Susan DeBlock, 76 of Viola, died Thursday, November 3, 2022, at her home, with her family at her side. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 9, at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Alexis, Illinois. Burial will be in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Viola. Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, at Speer Funeral Home, Aledo, where a rosary will be recited at 3 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Mercer County Ag Society or to the Mercer Foundation for Health for Nursing Scholarships.
Susan Kay was born on October 6, 1946, in Rock Island, Illinois to Leroy J. and Rosemary Clara (Rettig) Armstrong. She married Victor DeBlock on October 10, 1964, in Aledo, Illinois.
Susan was a lifelong ambassador of Agriculture. She helped her husband farm and volunteered with the Mercer County Farm Bureau in many positions. She especially enjoyed Ag in the Classroom and adopting a school in Chicago to teach them about Agriculture. She also sat on the Women’s Committee and Ag Leaders of Tomorrow with Farm Bureau. Susan was recognized as a Jaycee Woman of the Year, was on the Mercer Foundation for Health Board, was currently a Greene Township Trustee and Precinct Committeeman, and on the Mercer County Home Extension. Susan enjoyed being a 4-H Leader for 20 years with Peppy Partners and being the Photography Superintendent at the Mercer County Fair.
Susan’s greatest joy was her family. She never missed an event for her children or grandchildren. She was always there when needed for babysitting, learning to cook, learning to sew, or just playing a game of rummy. Susan and Victor enjoyed traveling, and she loved planning the trips. They enjoyed their hiking trips and farm tours with friends and especially cherished the trips with their grandchildren. The Grand Canyon was a favorite spot, but their family was with them as they visited every state and many different countries.
Those left to cherish Susan’s memory are her husband, Victor; children and spouses: Diane and Chris Stanley of Davenport, Debra and Mark Hansen of Columbus, Ohio, Kristen and Bill Lewis of Hartland, Wisconsin, and John and Angie DeBlock and Matt and Kim DeBlock, all of Aledo; grandchildren: Katie and Gregor Erhard, Michael Stanley, Ben and Katee Stanley, Pieter, Paul and Ellen Hansen, Mary Claire, Emily, Sofia, and Josh Lewis, Jake and Hannah DeBlock, and Kaitlynn, Macy,and Alysse DeBlock; great-grandchildren: Olivia and Sophia Erhard and one lovingly expected; and siblings: Leonard and Pat Armsrong of Aledo and Joan and Jerry Luxmore of Joy. Susan was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Wayne Armstrong.