Stella Samalon

Stella Dolores Samalon, of Hampton, IL, died Wednesday, August 8, 2012 at Fort Armstrong Senior Residence, Rock Island, IL. She was born in Racine, WI on February 25, 1916 to William Pietkiewicz and Anna Sliakis, who immigrated from Lithuania. She attended Howell Elementary School and Washington Park High School in Racine. School was never hard and she was a good student. She went to Moore's College for stenographer training and worked at Western Printing.

She married Stanley Samalon in 1941 in Racine. The family moved to Moline, IL in 1963 when her husband got a job at John Deere and then to Hampton, IL in 1968. She was very active at her Catholic church parish, St. Mary's in Hampton and volunteered at Illini Hospital as a patient escort, hostess and Lithuanian translator. She enjoyed knitting, bowling and doing anything with her friends.

Stella is survived by two children, James Samalon of Le Claire, IA and William (Kathleen) Samalon of Juneau, Alaska. She also has one nephew, David Petkus and nieces, Lori Albright, Beth Petkus and Paula Petkus, all of Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her husband, who died in 1972 in Moline and a brother, William Petkus, who died in 2003 in Union Grove, Wisconsin.

A very heartfelt thank you to Stella's neighbors and friends for their care and devotion to her over the years, especially after her stroke in 2004 and the staff at Fort Armstrong and Hospice Compassus.

Services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 13, 2012 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Hampton, IL with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery, Racine, Wisconsin. There is no visitation. Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Catholic Church, Hampton.

Schroder Mortuary, Silvis is assisting the family and online condolences may be left at www.schrodermortuary.com.