber shop owner who was born in Chicago but raised in Rockford since the age of 5.

Ted Biondo, 79, died March 16 in Celebration, Florida. The electrical engineer had a 30-year career at Sundstrand but was known by most in the community for his post-retirement work of trying to keep taxes low and education standards high. He did this by serving on several boards including the Rockford School Board, the Rock Valley College Board of Trustees and the Winnebago County Board.

Ernest Lavell “Vell” Ponds of Rockford, 55, of Rockford, died March 3. Ponds was employed as the co-owner and manager of Carl E. Ponds Funeral Home Inc., where he has served over 35 years. He was a member of Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, formerly serving as a trustee. He coached baseball and football for many years at Northwest Community Center, where he served on the board, and at Roy Gayle.

Judy Picus, 93, died April 16, 2023, in Naples, Florida. The former Rockford School Board president was a founding member of the Friends of Rockford Public Library, and board member of the United Way and YWCA. She served on the Women Aware Panel, Burpee National History Museum board, Rockford Community Foundation board, and National Union of American Hebrew Congregations governing council. She was the principal of the Temple Beth-El religious school for 15 years, the first female president of Temple Beth-El, and served on several mayoral task forces.

Ald. Linda McNeely, 67, of Rockford, died April 24. The 13th Ward Democrat was a 26-year council member who served under four different administrations. She is perhaps most known for voting no against any project if she felt it was not in the best interest of her constituents. The Rockford native graduated from Auburn High School in 1973, earned an associate's degree from Wright Junior College in Chicago as well as a degree in political science and anthropology from the University of Denver and a master's degree in accounting and taxation from Roosevelt University.

Tom Heflin, 88, of Rockford, died April 29. Heflin was an Arkansas native whose family moved to Rockford when he was 12 years old. The renowned artist is not only known for his nature paintings but for the conditions he created them in. For 28 years, he worked in an abandoned, cold and drafty farmhouse that lacked plumbing west of Freeport. In 2016, the former East High School student was inducted into Rockford Public Schools 205 Fine Arts Hall of Fame.

Charles "Chuck" Fletcher died May 6. For many Harlem Huskies, the school district's wrestling program and Fletcher where synonymous. He coached Harlem wrestling for 36 years, longer than any other coach in NIC-10 history. Harlem went 375-272-11 during his tenure. He signed his first teaching contract in 1962 and taught math before branching out into coaching wrestling. He remained with the school district until his retirement in 2002.

Joe Beard, 42, of Rockton, died May 7. In 2018, Beard was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder of the immune system called STAT3 gain of function. His fight for life brought much attention to the need for donors as Beard, a husband and father of two young girls, died in need of a kidney, liver and bone marrow transplant.

Robbin Snodgrass, 61, of Machesney Park, died May 16. She served as Machesney Park's Village Clerk and two terms as a District 1 village trustee from 2005-2009 and 2013-2017. The Harlem High School graduate went on to graduate from Rock Valley College and Judson University before being employed by Rock Valley College, the Rockford Rescue Mission and the Village of Machesney Park.

Carol Scribner, 86, of Rockford, died May 29. Scribner, a Sunday School teacher at Brooke Road United Methodist Church, was the former owner of the Soda Bar. The breakfast and lunch eatery was a popular hangout for all who worked downtown, particularly lawyers and politicians. The restaurant operated in two locations: first in the downtown Rockford Trust Building and later at South Main and Elm streets. The Scribners sold the Soda Bar in 1998, and the restaurant closed a year later.

Jay Ware, 61, of Rockford, died June 6. After retiring from Woodward as an operations technician, the Rockford native became active in helping to make the city a better place to live. He did so by serving on several community boards including the Winnebago County Mental Health Board, the city's Community Relations Committee and chaired the local NAACP's Criminal Justice Committee.

Shirley Fedeli, 87, of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, died June 19. She and her husband, Gene, were instrumental in founding the Greater Rockford Italian American Association and Festa Italiana, an annual three-day festival held in the summer at Boylan Catholic High School. In 1985, the couple created Amici Italiani, an authentic folk dance troupe that performs at Festa Italiana and throughout the Midwest. Four years later, Shirley Fedeli also helped established the Ethnic Heritage Museum, which is dedicated to celebrating the lives and accomplishments of Italians and other ethnic groups who settled in Rockford.

Bruce Olson, 77, of Naples, Florida, formerly of Rockford, died June 23. The Rockford native represented the fourth generation of Olsons to operate the 135-year-old Olson Funeral & Cremation Services business. Outside of the funeral home, Bruce Olson served on several boards in Rockford including board chairman at Keith Country Day School.

Fred Young, 80, of Roscoe, died July 17. Young took over the family business, Forest City Gear, in 1967. Founded by his parents in 1955, Fred took the small "mom and pop" shop to a global level, leading the company to manufacture some of the world's most difficult gearing for amazing end uses from NASA's Martian rovers and space station to robotic arms and racing yachts.

Dominic Iasparro, 73, of Rockford, died July 30. His 43-year law enforcement career began with a 35-year career with the Rockford Police Department where he rose through the ranks eventually serving as interim chief of police and retiring as deputy chief of operations. He spent his next eight years with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department as deputy chief of detectives.

Mary Catherine "Molly" Phalen, 72, Rockford died Sept. 26. She served as president of the Rockford Education Association for 25 years before retiring in 2011. She worked to improve the rights and working conditions for educators and the quality education for students. In her role at the REA, she also served on the Illinois Education Association Board of Directors and was a trustee on the Teachers’ Retirement System.

Jamie Evans, 47, of South Beloit, died Dec. 8. When she was sworn in as Roscoe's chief of police in 2008, she became the first woman to head a police department in Winnebago County. Evans retired from the force in 2022. The police department was renamed the “Jamie Ray-Evans Public Safety Building” in her honor.

Gene Cassicoppi, 93, died in early December. For 40 years, he coached Guilford High School divers including seven state diving champions, 21 All-Americans and oversaw 24 conference champions. “Mr. Cass was the best diving coach in the entire nation,” said three-time state title winner Tom Wright upon Cassioppi's retirement at age 78 in 2008.

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: In memory of Rockford area residents who died in 2023