Bertha Pillion

OTTAWA -- Bertha M. Pillion, 91, of Ottawa, died Thursday, Nov. 29, at La Salle County Nursing Home. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Columba Church with the Rev. David Kipfer officiating. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Ottawa Funeral Home with a rosary at 3 p.m. and Catholic Daughters of America in attendance. Mrs. Pillion was born Sept. 20, 1916, in Ottawa, to Harry and Sarah (Cunningham) Day. She married Michael T. Pillion on Oct. 11, 1934, at St. Columba Church. He died July 18, 2001. She was employed by J.E. Porter Company and was a member of St. Columba Church and its Altar and Rosary Society, CDA, AARP and several card clubs. She is survived by a daughter, Mary Ellen (Michael) Newton of Glenview; one son, Robert (Gayle) Pillion of Ottawa; six grandchildren, Robert (Anne) Pillion, Laurie (Joe Cook) Pillion and Claire, Christine and Kevin Newton, all of Glenview, and Michael (Jennifer) Pillion of Ladd; and five great-grandchildren, Jack, Kate and Tess Pillion of Glenview and Lauren and Brendan Pillion of Ladd. She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Clara Joyce; two brothers, Lyle and Charles; and one son, Michael H. Pillion. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren. Memorials may be directed to St. Columba Building Fund or Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund.